Bent Larsen makes a comeback
By Kristianus Liem
JAKARTA (JP): For the first time in many years, Denmark's legendary GM Bent Larsen, now resident in Buenos Aires, Argentina, took part in the Danish Championships held in Esbjerg, last March.
Larsen was not really expected to be in the running for the title, but he stole the show with a fresh blend of bold attacks mixed with a controlled technical performance.
Bent has peaked for nearly 30 years and is now 62 years old and suffering from a little bit of diabetes and a great deal of forced passivity due to the fact that he lives in Buenos Aires, but still gets most of his invitations from Europe.
Although the old fighter did not win, he seemed to be the youngest and most promising player in the tournament. Among those who Larsen taught a lesson was Denmark's reigning number one, GM Curt Hansen, who got dribbled in an endgame.
Final standings: 1. GM Lars Bo Hansen 6.5 MP; 2. GM Curt Hansen, GM Bent Larsen and GM Peter Heine Nielsen 5 MP; 5. GM Lars Schandorff, IM Sune Berg Hansen and IM Erling Mortensen 4.5 MP; 8. GM Henrik Danielsen and IM Bjarke Kristensen 4 MP; 10. Thomas Ochsner 2 MP.
White: GM Bent Larsen Black: GM Curt Hansen [B66] Danish Championship (6), 1997 Sicilian Defense, Richter-Rauzer Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 d6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nf6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. 0-0-0 h6 9. Be3 Be7 10. f4 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 b5 12. Bd3 b4 13. Ne2 Qa5 14. Kb1 e5 15. Bf2 0-0 16. h3
Improving on GM Robert Hubner's 16.Nc1, which only got him into trouble against GM Vladimir Kramnik at last year's tournament in Dortmund. This was a game GM Curt Hansen surely hoped to repeat -- as Black won it in just 27 moves!
16...Rd8 17. Rhe1 d5 18. fxe5 Nxe4 19. Qe3 Bc5 20. Nd4 Be6 21. g4 Rab8?
This is where Black starts to go wrong. The continuation 21...Nxf2 22.Qxf2 Qb6 was okay for Black.
22. Bxe4 dxe4 23. b3 Bd5
On 23...Rd5 24. Qxe4 Rbd8 White has 25. Rd3.
24. Qg3 Qb6 25. Be3 Bxb3
A small combination, Black thought he would get a pawn. Surely Curt Hansen saw the next six to seven moves, but he was mistaken in thinking that it would give Black an easy draw.
26. axb3 Bxd4 27. Rxd4 Rxd4
See diagram.
28. e6! Rbd8
Of course not 28...fxe6? 29. Bxd4 Qxd4 30. Qxb8+.
29. e7
It is not Black but White who will have to fight for a draw after 29. exf7+ Kxf7 30. Bxd4 Qxd4 31. Qf4+ Kg8 32. Qxe4 Qc3.
29...Rd1+ 30. Bc1 Rxc1+
Forced. If 30...Rxe1 31. exd8Q+ Qxd8 32. Qxe1 White wins a piece.
31. Kxc1 Re8 32. Rxe4 f6 33. Qd3 Qc6 34. Rxb4 Rxe7
GM Bent Larsen may be far more famous for his creativity and competitiveness, but in fact it was his ability to squeeze the most out of such small advantages (White's passed c-pawn) that bought him bread and butter back in the 1960s.
35. Kb2 Kf7 36. Rd4 Qe6 37. h4 Qe5 38. Ka2 Rc7 39. Rd7+ Ke8 40. Rd8+ Kf7
After 40...Ke7 41. Rg8 Kf7 42. Ra8 the position was the same as in the game.
41. Ra8 Qe6
According to IM Bjarke Kristensen, Black's last chance to salvage a draw was 41...Qb5.
42. h5! f5
If Black takes the g-pawn by 42...Qxg4 he will lose him his Queen after 43. Qd5+ Ke7 (also loses the Queen after 43 ... Qe6 44. Rf8+ Kxf8 45.Qxe6) 44. Qd8+ Ke6 (for 44...Kf7 45.Qe8# mate) 45. Rxa6+ Kf5 46. Qd5+ Kf4 47. Ra4+ White wins the Black Queen.
43. Rxa6 Qe4 44. Qxe4 fxe4 45. Kb2 e3
Starting a race which Black is bound to lose by some distance. 46. Ra1 Kf6 47. Re1 Re7 48. c4 Kg5 49. b4 Kxg4 50. b5 Rc7 51. Kc3 Kf3 52. Kb4 Kf2 53. Rc1 e2 54. c5 e1Q+ 55. Rxe1 Kxe1 56. b6 1-0
Black resigned here because there was no way to halt Larsen's pawns after 56...Rf7 57.c6 etc.