On December 29, 1999, a hero of correspondence chess died. Walter Muir, aged 95, was more than the dean of American correspondence chess. Walter's accomplishments were truly titanic and this column can only begin to list his achievements. Readers who would like to gain a more complete picture of Walter Muir should read his book, My 75 Year Chess Career.
Walter did everything and went everywhere. He was the American pioneer on the international stage. Walter was born in Brooklyn, August 7, 1905, and started to play postal chess in 1925. Between 1928 and 1944, he won 10 first places in the Canadian Correspondence Chess Association championships. He played in the Golden Knights finals in 1949, 1952, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1964, and 1967. He won the 1959, 1961, 1963 and 1965 CCLA North American Class AA Championship. In 1968 and 1969, he won the British Correspondence Chess Association Overseas Championship.
He was awarded the ICCM title in 1971. Walter played in the 1982 USCF Absolute and won the 1984 Hawver Cup. He played in numerous U.S. team events, notably the III, VI, VII, and VIII Olympiads. He was the winner of thirteen ICCF Master tournaments, and was the first U.S. player to defeat a USSR correspondence player in ICCF history.
In May of 1993, he was the ninth most active ICCF player, with 464 games. In 1994 his beloved wife Dorothy died. Dorothy, also a champion correspondence chessplayer, was an ideal mate for him. A game of hers can be found below.
Walter had his driver's license renewed to August 31, 2000. He was always the optimist! It showed in his games, too. RIP, Walter.
GAME OF THE MONTH
The following game is a game won by Walter while in his nineties. His patient defense and quicksilver use of the isolated pawn to gain the attack are ageless. Viva Muir!
QUEEN'S PAWN GAME [D02]
W: Stephen Clarke
B: Walter Muir
BCCC vs. ASPCC Team Match 1995
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 c5 3. dxc5
This choice leads only to equality. More aggressive is 3. c4, but White has a system in mind.
3. ... Qa5+ 4. Nbd2 Nf6 5. e3 e6 6. Be2 Bxc5 7. 0-0 Qc7 8. b3 0-0 9. Bb2 Nbd7 10. c4 b6 11. cxd5 exd5!?
Walter willingly takes on the isolated d-pawn, planning to use it as an aggressive weapon since he now controls more territory than White.
12. Rc1 Qb8 13. Qc2 Bb7 14. Rfd1 Qd8 15. Qf5 Qe7 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. Bxe5 Nd7 18. Bb2 g6 19. Qf4 Rac8 20. Bb5
This is the height of White's game. From now on Walter takes over the position square by square.
20. ... Bd6 21. Qh6?!
White's last chance to keep the balance is 21. Qg4!. Now Black takes over the c-file.
21. ... Be5 22. Bxe5 Nxe5 23. Qf4 Rc5 24. Be2 Rfc8 25. Rxc5 Rxc5 26. Nf1 Kg7 27. Qd4 f6 28. f4?
With the game slipping away, White lashes out at Black's centralized knight, but his choice simply weakens e3 and e4. It is difficult to suggest a good plan here for White - perhaps 28. Bd3 is best.
28. ... Nf7 29. Bf3 Nd6 30. a4 Nf5 31. Qd2 Qc7! 32. Bg4?!
White's difficulties grow move by move. Perhaps a better try 32. e4!?, though after 32. ... dxe4 33. Qd7+ Kf8! 34. Qd8+ Qxd8 35. Rxd8+ Ke7 36. Rh8 exf3! 37. Rxh7+ Ke6 38. Rxb7 Rc2! 39. gxf3 Nd4! Black is winning.
32. ... Rc2 33. Qe1 d4!, White resigns.
The XV U.S. Correspondence Chess Championship preliminary round is being formed. Strong postal players (rated 2100 plus) are invited to enter. Contact Max Zavanelli at [email protected].
Bryce Avery has written a classic book, Correspondence Chess In America. This book is a wealth of information for the correspondence chess historian. There have been very few histories of our great postal game, but this book will set the standard for books to come.
There are only two flaws to this excellent work: the title should have been The History of the CCLA In America, and Avery unconsciously repeats the inferiority complex of the early days of postal play when OTB games were printed in postal magazines to show that postal players could play "real" chess.
These flaws are minor, though. This book is a major contribution to our game, and the games printed are worth the price of admission!
X World Champion Vytas (this is his "chess" name as opposed to Victor) Palciauskas has a web site at http://correspondencechess.com/ There you will find the analysis of this wild game and others.
NIMZO-INDIAN DEFENSE [E43]
W: J. Gorski
B: Vytas Palciauskas
ICCF 1971
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 c5 7. 0-0 0-0 8. Na4 cxd4 9. exd4 Nc6 10. Bf4 Nh5 11. Be3 Bd6 12. Rc1 Nf4 13. Bb1 Nxd4 14. Bxd4 Nxg2 15. Be3 Nf4 16. Bxf4 Bxf4 17. Rc3 f5 18. Re1 Rf6 19. Rd3 d6 20. Rd4 g5 21. Nc3 Rh6 22. Nb5 Rc8 23. Nxa7 Rh3 24. Nd2 Rxh2 25. f3 g4 26. Rxf4 Qh4, White resigns.
White never has a chance in the following game, in which Black wraps up his first correspondence game. It looks like it won't be his last!
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED [D47]
W: Ronald Ellis (2111)
B: James Guymon (Unrated)
1999 Golden Knights
1. c4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bb3 a6 9. e4 Bb4 10. Qe2 Bb7 11. 0-0 c5 12. e5 Bxc3 13. bxc3 Nd5 14. c4 bxc4 15. Bxc4 cxd4 16. Nxd4 N7b6 17. Bb3 Nc3 18. Qg4 Qxd4 19. Qxg7 Ne2+ 20. Kh1 0-0-0 21. Be3 Rhg8 22. Bxd4 Rxg7, White resigns.
Dorothy Muir shows some of the talent that gave the Muirs the best one-two punch in the postcard business.
DUTCH DEFENSE [A96]
W: Goddard
B: Dorothy Muir
Women's Championship CCLA 1960
1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Be7 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. 0-0 0-0 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 c6 8. Qc2 Qe8 9. Re1 Qh5 10. e4 e5 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Nxe5 fxe4 13. Bf4 Nbd7 14. Bxe4 Nxe5 15. Bxe5 Ng4 16. f4 Bc5+, White resigns.