Herman Pilnik
Notable Games

Herman Pilnik

16 celebrated games · 406 in the full archive
Player Index ◈ Biography 406 CURATED GAMES

Notable Games

  • 1942.03.23 Pilnik, Hermann vsNajdorf, Miguel 1-0 Caro-Kann Defense 32 moves Mar del Plata International-05 Mar del Plata 1942 against Miguel Najdorf, his only loss in the tournament he won; Fred Reinfeld later included it in his book Great Brilliancy Prize Games of the Chess Masters. A Caro-Kann: 17.Nf4 Qxd4 18.Rxe4 fxe4 19.Nxh5 gxh5 20.Bf6, and the attack goes on through 24.Rxd6 and 29.hxg4 until Black resigns after 32.f3.
  • 1945 Pilnik, Hermann vsAdams, Weaver Warren 1-0 Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense 37 moves Pan American-ch01 Pan-American Championship, Hollywood 1945, where he finished third, against Weaver Adams. A closed Ruy Lopez in which White storms the kingside with 15.g4 and 31.g5; 32.Nf6 and 33.Qh5 gxf6 34.g6 break through, and Black resigns after 37.R6g4.
  • 1948 Pilnik, Hermann vsKashdan, Isaac 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Levenfish Variation 28 moves New York New York 1948, where he shared third place with Max Euwe, against Isaac Kashdan. The queens come off at move 10 of a Dragon Sicilian, and the two knights finish it: 26.Ne8+ Kh7 27.N4f6+ Bxf6 28.Nxf6+, after which the rook on d8 takes the rook on h8.
  • 1950.12.09 Euwe, Max vsPilnik, Hermann 0-1 Neo-Grünfeld Defense: with g3 77 moves Amsterdam Wereldschaaktoernooi Amsterdam 1950, with Black against Max Euwe, the former World Champion. A Neo-Grünfeld that becomes a long minor-piece ending: 50...Bxe4+ wins the e-pawn, 58...Bxa2 the a-pawn, and the g-pawn decides with 74...g3 and 77...Kf2.
  • 1952.03.06 Pilnik, Hermann vsPetrosian, Tigran V 1-0 Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation 50 moves Budapest Maroczy Memorial Maróczy Memorial, Budapest 1952, against Tigran Petrosian, the future World Champion. White's d-pawn reaches d6 at move 22; 26.Rxe5 Bxe5 27.Qxe5+ leads to the exchange of queens, 37.d7 Rfxc6 38.dxc8=Q Rxc8 gives bishop and pawn for a rook, and the queenside pawns run with 45.b5 and 46.c6.
  • 1952.03.10 Pilnik, Hermann vsSmyslov, Vasily V 1-0 Slav Defense: Czech Variation 34 moves Budapest Maroczy Memorial Budapest 1952 again, four days later, against Vasily Smyslov, another future World Champion. A Slav: 17.d5 exd5 18.e5 d4 19.exf6, then 21.f5 dxe3 22.fxg6 Qd3 23.gxf7+ opens the king, and 32.Qf7 Nf2+ 33.Kg2 Qxh3+ 34.Kxf2 ends it in 34 moves.
  • 1952.04.28 Pilnik, Hermann vsKaraklajic, Nikola 1-0 Scandinavian Defense: Marshall Variation 18 moves Belgrade Belgrade 1952, the international tournament he won, against Nikola Karaklajić. A Scandinavian in 18 moves: White castles long with 12.O-O-O, 13.Qf3 Bd5 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Bxc4 opens lines against the uncastled king, and Black resigns after 17.Bc5+ Kd8 18.Bxd5.
  • 1952.09.16 Pilnik, Hermann vsPachman, Ludek 1-0 Ruy Lopez: Closed, Worrall Attack 42 moves Interzonal-02 Saltsjöbaden Interzonal 1952 against Luděk Pachman. A Ruy Lopez with 6.Qe2, the Worrall Attack: Black takes a pawn with 19...Qxb2, but 28.Rb1 Qxc2 29.Rxb8 leaves White the exchange ahead, and Black resigns at move 42.
