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When I was a 12-year-old boy learning about chess, (let's say my strength would be around 1700 by current standards) a wonderful thing happened to me. My cousins in the USA sent a chess book to me. It was called the "62 most instructive games of chess ever played" by Irving Chernev.
When someone asks me the question: "Sagar, what's your favourite book on chess?" I close my eyes and try to remember all the books I have read. And I have to say, the first book that flashes in front of my eyes is 62 Most Instructive Games of Chess!
The book that was sent by my cousin had become my best companion for a month! I would sit inside a room, locked in solace, carefully opening a page of this book and make the moves on the chessboard. The annotations were not as in-depth as Dvoretsky's nor were they as humorous as Aagaard's. But there was something about this book which attracted me! It was the introduction to each game, the perfectly selected masterpieces and the wonderful words used by the author! Though Chernev was only National Master strength, his books are so well written that I would recommend them to anyone taking their first steps in the game of chess. Oh, I fell in love with each of the games in the book! I have replayed these 62 gems again and again and I still find them so beautiful, even until this date! I salute the author, Irving Chernev, for this wonderful work and I take the opportunity to bring towards you my favourite game of the book, which I have annotated! It's game number 19. Not the most accurate of games, but very beautiful!
Kupferstich - Andreassen [C27]
Denmark 1953
This is what Irving Chernev has to say in his introduction: "Wonderful things go on in this game! There is a series of see saw checks that is remarkable, an imprisonment of king and rook that is unique, and a threat of mate requiring at least ten moves to execute, yet so clear cut a child could carry it out. Question: Does this game played so brilliantly come under the heading of entertainment or instruction?"
I would like to add a few things to this: This game sort of made me realize how beautiful chess was! I had previously seen devastating attacks by Morphy. There were the immortal games and the evergreen games, but somehow this one catches my fancy even today. I don't quite know what it is that attracts me to this game. I think it’s just the clarity of the combination. When it is played we are all left in a state of shock and surprise, but the beauty of the combination is such that once it is on the board, you understand its power in an instant. I think such clarity translates into chess beauty for me! A perfect game to illustrate the maxim: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication!
Position after 34.Nd6!!
Just the most brilliant concept ever! Both the white pieces box in the black king. As the king cannot move, the rook on h8 cannot move either, and hence only the bishop can keep moving. And look at the further beauty! The white pieces are on dark squares, hence the bishop cannot disturb them! Meanwhile the white king goes from d2-c3-b4-c5-b6-c7-d8-e7 and then with Ne8 or Ne4 he gives a mate on f6. Some might say the black bishop is useless. Yes he is useless for Black, but for White he is a huge asset. Without him it would be stalemate if Black gives up his pawns! This last position made such an impression on my 12-year-old mind that I immediately fell in love with this royal game!
The article was originally published on 4th February 2014 on Sagar's personal blog - Sagar Teaches Chess.
