Today’s Daily Telegraph chess column brings a tribute by Malcolm Pein to the late, great and hugely inspirational Bob Wade.
Malcolm Pein on…Remembering Bob Wade
The 100th anniversary of the birth of International Master Bob Wade was on Saturday. Originally from Dunedin in New Zealand, Wade became one of the most influential figures in British chess after settling here in 1950.
Wade won the British Championship twice, having won the New Zealand championship three times before setting off to Europe in search of stronger opposition. He went on to represent England at six Olympiads.
After he retired from professional play, Wade authored many books and was a key part of the ‘English Chess Explosion’ that began after the Fischer-Spassky match in 1972. Wade’s enormous library was consulted by many aspiring young players, as well as by established GMs such as Tony Miles. Even Bobby Fischer sought his assistance when preparing for Boris Spassky.
On his way to the UK, Wade played a match with Lothar Schmid, who was later the arbiter at Reykjavik and, until his death, had one of the few libraries bigger than Wade’s. The contest ended 5-5. Two of Wade’s wins:
R. G. Wade – L. Schmid
Ruy Lopez
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.d4 Nge7 7.Bb3 h6 8.Nh4! Nc8 (If 8…g6 9.Qf3!; 8…Na5 is better – Wade) 9.g3 Qf6 (9…Be7 10.Qh5 0–0 11.Ng6 Re8 12.Bxf7+! Kxf7 13.Nxe5+ Kg8 14.Nf7 Bg4 15.Qg6 wins) 10.f4! exd4 11.0–0! dxc3 12.e5! Qe7 (12…c2! was much better) 13.Nxc3 Nb6 14.e6! fxe6 15.Ng6 Qf6 16.Nxh8 g6 17.f5!
If 17…Qxh8 18.fxe6 Bc8 19.Be3. 17…gxf5 18.Qh5+ Kd8 19.Ng6 Bg7 (If 19…Be8 20.Qh4 remaining a rook ahead) 20.Bxh6 Qd4+ 21.Rf2 1–0
R. G. Wade – L. Schmid
Ruy Lopez Centre Attack
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.0–0 Be7 7.Re1 b5 8.e5 Nxe5 9.Rxe5 bxa4 10.Nxd4 0–0 11.Nf5 Re8 12.Bg5 Nd5!? 13.Nxg7! Kxg7 14.Qxd5 c6? (14…Bb7 15.Qxb7 Bxg5) 15.Qd4! f6 16.Re3 c5?
Test Your Strength
White to play and win
Highlight the space below this line to reveal the answer.
17.Bh6+! Kxh6 (17…Kh8 18.Qd5 Rb8 19. Qf7) 18.Qg4 (18.Rh3+ Kg5 19.Rg3+ Kf5 20.Qd5+ Kf4 21.Rg7 Rb8 22.g3# or 18…Kg6 19.Qg4+ Kf7 20.Rxh7+ Kf8 21.Qg7#) 18…f5 19.Rh3+ Bh4 20.Rxh4+ Qxh4 21.Qxh4+ Kg6 22.Nc3 1–0
Play Through the Games
