Chess lessons › Famous chess games
The women’s world champions
From Vera Menchik in 1927 to Ju Wenjun, and Judit Polgár, who played only against the best of all.
The idea
From Vera Menchik in 1927 to Ju Wenjun, and Judit Polgár.
- White’s bishop on a2 guards b1, where Black’s pawn wants to queen.
- Bd5+ checks the king and offers the bishop.
- After Bxd5 nothing guards b1, and the pawn queens.
In a game: When a bishop stops your pawn, look for a check that pulls it off its diagonal.
How the lesson begins
The first Women’s World Championship was held in London in 1927. Vera Menchik, born in Moscow in 1906 and living in England, won it. She won every one held in her lifetime, and kept the title until she was killed by a German flying bomb in London in 1944.
Menchik also played in the strongest men’s tournaments, and beat many famous masters. Here she has Black against Max Euwe at the Hastings Christmas tournament of 1930/31. In 1935 Euwe became world champion.
A Queen’s Gambit. The queens and knights come off, and a bishop ending begins.
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 Be7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Rc1 a6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Bd3 c6 10. O-O Ne4 11. Bf4 Nxc3 12. Rxc3 Re8 13. Qb1 Nf8 14. b4 Ng6 15. Bg3 Bd6 16. a4 Bxg3 17. hxg3 Bd7 18. Rfc1 Qf6 19. b5 axb5 20. axb5 Rec8 21. Qc2 Qd8 22. bxc6 Rxc6 23. Rc5 Rxc5 24. dxc5 Ra5 25. Qb2 Qa8 26. Qb6 Nf8 27. Ne5 Ra1 28. Rb1 Rxb1+ 29. Bxb1 Be6 30. Kh2 Nd7 31. Nxd7 Bxd7 32. Qc7 Qc8 33. Qxc8+ Bxc8 Each side has a bishop and pawns.
Both kings come forward. White’s king goes after Black’s kingside pawns, while Black’s b-pawn starts to run.
- 34. Ba2 Be6 35. Kg1 Kf8 36. Kf1 Ke7 37. Ke2 Kf6 38. Kd3 Ke5 39. g4 g5 40. g3 Bxg4 41. f4+ gxf4 42. gxf4+ Kf6 43. Bxd5 Bc8 44. Bf3 Ke7 45. Kc4 Kd8 46. Kd5 b6 47. c6 Kc7 48. Ke5 Be6 49. f5 Bb3 50. Kf6 b5 The b-pawn moves up.
- 51. Kg7 b4 52. Kxh7 White’s king takes the pawn on h7.
Find the move
Black to move. The bishop on b3 is in the way of its own b-pawn. Find the bishop move.
A hint
Move the bishop off the b-file, with a threat.
Show the answer
52... Bc2
Bc2! clears the way for the pawn and attacks the f5 pawn at the same time.