  • 1956.04.05 Pilnik, Hermann vsSzabo, Laszlo 1-0 Ruy Lopez: Open, Classical Defense 56 moves Candidates Tournament Amsterdam Candidates Tournament 1956, his only win of the event, against László Szabó. An Open Ruy Lopez that comes down to rooks: the e-pawn advances with 42.e6 and 52.e7, and the two white rooks finish it with 53.Rxh7+ and 56.Rc6.
  • 1957 Pilnik, Hermann vsOlafsson, Fridrik 1-0 Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Steinitz Deferred 39 moves Match Olafsson-Pilnik +4-3=1 Reykjavík 1957, the first game of his second match with Friðrik Ólafsson, which Ólafsson won 4½–3½. A Ruy Lopez: 28.Nxg6 hxg6 29.Rc6 Qxg4 30.hxg4 takes the queens off, 31.Rxc7 wins a pawn, and the game ends at move 39 with a white pawn on g6.
  • 1963.01.12 Bronstein, David Ionovich vsPilnik, Hermann 0-1 King's Indian Defense: Makogonov Variation 75 moves Hoogovens Hoogovens, Beverwijk 1963, with Black against David Bronstein, who finished second to Jan Hein Donner while Pilnik shared third. A King's Indian (Makogonov Variation): 44...Rxa2+, 47...Rexe3 and 50...Bxd4 collect pawns, and the e-pawn decides: 75.Kxg2 e2.
  • 1963.01.27 Ivkov, Borislav vsPilnik, Hermann 0-1 Benoni Defense 35 moves Hoogovens Hoogovens 1963, last round, with Black against Borislav Ivkov, the first World Junior Champion. A Benoni: 20...e4 and 23...Bxh4 open the white king, 26...Bxf2 27.Rbe1 Bxe1+ wins the exchange, and the queen checks from b2, a3, a4 and b3; White resigns after 35...Re5.
  • 1966.03.18 Pilnik, Hermann vsStein, Leonid 1-0 Ruy Lopez: Closed 34 moves Mar del Plata International-27 Mar del Plata 1966 against Leonid Stein, three times Soviet champion. A closed Ruy Lopez in which the queens come off at move 17; 19.Nxb5 Nxc5 20.b4 Na6 21.bxa5 nets a pawn, 26.axb6 creates a passed b-pawn, and 33.Nd6 Nxb1 34.Nxe8 leaves it unstoppable.
  • 1966.03.29 Portisch, Lajos vsPilnik, Hermann 0-1 Old Indian Defense: Normal Variation 57 moves Mar del Plata International-27 Mar del Plata 1966, with Black against Lajos Portisch. An Old Indian: 43...Nxe4 wins the e-pawn, 54...Rxb4 the b-pawn, and with four pawns against three Black wins at move 57.
  • 1971.04.07 Pilnik, Hermann vsBrowne, Walter Shawn 1-0 Sicilian Defense 55 moves Mar del Plata International-29 Mar del Plata 1971 against Walter Browne. A race of passed pawns: White's a-pawn goes 45.a5, 46.a6 and 50.a7, Black's d-pawn reaches d2, and after 53.Rxf8+ Bxf8 54.a8=Q Qg5+ 55.Qxg5 d1=Q White has two queens to one.
  • 1973.05.03 Najdorf, Miguel vsPilnik, Hermann 0-1 Benoni Defense: Knight's Tour Variation 46 moves Buenos Aires CA Club Argentino, Buenos Aires 1973, with Black against Najdorf, more than thirty years after Mar del Plata. A Benoni: 13...g5, 22...f5 and 25...g4 break open the kingside, the queens come off with 33...Qxg2+, and the h-pawn runs to h2 before White resigns after 46...Rg6.
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