Codgerly eyes
Wondering what to write this week, I’ve been slightly paralysed by the onset of October 2nd yesterday, when I attained the glorious age of 65.
I can’t say I’m entirely delighted by this but short of acquiring a time machine there's “nothing to be done” (as a certain formerly Eastern European Grandmaster was, and presumably still is, fond of saying), and what it has achieved is to spur me on to have a look at some of my old games.
Nowadays the kids are so strong so young that it’s hard to contemplate just how far behind we were. I’m thinking of examining some of their games next time. Please do suggest any you’d like me to look at in the comments.
I was a late developer who became an IM at the age of 21 and a grandmaster at 24. But even the best young players — apart from Bobby Fischer — were at least in their late teens before they became GMs. This doesn’t mean that we weren’t decent players — or at least didn’t show promise — but we were very raw. Some years ago, I unfortunately lost some of my early score books, so I don’t have any really early games. But I have got some in my database from 1969 onwards, and I thought I’d dig out some of these today, peering with my codgerly eyes for promise and flaws.
The first few games in the database are actually ones which weren’t dated and so sent to the top by the sort function (something I obviously could remedy but haven’t bothered to). We then reach the British Under-14 Championship in Rhyl 1969 (which I won) and the Islington Open of 1970. There’s nothing from the British Under-16s in 1970 (first equal with Jonathan Mestel), but a few other games from 1970 and over a dozen from 1971 including the British Under-21 which was won by Tony Miles.
In any case, I’ve chosen a few of these — wins and losses — to have a second look at and hope you enjoy them. We start with a couple which are in my book of best games, and the rest have never been published except possibly in tournament bulletins.
| Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 4...Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 5.exd5 Nxd5? 5...Na5 6.Nxf7 6.d4 6...Kxf7 7.Qf3+ Ke6 8.Nc3 Ncb4 9.d4?! 9.Qe4 c6 10.a3 Na6 11.d4 9...c6 9...Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Nxd4 11.Bxd5+ Kd7 12.Qg3 Qf6 10.Qe4 Kf7 11.a3 11.dxe5 Be6 11...Qa5? 11...exd4! 12.axb4 Qxa1 13.Nxd5?! 13.0-0 Be6 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Bxd5 Qa6 16.Bxb7 Qc4 17.Qf3+ Kg8 18.Bxa8+- 13...Qxc1+ 14.Ke2 Qxh1?! 14...Bg4+ 15.f3 Qxh1 16.Qxg4 cxd5 17.Qf5+ Ke7 17...Ke8 18.Bb5+ Ke7 19.Qg5+ Kf7 20.Qf5+= 18.Qxe5+ Kd8 19.Qxd5+ Kc8 20.Qe6+= 14...Qg5! 15.Nc7+ Ke7 15...Be6 16.Bxe6+ 16.Qf5+ Ke7 17.Qxe6+ Kd8 16...Ke7 17.Qxe5 16.Qxe5+ 16...Kd7?? 16...Kd8 17.Nxa8 Bg4+ 18.Kd3! Qf1+ 19.Kc3 Qxf2 20.Qb8+ Ke7 21.Qe5+ 17.Nxa8 Qxg2 18.Qc7+ 18.Qc7+ Ke8 19.Bf7# 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
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| Speelman,J | - | Fletcher,J | - | 1–0 | 1969 | C57 | British U-14 Rhyl | |
| Miles,A | - | Speelman,J | - | 0–1 | 1970 | B32 | Islington op | 5 |
| Speelman,J | - | Green,B | - | 1–0 | 1970 | B26 | Islington op | 6 |
| Speelman,J | - | Edwards,L | - | 0–1 | 1971 | A01 | British U-21 | 1 |
| O'Hara,M | - | Speelman,J | - | 1–0 | 1971 | E88 | British U-21 | 6 |
| Speelman,J | - | Staples,M | - | 1–0 | 1971 | B00 | British U-21 | 7 |
| Speelman,J | - | Szyszko_Bohusz,A | - | 1–0 | 1971 | B19 | Thames Valley Open | 5 |
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