With Hope of Victory

The old Tallinn Town Hall has hosted many well-known chess players over the past decades. It was here that the opening ceremony of the 1965 USSR Championship was held, as well as the recent Akhmylovskaya–Chiburdanidze match and almost all Estonian international tournaments. It was therefore natural that the next Paul Keres Memorial, “Tallinn 1979”, which began on 20 February, should also open here.

In terms of playing strength, the tournament belongs to Category X: the field includes eight international grandmasters. At the opening ceremony the participants were welcomed by I. Kallion, chairman of the city executive committee, and O. Utt, chairman of the Estonian Chess Federation.

Estonian television shows the best game of each round every day. The commentator, master Jüri Randviir, is finding it increasingly difficult to choose: the games are uncompromising and everyone is striving for victory.

The first player to break away from the field was the GDR grandmaster Rainer Knaak, who scored three consecutive wins.

Former world champion Mikhail Tal scored two points from two games. Boris Rytov maintained a good position against the Riga player for a long time, but time trouble prevented him from saving it.

In the fourth round the two leaders met. At adjournment Tal had managed to win a pawn and sealed his move with hopes of victory.

Former world champion Tigran Petrosian scored his first win in round two.

Englishman William Hartston began the tournament in a combative fashion, without any draws. After losing to I. Lechtynský and R. Knaak, he defeated H. Vilela and G. Sax.

After five rounds I. Lechtynský had 3½ points from five games, R. Knaak 3 points from four, and T. Petrosian 3 points from four.

Further Tournament Developments

Day after day the players did not leave the stage. By the end of the sixth round there had already been adjourned games on several boards, but in the end almost all of them were completed. The eighth round was marked by four decisive results.

The tournament leader was Mikhail Tal. He had the first number in the starting list and had already defeated three Soviet grandmasters. Yet his pursuers included R. Knaak, I. Lechtynský and G. Sax.

After an unsuccessful start, D. Bronstein sharply moved into the group of leaders. In the next four rounds he scored 3½ points.

Among the other participants, the energetic grandmaster L. Christiansen should be mentioned. Like M. Tal and T. Petrosian, he had not yet suffered a defeat.

Tal had 6 points from 7 possible, Petrosian 5 from 7, while Bronstein and Lechtynský had 5 points from 8.

The participants also visited the construction site of the Olympic sailing complex, and on election day they appeared at polling stations with simultaneous exhibitions and lectures.

Duel of Former Champions

After drawing four games in the previous rounds, tournament leader Mikhail Tal energetically exploited the hesitation of his pursuers.

The world champion’s neighbour in the tournament table, the tournament’s “best chess player of the week”, may be called Rafael Vaganian, who scored four wins in a row.

D. Sax also improved his tournament position significantly, winning four games in a row.

Tal and Petrosian had 9 points from 12 games. Vaganian and Sax had 8½ points from 13. Bronstein and Knaak had 8 points from 13. Veingold had 7½ points from 13.

A traditional event during the Tallinn tournaments is the simultaneous exhibition on 100 boards between the city team and the rural sports society “Jõud”. As two years earlier, it ended in favour of the Tallinn players, by 54½–45½.

A. Vahessar, Chief Arbiter

Production of Tournament Materials

One distinctive feature of Tallinn’s international tournaments is their excellent printing and graphic presentation. Before “Tallinn 1979” began, special game-score forms, tournament tables, round protocols, envelopes for adjourned games and personalised invitations were produced.

The speed with which press bulletins were issued deserves particular mention. By the start of the next round, participants and journalists received a complete typographically printed text of the games played the previous evening.

The programme for “Tallinn 1979” was also prepared with care. It contained portraits of the participants, a welcome from I. Kallion, chairman of the executive committee of the Tallinn City Soviet of People’s Deputies, as well as brief histories of all previous Tallinn international tournaments, their tables and lists of participants.

This unobtrusive but highly necessary part of the work was supervised by master Helmut Kähn, a member of the tournament organising committee and deputy director of the Paul Keres Republican Chess Club.

Three Weeks and One Day

As the finish approached, the tension increased. Three Soviet grandmasters were challenging for the prizes. Tournament leader Mikhail Tal had 10 points from 13 games, but close behind him were Tigran Petrosian with 9½ points from 13 and Rafael Vaganian with 10 points from 14. The dramatic struggle, marked by a succession of tournaments, was nearing its conclusion.

In round fifteen Mikhail Tal slowed down: he drew with William Hartston. Tigran Petrosian, meanwhile, crushed H. Vilela. Rafael Vaganian had a free round.

In round sixteen Petrosian and Vaganian moved ahead by only half a point. Their opponents were I. Lechtynský and D. Bronstein respectively, and the gratitude for this belonged to Mikhail Tal, who unleashed a series of combinations against Y. Rantanen. A fragment of that game, awarded a special prize, is presented to the reader by the winner himself.

