โด๏ธ #about_Koblencs
๐ธ Alexander Koblencs
๐ธ Latvian chess master, trainer and writer
โฆ๏ธ Alexander Koblencs was a Latvian chess master, trainer, and writer. In 1935, he took 4th place in Rosas. In 1936, he took 5th in Reus. In 1937, he won, ahead of Lajos Steiner, in Brno with 9/11. In 1938, he took 5th in Milan
๐ Full name: Alexander Naftalevich Koblencs
๐ Country: Latvia, Soviet Union
๐ Born: 3 September 1916
Riga, Russian Empire
๐ Died: 9 December 1993 (aged 77)
Berlin, Germany
๐ Title: Master of Sport (1945)
๐ Honoured Trainer (1960)
๐ Peak rating: 2570 (unofficial; May 1946)
๐ Peak ranking : 43 (unofficial; July 1945)
โฆ๏ธ Koblencs won the Latvian Championship four times (1941, 1945, 1946, 1949). Although he took 2nd, behind Vladimir Alatortsev in 1945, and behind Mark Taimanov in 1949, both were off contest (hors concours). In June 1944, he took 2nd, behind Voldemฤrs Meลพgailis, in Udelnaya (Latvian SSR ch.). In 1944/45, he took 2nd, behind Paul Keres, in Riga (Baltic Chess Championship). In 1945, he took 14th in Moscow (14th USSR-ch). In October/November 1945, he tied for 3rd-4th in Riga (Baltic Republics ch., Vladas Mikฤnas won). In June/July 1946, he tied for 6-8th in Vilnius (Baltic Rep. ch, Yuri Averbakh won). In 1961, he took 3rd in Palanga (Baltic Rep. ch, Iivo Nei won).
โฆ๏ธAs a trainer, he started to work with young Mikhail Tal in 1949, and coached him through his meteoric rise from the mid-1950s. Most prominently, he coached him in his World Chess Championship matches in 1960 and 1961 against Mikhail Botvinnik.
He also coached the team of the Soviet Union (e.g., 1956 in Moscow and 1960 in Leipzig).
โฆ๏ธKoblencs is also well known as a writer of chess books, many of which have been translated into foreign languages, in particular German. For several years, he was the editor of the Latvian chess magazine Sahs and of the German chess magazine Schach-Journal.
๐ พ๏ธ A memorable game by Koblencs which won Mikhail Tal in LAT-ch 1952๐๐ผ
๐ Mikhail Tal vs Alexander Koblents
๐ LAT-ch (1952), URS
๐ Neo-Grรผnfeld Defense: Delayed Exchange Variation (D76)
โฆ๏ธ Review and download PGN file๐๐ผ
@unityches
๐ธ Alexander Koblencs
๐ธ Latvian chess master, trainer and writer
โฆ๏ธ Alexander Koblencs was a Latvian chess master, trainer, and writer. In 1935, he took 4th place in Rosas. In 1936, he took 5th in Reus. In 1937, he won, ahead of Lajos Steiner, in Brno with 9/11. In 1938, he took 5th in Milan
๐ Full name: Alexander Naftalevich Koblencs
๐ Country: Latvia, Soviet Union
๐ Born: 3 September 1916
Riga, Russian Empire
๐ Died: 9 December 1993 (aged 77)
Berlin, Germany
๐ Title: Master of Sport (1945)
๐ Honoured Trainer (1960)
๐ Peak rating: 2570 (unofficial; May 1946)
๐ Peak ranking : 43 (unofficial; July 1945)
โฆ๏ธ Koblencs won the Latvian Championship four times (1941, 1945, 1946, 1949). Although he took 2nd, behind Vladimir Alatortsev in 1945, and behind Mark Taimanov in 1949, both were off contest (hors concours). In June 1944, he took 2nd, behind Voldemฤrs Meลพgailis, in Udelnaya (Latvian SSR ch.). In 1944/45, he took 2nd, behind Paul Keres, in Riga (Baltic Chess Championship). In 1945, he took 14th in Moscow (14th USSR-ch). In October/November 1945, he tied for 3rd-4th in Riga (Baltic Republics ch., Vladas Mikฤnas won). In June/July 1946, he tied for 6-8th in Vilnius (Baltic Rep. ch, Yuri Averbakh won). In 1961, he took 3rd in Palanga (Baltic Rep. ch, Iivo Nei won).
โฆ๏ธAs a trainer, he started to work with young Mikhail Tal in 1949, and coached him through his meteoric rise from the mid-1950s. Most prominently, he coached him in his World Chess Championship matches in 1960 and 1961 against Mikhail Botvinnik.
He also coached the team of the Soviet Union (e.g., 1956 in Moscow and 1960 in Leipzig).
โฆ๏ธKoblencs is also well known as a writer of chess books, many of which have been translated into foreign languages, in particular German. For several years, he was the editor of the Latvian chess magazine Sahs and of the German chess magazine Schach-Journal.
๐ พ๏ธ A memorable game by Koblencs which won Mikhail Tal in LAT-ch 1952๐๐ผ
๐ Mikhail Tal vs Alexander Koblents
๐ LAT-ch (1952), URS
๐ Neo-Grรผnfeld Defense: Delayed Exchange Variation (D76)
โฆ๏ธ Review and download PGN file๐๐ผ
@unityches
23.Ng2!
Serbian GM Aleksandar Indjic exploits Black's structural weakness with the subtle maneuvers.
