Alan Burns (1935-2014) Chess Musketeer
Alan's name featured in my first ever "Rookie" chess column in 1983 as the winner of the Castlebar Tournament and, for years afterwards, he and the 2 Johns (Strawbridge and Orchin), along with myself as D'Artagnan, ventured forth to all parts of Ireland to play chess and enjoy a few meals and drinks (Alan's tipple was Scotch and Ginger). Here are a few of his games, which give us a flavour of his uncompromising style of play. The first two, played on the same day, are typical of his cutthroat approach as a chess musketeer, where he "foiled" his opponents and was very "epee" with his results!
White: A.Burns Black: R.Proctor (Glorney Active Open, QUB,17/6/89) 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5 Ne7 9.c4 a6 10.Qa4 Bd7 11.Nxd6# 1-0 |
---|
White: A.Burns Black: R.McMaster (Glorney Active Open, QUB,17/6/89) 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qc7 8.Qf3 b5 9.O-O-O Bb7 10.Bd3 Nbd7 11.Rhe1 O-O-O 12.Qe2 h6 13.Bh4 Re8 14.Bg3 Nc5 15.Bxb5 $1 axb5 16.Ndxb5 Qb6 17.Bf2 Qa6 18.Qc4 Bc6 19.Bxc5 Bxb5 20.Nxb5 dxc5 21.Rd3 Qb6 22.Red1 Nxe4 23.Qxe4 Qxb5 24.Qa8+ Kc7 25.Qa7+ Kc6 26.Qd7+ Kb6 27.Rb3 Qxb3 28.cxb3 Ra8 29.a4 g5 30.Qb5+ 1-0 |
---|
Even in defeat, he guaranteed his opponent had lots of scares on their way to victory, no matter the material advantage, as I found out in this game, which proved the Vienna is no "waltz" for anyone!
White: M.Kelly; Black: A.Burns (27/2/1985) 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.d3 Bb4 6.dxe4 Qh4+ 7.Ke2 dxe4 {correct is 7...Bxc3} 8.Nf3 Bg4 {White's next move was preventable by 8...exf3} 9.Nxe4 Nc6 10.Bg5 Qh5 11.c3 Nxe5 {Black exploits the pin on White's Knight but overlooks White's intermediate check and mate threats} 12.Qa4+ c6 13.Qxb4 Bxf3+ 14.gxf3 Qxf3+ 15.Kd2 f6 {or 15.Ke1 Nd3+ 16.Bxd3 f6 or Qxh1+ unclear} 16.Nd6+ Kd7 17.Qd4 fxg5 {best is 17...Qxh1 18.Bh3+ Kc7 19.Rxh1 Nf3+} 18.Qxe5 Rhf8 19.Re1 Qf4+ {White threatens mate} 20.Qxf4 gxf4 21.Ne4 Rad8 22.Kc2 Kc7 23.Ng5 Rde8 {if 24.Ne6+ Kb6 25.Nxf8 Rxe1} 24.Bh3 Kb6 25.Rhf1 h6 26.Ne6 Rf6 27.Nxg7 Ref8 28.Nh5 R6f7 29.Be6 Re7 30.Rxf4 Rfe8 {only now was the pawn safe to take} 31.Rfe4 Kc5 32.Bf5 Kd6 33.Rxe7 1-0 |
---|