[Event "Corr"] [Site "?"] [Round "0"] [White "Keres"] [Black "Laurentius"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C02"] [Opening "French: Advance, 4.Nf3"] {18. KERES (1916-1975) The Estonian Grandmaster keres was a richly imaginative player in his youth - but not only in his youth: in his maturity the same description held good. The difference is that in his early days his temperament ran head of his technique, so that sometimes his methods were too risky and his combinations not sound. in his later years kereds matured into a complete positional player, while acquiring a perfect knowledgeo f the openings. Add to this fact that he had reached great heights in the endgame and we see Keres as the possesor of the ideal style. Keres himself considered that combinative play best suited his personality. His great skill in dealing with complications was developed largely through correspondence play. In his postal games his one aim was to build up the tension, and he used to steer for complications right from the start. However, experience taught him that in the end the accumulation of small advantages pays better than always going for the attack at all costs. Our illustration is one of his earliest games} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 { This used to be a favourite weapon of Keres agains the French Defence} 3... c5 4. Nf3 Qb6 5. Bd3 $5 cxd4 6. O-O Nc6 {This obvious move is not best} (6... Nd7 {Reserving c6 for the other Knight}) 7. Nbd2 Nge7 (7... f6 $1) 8. Nb3 Ng6 9. Qe2 Qc7 10. Nbxd4 $1 Ngxe5 11. Nb5 $1 Nxf3+ 12. Qxf3 Qd7 {This strange looking move aims to keep the possibility of playing ... Qf7 later and reserving ... Kd8} (12... Qd8 13. Bf4 e5 14. Rfe1 f6 15. Qh5+ Ke7) 13. Bf4 e5 14. Rfe1 f6 15. Rad1 $1 {A very fine move, powerfully completing White's development} 15... Be7 (15... a6 16. Qh5+ Kd8 17. Be4 axb5 18. Rxd5 exf4 19. Red1 $1 { After which Black can at least defend himself better than in the game}) 16. Bc4 $1 d4 17. Be6 $1 Qd8 18. Bxe5 $1 {Keres in his element} 18... Bxe6 (18... fxe5 19. Qf7#) (18... Nxe5 19. Rxe5 Bxe6 20. Rxe6 {Black's defence is cracked}) 19. Nc7+ Kf7 20. Nxe6 {Since the Knight can't be taken because of 21. Bc7+ White has recoverd all of his material, and in view of Blac's insecure King, the game is as good as over. But Keres still has some pretty points to show us} 20... Qa5 21. Bxd4 Qxa2 22. Bxf6 $3 Bxf6 (22... gxf6 23. Qh5+ Kg8 24. Qg4+ Kf7 25. Qg7+ Ke8 26. Nc7#) 23. Rd7+ Ne7 (23... Kg8 24. Qxf6 $1 gxf6 25. Rg7#) ( 23... Ke8 24. Rxb7 $1) (23... Kg6 24. Rxg7+ Bxg7 25. Qg4+ Kf7 26. Qxg7+ Ke8 27. Nc5+ Kd8 28. Qd7#) 24. Rxe7+ Kxe7 25. Qxb7+ Kd6 (25... Ke8 26. Ng5+ Kd8 27. Rd1+ Ke8 28. Qxa8+ Ke7 29. Qb7+ Ke8 30. Qc8+ Ke7 31. Rd7#) 26. Qc7+ Kd5 27. Qc5# 1-0