23.Bc6 24.Nc7 Rac8 25.Nf4! Nf8 26.Ncรd5 Bรd5 27.Nรd5 eรd3 28.Ne7 +-
Serbian GM Aleksandar Indjic exploits Black's structural weakness with the subtle maneuvers.
23.Bc6 24.Nc7 Rac8 25.Nf4! Nf8 26.Ncรd5 Bรd5 27.Nรd5 eรd3 28.Ne7 +-
28...Bรd5??
An incorrect sacrifice. Black should have continued with the normal moves like 28...Nb5 or 28...Qb4.
29.Bรd5 Nรd5 30.Qรd5 Qรe3+ 31.Kf1 Rรb3 32.Rc7 Rf8 33.Rc2 +-
An incorrect sacrifice. Black should have continued with the normal moves like 28...Nb5 or 28...Qb4.
29.Bรd5 Nรd5 30.Qรd5 Qรe3+ 31.Kf1 Rรb3 32.Rc7 Rf8 33.Rc2 +-
41.Bรg6!
American GM Zherebukh finishes the game beautifully.
41...fรg6 42.Qรc6 Re2+
42...Ne7 43.Qe6+ Kf8 44.Qf6+ Kg8 45.Rรe7 +-
43.Kf3 Re3+ 44.Kf2 Re2+ 45.Kรe2 Qe8+ 46.Kf1 1-0
American GM Zherebukh finishes the game beautifully.
41...fรg6 42.Qรc6 Re2+
42...Ne7 43.Qe6+ Kf8 44.Qf6+ Kg8 45.Rรe7 +-
43.Kf3 Re3+ 44.Kf2 Re2+ 45.Kรe2 Qe8+ 46.Kf1 1-0
17...Bรf2!
An interesting sacrifice from Samuel Sevian.
18.Rรf2
18.Kรf2? Nc5 19.Qc2 e3+ 20.Kรe3 Bรg2 -+
18...Nc5 19.Qc2 e3 20.Rf4 eรd2 21.Bรb7 Nรb7
With slight advantage for Black.
An interesting sacrifice from Samuel Sevian.
18.Rรf2
18.Kรf2? Nc5 19.Qc2 e3+ 20.Kรe3 Bรg2 -+
18...Nc5 19.Qc2 e3 20.Rf4 eรd2 21.Bรb7 Nรb7
With slight advantage for Black.
Unity Chess Club via @vote
๐Unity Chess Multiple Choice 70 A: Qb6 โ 24 ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ 71% C: Qd6 โ 6 ๐๐ 18% B: Bg6 โ 4 ๐ 12% ๐ฅ 34 people voted so far.
15.Nb1!
The art of provocation! The knight retreats to the back rank, intending a journey via d2 and c4 to the outpost square on d6.
15...Bxf3 16.Bxf3 g5?
Volokitin is tempted by his opponent's inaction into starting an all-out attack on the kingside. He should have played 16...Ne6, when Black has active play after 17.Nd2 (17.Bxe5? loses a piece to 17...Ng5) 17...Nd4 18.Bxd4 exd4.
17.Nd2+/-
The art of provocation! The knight retreats to the back rank, intending a journey via d2 and c4 to the outpost square on d6.
15...Bxf3 16.Bxf3 g5?
Volokitin is tempted by his opponent's inaction into starting an all-out attack on the kingside. He should have played 16...Ne6, when Black has active play after 17.Nd2 (17.Bxe5? loses a piece to 17...Ng5) 17...Nd4 18.Bxd4 exd4.
17.Nd2+/-
35.Kg3!
First, it should be mentioned that this is a good positional move โ it clears the way for the white rook to coordinate its action with the queen, so that 36 Rh2 or 36 Qh5 Qg8 37 Rh2, guarding against 37...Rh7, now become possible. It is, therefore, a so-called 'forcing' move โ if Black responds passively then White will improve his position.
35...d5 36.Qh6 Intending 37 exd5+ Nxd5 38 Qxe6+.
36...d4?! 37.cxd4 exd4 38.Bxd4 Fearlessly removing the strong passed pawn.
First, it should be mentioned that this is a good positional move โ it clears the way for the white rook to coordinate its action with the queen, so that 36 Rh2 or 36 Qh5 Qg8 37 Rh2, guarding against 37...Rh7, now become possible. It is, therefore, a so-called 'forcing' move โ if Black responds passively then White will improve his position.
35...d5 36.Qh6 Intending 37 exd5+ Nxd5 38 Qxe6+.
36...d4?! 37.cxd4 exd4 38.Bxd4 Fearlessly removing the strong passed pawn.
Unity Chess Multiple Choice 457
public poll
C: Qa8 โ 5
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ 42%
@Afshin3333, @SteveWongso, Bryson, Nagaprasad, Saghana
A: Qc7 โ 4
๐๐๐๐๐๐ 33%
Jonas, Vincent, Sanjana, @Sophia_Peng
B: h6 โ 3
๐๐๐๐ 25%
Jayden, @MerissaWongso, @RichardPeng
๐ฅ 12 people voted so far.
public poll
C: Qa8 โ 5
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ 42%
@Afshin3333, @SteveWongso, Bryson, Nagaprasad, Saghana
A: Qc7 โ 4
๐๐๐๐๐๐ 33%
Jonas, Vincent, Sanjana, @Sophia_Peng
B: h6 โ 3
๐๐๐๐ 25%
Jayden, @MerissaWongso, @RichardPeng
๐ฅ 12 people voted so far.