Soviets capture Olympics, but US shows its mettle

The Soviet Union, scoring 41 out of a possible 56 points, won the first-place gold medal in the Chess Olympiad in Thessaloniki, Greece. England took second-place silver with 37 points, while the United States managed 35 points for the bronze medal. Other leading finishers were Hungary, 341/2; Romania, 33; and West Germany and France, 321/2.

Although the Soviets were without their top players, Anatoly Karpov and Gary Kasparov, who were occupied with their world championship match in Moscow, they showed a degree of consistency that the other teams lacked. Still, the result was a great success for the English-speaking peoples, with England enjoying its greatest team success to date and the US performing respectably.

The high point for the US was the 21/2-11/2 victory over the Soviet Union - the first-ever American Olympiad win over the USSR. The heroes for the US in this signal victory were GM Roman Dzindzichashvili and IM Nick de Firmian, who won their games on Boards 1 and 4, respectively. These two wins equaled the total number of previous US victories in 14 Olympiad matches against the Soviet Union, dating back to 1952.

The individual results of the US team, in board order, were as follows: 1st: Roman Dzindzichashvili, 6 wins, 1 loss, 4 draws; 2nd: Lubomir Kavalek, 2-1-5; 3 rd: Larry Christiansen, 4-1-5; 4th: Walter Browne, 1-3-5; 1st alternate: Lev Alburt, 3-1-4; and 2nd alternate: Nick de Firmian, 6-1-3.

As is obvious from the above scores that Dzindzi was largely responsible for the bronze medal. Although his victory against GM Alexander Beliavsky of the USSR was more historic, that subtle 105-move game is beyond the scope of a newspaper column, so we present his exciting win against GM Jesus Noguieras of Cuba.

Queen's Indian Defense

Nogueiras Dzindzichashvili

1. P-Q4 N-KB3

2. N-KB3 P-K3

3. P-B4 P-QN3

4. N-B3 B-N2

5. P-K3 P-Q4

6. B-Q3 QN-Q2

7. O-O B-Q3

8. Q-K2 (a) N-K5 (b)

9. PxP PxP

Nogueiras Dzindzichashvili

10. B-R6 Q-B1

11. BxB QxB

12. B-Q2 O-O

13. KR-B1 P-QR3 (c)

14. R-B2 P-KB4

15. P-KN3 (d) QR-K1

16. Q-Q3 N(2)-B3

17. N-K2 Q-B1

18. QR-QB1 R-B2

Nogueiras Dzindzichashvili

19. B-K1 P-KN4

20. R-B6 P-B5 (e)

21. KPxP PxP

22. RxB (f) PxP (g)

23. RxN (h) PxRP ch

24. NxP RxR

25. P-B3 (i) Q-R6

26. Q-N3 R-R3

27. Resigns (j)

A. Natural but inaccurate. 8. P-QN3 and 9. B-N2 provide for a smoother deployment of the bishop. As played, that piece is relegated to a sorry role throughout the game.

B. Establishing an outpost and preventing 9. P-K4.

C. White was ready to play 14. N-QN5 to trade the knight for Black's bishop. Previously this could have been met by B-K2, with a subsequent regaining of the tempo by a black P-QR3.

D. Attempting to prevent Black's P-KB5 break.

E. At last. But the move had to be carefully calculated.

F. White counted on this proffered sacrifice to repulse the attack. Now if 22 . . . . NxR, 23. NxP, with a pawn and fair value for the exchange.

G. Well played. Now if 23. R(Q)-B6 (or 23. RxNP), 23. . . . PxBP ch; 24. BxP, NxB; 25. KxN, N-N5 ch; 26. . . . R-K6 wins for Black.

H. So White settles for two pieces for the rook. If his king or minor pieces were better positioned, he would have chances to win or draw.

I. Losing immediately. White could resist better with 25. N-N3, NxN; 26. PxN, Q-R6, when Black's strong rooks and extra pawn should be worth more than White's minor pieces, but the game would go on.

J. White could give a spite check with 27. QxP ch, but after 27. . . . K-R1 he would soon be mated.

International Grandmaster Arthur Bisguier is a former US champion and has won or shared the US Open title five times.