Soviet 'emigr'e wins World Open
Grandmasters Boris Gulko (a former Soviet champion and the latest of the Russian stars to emigrate to the United States) and Tony Miles of Britain each scored 8-2 to win the 15th Annual World Open. The event, which was held in Philadelphia earlier this summer, drew 1,293 players who competed for $181,000 in cash prizes. Gulko and Miles triumphed in the open section, a 98-player group, including titled players, from 10 countries. Immediately after the conclusion of the last round, Gulko beat Miles in a special 30-minute playoff game to determine the title. This did not affect their cash prize, because the players had agreed to split first and second prizes regardless of the playoff result. Gulko won the game, so he is the World Open titleholder, but each player received the same amount of money, a little more than $16,000, for their first-place tie.
Gulko, who now lives in Silver Spring, Md., moved to this country with his wife, Anna (who is now the highest-rated female player in the United States), and son, David, last year, soon after gaining permission to leave the Soviet Union. It had taken seven harrowing years after the family asked to leave.
In achieving his victory, the former Soviet was undefeated, allowing four draws in 10 games. Miles drew only two games, but lost his individual tournament encounter with Gulko.
That game, given below, lacks the combinative sparkle and sacrifices so often featured in this column, but it's a magnificent example of strategic planning, the ``bread and butter'' type of game that wins tournaments. And believe me, Tony Miles, known as a Russian-basher, is not often defeated in this fashion. Queen's Pawn Torre Attack Miles Gulko 1. P-Q4 N-KB3 2. N-KB3 P-KN3 3. B-N5 B-N2 4. QN-Q2 P-B4 (a) 5. BxN (b) BxB 6. N-K4 BxP 7. NxB PxN 8. QxP O-O 9. N-B3 (c) N-B3 10. Q-Q2 Q-N3! (d) 11. R-QN1 Q-Q5 (e) 12. R-Q1 QxQ ch 13. RxQ P-Q3 14. N-Q5 P-QN4 (f) 15. P-KN3 B-Q2 16. B-N2 QR-N1 17. O-O KR-B1 18. P-KB4 K-B1 19. P-K4 N-R4 20. P-B3 N-B5 21. R-K2 B-K3 22. R-B1 BxN 23. PxB R-B4 24. K-B2 P-QR4 25. R/K-B2 N-N3 26. P-QR3 R/N-B1 (g) 27. R-Q1 P-N5 28. RPxP PxP 29. R-Q3 R-R4 30. R/Q-Q2 P-N6 31. R-B1 R-R7 32. B-B1 N-R5 33. K-K1 RxNP 34. RxR NxR 35. R-N1 N-R5 36. RxP NxP 37. B-N2 R-B4 38. R-N8 ch K-N2 39. R-K8 K-B3 40. P-N4 NxP 41. P-N5 ch K-K3 42. BxN ch RxB 43. K-B2 P-R3 44. PxP R-KR4 45. R-KR8 RxP ch 46. K-N3 R-R8 47. K-N2 R-R4 48. K-B3 K-B3 49. Resigns
A.Black selects the most challenging move. Other adequate systems for Black involve 4.... P-Q4 or 4.... P-Q3.
B.White accepts the gauntlet. 5.P-B3 or 5.P-K3 allows Black easy equality.
C.More consistent is 9.O-O-O, with an exciting game in prospect and reciprocal chances. The text, designed to prevent 9.... P-Q4, has a subtle flaw.
D.Alertly played. Since White cannot play 11.O-O-O, as he would lose his KBP, he is reduced to an awkward defense of his QNP.
E.With deep insight, Black realizes that his extra central pawn and potentially active play on the queen's wing and QB file in particular will yield him the superior endgame chances.
F.Another splendid move, which prevents 15.P-QB4 and presages a minority attack reminiscent of White's method of proceeding in the exchange variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined.
G.Black continues the pressure and renews the threat on White's queen pawn. Note that the immediate 26.... NxP? would be premature and cost a piece to 27.P-QN4. Black's superior pawn structure, active rooks, and the inability of White's bishop to contribute effectively to the queenside all add up to a Black win in the hands of a consummate technician such as Gulko.
International Grandmaster Arthur Bisguier is a former US champion and has won or shared the US Open title five times.
