The 1976 Canadian Open in Toronto

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

National master Dan Scoones has a growing collection of great chess photos on flickr, which I suggest the readers might find interesting. http://www.flickr.com/photos/24464897@N00/

I came across a photo of myself playing 19 year old US master Nick Defirmian in the penultimate round of the 1976 Canadian Open held in Toronto’s MacDonald Block. I did not even know that such a photo existed! This game was one of the key games that decided the winner of the championship.

Both players deep in concentration, after White’s 26th move.

Spraggett K. – De Firmian N.Canadian Open, Toronto, 1976.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g3 some of my openings really sucked in those days. 6… g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. O-O O-O 9. h3 Nc6 10. Nde2 Bd7 11. Kh2 Rc8 12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. exd5 Ne5 14. Nd4 Qa5 15. c3 Nc4 16. Qd3 b5 17. Qe4 Rfe8 18. a3 Qc7 19. Rd1 Na5 20. Qc2 Qb6 21. Be3 Nc4

22. Bg5? this is too optimistic. I should just keep the balance

22… Bxd4 23. Rxd4 Nxa3 24. Qe2 Nc2! Ouch!

I had slept too much the night before, and my mind was still a bit groggy when I overlooked this elementary tactic.

25. Rad1 Nxd4 26. Rxd4 (position in the photo above!)

White has no real compensation for the material, and Black should win easily enough by playing …f6 and …Rf7 at some point. Instead, my opponent allowed me to build up some dangerous King side threats.

26… Qc7 27. Qd2 f6 28. Be3 Rcd8 29. Rf4 Bc8 30. Bd4 Rf8 31. h4 Rde8 32. h5 Qd8 33. hxg6 hxg6 34. Rh4 g5? [34… Rf7 35. Qh6 Rg7 keeps the advantage]

White has created real threats out of nowhere!

35. Be4??

Played with just minutes on the clock .An incredible blunder! Now if I had instead played 35. Rh6 I would draw:… Bf5 36. Bf3 Qc8 37. Qxg5 fxg5 38. Rh8 Kf7 39. Bh5 Bg6 40. Rh7 with a perpetual check

however, I can probably win with 35. Rh5! (diagram)

35… Rf7 36. Qxg5 Rg7 37. Qh4 Kf7 38. Be4 (diagram)

White’s attack would be unstoppable

Instead , after my last move (35.Be4??), Black wins immediately 35… gxh4 36. Qh6 hxg3 37. fxg3 Rf7 [0:1]

This game threw away my chances for winning the tournament. The next round Nick Defirmian took a fast draw with Lawrence Day, assuring themselves of a joint tie for first place! Nick Defirmian would later go on and become one of America’s strongest grandmasters.

The MacDonald Block in downtown Toronto was the location of many of Canada’s strongest open tournaments in the 70’s and 80’s. Not very expensive at the time, the cafeteria was large, spacious and had excellent lighting. Plus it could hold more than 500 people easily!

MORE PHOTOS FROM THE TOURNAMENT

Legendary Walter Browne (right) playing Krstic.

On the right we can see Canadian IMs Bruce Amos and Zvonko Vranesic slugging it out. On the left we can see Jeremy Sillman against Burger

The players from out of town were housed at a local dormitory on the U of T campus; I only recognize Quebecer Jean Delva (far left)

Canadian Champion Peter Biyiasis playing US master C. Barnes

One of my favourite Canadian IMs of all time is Bruce Amos, who gave up competitive chess soon after the Canadian Open (he got married, started working…). Bruce is an incredibly talented person, a skilled gamesman (one of the best GO players of his generation) and one of the most talented chess players I have ever met.

I was especially impressed with how he destroyed 6-time US Champion Walter Browne (today one of the best Poker players in the world):

Amos, Bruce – Browne, Walter
Canadian Open, Toronto 1976.

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. d4 O-O 5. e4 d6 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. Be3 Ng4 9. Bg5 Bf6 10. Bxf6 Nxf6 11. d5 Ne7 12. Ne1 Nd7 13. Nd3 f5 14. f4 exf4 15. Nxf4 Nc5 16. Qd4 Nxe4 17. Nxe4 fxe4 18. g4 Re8 19. Rf2 c5 20. Qc3 Bd7 21. Raf1 Nc8

22. Nxg6! hxg6 23. Rf7

23… Re5 24. Qh3 Rh5

25. Rf8! Qxf8 26. Rxf8 Kxf8

27. Qf1! Rf5 28. gxf5 Bxf5 29. Qf4 a5 30. Bg4 Ne7 31. Qxd6 Bxg4 32. Qf6 Kg8 33. Qxe7 Rf8 34. Qxe4 Bf5 35. Qe3 b6 36. Kg2 Kf7 37. Qb3 Rb8 38. Kg3 Ke7 39. Qc3 Kd6 40. Qf6 Kc7 41. Qc6 Kd8