Chess

Britain's most original player explains his global philosophy.

White: M J Basman

Black: Stefan Djuric

Islington Open 1993

1. h3

I call this the 'Global Opening'. You can play it, as I have done for the past few years, with either colour against anything.

1 . . . b6 2. c4

Let me explain the Tao of Chess. 1. h3 poses a question: Will you occupy the centre or not? After 1 . . . e5 or d5, I continue 2. a3, giving my opponent freedom to contrinue his self-expression. But if he evades the issue with a move such as b6, I revert to a more conventional style.

2 . . . c5 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. d3 Nc6 6. e4

It's all part of the feminine side of the Tao: 1. h3 waits for a response, then c4, d3 and e4 negates his b6. Negation is a feminine characteristic.

6 . . . d6 7. g4

This makes h3 look useful, though I could also have played quietly with Be2 and 0-0.

7 . . . e6 8. Bg2 Ne5

He is trying to dominate the Black squares, so I must fight. My reply shows another use for 1. h3.

9. Nh2 g5 10. Nf1 Bb7 11. Ng3 Ng6 12. Nh5 Be5 13. Qa4+]

On playing this move, I had a sensation that everything was in place for the Global Immortal Game. Since Qd7 loses the g- pawn, he must move his king.

13 . . . Kf8 14. Ne2 Nh4 15. 0-0 Nxg2 16. Kxg2 d5 17. cxd5 exd5 18. Bxg5]

More flashy and more effective than 18. f4.

18 . . . Qxg5 19. f4 Qe7 20. fxe5 Rd8 (see diagram)

I must admit my next move was based on a miscalculation, but it didn't matter.

21. Rxf7+] Kxf7

After 21 . . . Qxf7 22. Rf1 Black's unco-ordinated rooks are no match for the white queen.

22. Rf1+ Ke6]

I had been counting on 22 . . . Kg6 23. Nef4+ Kh6 24. exd5 when Qxe5 is met by 25. h4] with the deadly threat of g5+. Now he threatens Kxe5 and an escape to the Q-side.

23. Rf5] Qc7 24. Nhf4+ Ke7 25. Nc3]

He can hardly move anything. 25 . . . dxe4 loses to 26. Qc4] threatening mate on e6 or f7.

25 . . . Nh6 26. Rf6 Nf7

He could have fought harder with 26 . . . dxe4 since Qc4 would no longer threaten mate on f7.

27. Nfxd5+ Rxd5 28. Nxd5+ Bxd5 29. exd5

Now Qxe5 loses to Re6+. He finds another way to lose quickly, but the white centre pawns are too much to cope with in any case.

29 . . . Nxe5? 30. d6+ Qxd6 31. Rxd6 Kxd6 32. Qxa7 Nd7 and Black resigned at move 40.