The tournament, which had lasted three weeks, was coming to its final day.

One event gave the final pursuit particular drama. B. Ivanović hurried home and asked permission to play his final game earlier. Tal, who was scheduled to meet him, was therefore the first to finish the tournament, while the Yugoslav grandmaster set off for home. Tal’s affairs seemed to be in poor shape: he was unable to withstand the opponent’s threats and lost.

Thus Petrosian and Vaganian found themselves in a better sporting position, beginning the final round later than the main rival. Both needed only a victory: it would have allowed Petrosian to retain sole first place, while Vaganian could have drawn level with him.

It is difficult to say whose task was harder. Petrosian was paired with interzonal participant G. Sax and had White. It should be noted that the former world champion had won all his games with White in this tournament except for his encounter with Tal. The grandmaster conducted the struggle in a fine positional style. Petrosian believed that by playing 15...h5 and then ...Kh7 and ...Nh6, Black might have reduced White’s opening advantage. Sax chose a different plan.

Rafael Vaganian chose a different strategy. Without being content with the initiative, he decided to place the burden of finding attacking ideas on his opponent, the young American L. Christiansen. The American did not shrink from sacrificing a pawn, and then another one. Vaganian defended resourcefully and fearlessly, finding the only replies, combining defence with counterthreats, and eventually winning a dramatic ending.

David Bronstein took fourth place, though this was not his first appearance in Tallinn tournaments. His virtuoso technique, especially in the final game against H. Vilela, deserves special mention.

The organizers also awarded special prizes: for the best start to R. Knaak, for the most energetic finish to T. Petrosian, for the longest winning streak to R. Vaganian, and for the best result by a master to A. Veingold. The young Tallinn player’s success was not accidental but fully deserved. The barrier of the international master norm, set at 8 points, was overcome with confidence and a solid margin. The grandmaster norm was missed only narrowly. The Russian champion V. Silberstein also earned the international master norm.

The Tallinn 1979 tournament was one of the most interesting, exciting and original events in this traditional series.

Post-Tournament Interview with Mikhail Tal

A correspondent from 64 shared impressions of the completed tournament with Mikhail Tal, who was already an experienced participant in the traditional Tallinn events.

Journalist: Can one point to a recurring feature of the Tallinn international tournaments?

Grandmaster: Certainly. In recent times it has become customary to hear complaints about an abundance of draws, a lack of fighting chess and the pragmatism of modern competitions. That is not said about Tallinn tournaments. Here a favourable chess atmosphere prevails, one that the unforgettable Paul Petrovich Keres, who combined personal kindness with uncompromising play, knew how to create.

Journalist: Four participants in Tallinn 1979 are due to play in the upcoming interzonal tournaments. That is quite a lot. Do the tournament results allow us to form an opinion about their prospects?

Grandmaster: Petrosian undoubtedly deserves to be called the winner. This well-earned success places him among the favourites in the interzonal. I also rate Vaganian’s tactical possibilities highly. It is a pity that Bronstein will not be among the interzonal participants. I believe he has the moral right to represent his country in an event of any rank.

Journalist: You received special awards for the most interesting combinations. Please comment on them for the readers of 64.

Grandmaster: The combination in the game against the Finnish master Rantanen gave me particular satisfaction. Perhaps the readers will like it as well.

M. Tal — Y. Rantanen

24. Nf6. On taking the rook with 24...Bxd1 I had prepared 25. Qh4 h5 26. Qg5 Bh7 27. Qg6.

24...gxf1 25. Qh4 Bg7 26. Nh6. The most stubborn continuation was 26...Rg8 27. Qd6 Rb7 28. Bg7+ Rxg7 29. Rxb7 Qxb7 30. Rxd8+ Rg8 31. Qg8+ Kxg8 32. Qg4+.

Fortunately, Rantanen’s reply met my calculations halfway.

26...Bxd1 27. Bxg7+ Kxg8.

It appears that the group of White’s pieces, woven around the enemy king, has become entangled.

28. Nh8.

The bishop’s jump immediately clarified the position. Black resigned.

Caption: Tigran Petrosian.

Caption: Rafael Vaganian’s attention was drawn to Mikhail Tal’s game.

“For the fourth time I am heading the organizing committee of the Tallinn international tournament,” said I. Kallion, chairman of the executive committee of the Tallinn City Soviet of People’s Deputies. “This time the competition acquired its own distinctive character because it coincided with the 1980 Olympic regatta. Sporting life in our city, which is hosting part of the Olympic events, is becoming increasingly intense. The popularity of Tallinn’s traditional international tournaments testifies to the great and growing interest in chess and to the strengthening of international cooperation, symbolized by the 64 squares of the chessboard.”

I. Romanov