Basman Basmadjian, the uncrowned chess champion
The recent death of Michael Basman brought to my mind Shakespeare’s stirring words from King Henry V’s pre battle oration at Agincourt:
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember è d.
Michael Basman was originally named Basmadjian, but the Armenian template was anglicised by his father, presumably to avoid possible misspellings, in his adopted country, of a slightly complex foreign name.
Basman was to become a hero-warrior of British chess who deserves to be “rememberèd” in multifarious ways: as author, trainer, organiser of mass junior events, but primarily as a player of profound energy, creativity and originality.
In the international sphere Basman’s apogees were the tournament at Hastings 1966/67, where he finished top of the British contingent and nearly brought the mighty Red Czar of the Soviet Chess Imperium, Mikhail Botvinnik, to his knees. Then there was the Student Olympiad at Harrachov 1967, where Basman’s inspirational leadership brought England the Bronze medals, but also crushing victories against Yugoslavia, Denmark, Sweden and the USSR. After demolishing the Soviet team, the other contestants, so great was their jubilation, that they carried us out of the tournament hall on their shoulders.
On the home front Basman’s perihelion was to share the 1973 British Championship title with Bill Hartston, at Eastbourne. This necessitated a tie break. Nowadays, such tie breaks, if they occurred at all, would be staged immediately. In the more leisurely days of 1973, a full six months were to pass before the tie break could be arranged. Such an extended period would be seen as unacceptably dilatory to modern eyes. During those six months, I twice played Basman in his persona as co-champion, in the important Hexagon and Hastings tournaments.
When the play-off finally took place in February 1974, Basman lost to Hartston. Accordingly, his name, instead of being inscribed into the pantheon of champions, stretching from that time to the ending of the world, was erased from the scroll of the immortals and consigned to the netherworld of the also-rans.
I now have a radical proposal to the English Chess Federation, the successor body to the aforementioned BCF. There are precedents for co-title holders in the Federation’s annals. To honour Basman’s contribution to British chess and to recognise his six months as co-champion, the ECF should officially inscribe and induct him into the Valhalla of British champions, as co-champion for 1973/1974. This would of course in no way invalidate Bill Hartston’s tenure as sole champion in 1974.
I now propose this move formally to the powers that be in the ECF. You read it first in TheArticle .
While in the innovative vein, I shall now try another experiment, a full game with notes, rather than my customary links. In my opinion, Basman’s most perfect game was this win against Hartston. It is a sublime blend of deep strategy, crisp tactics, and a masterful display of simultaneously active play on both wings. Amazingly, it has not only eluded being annotated on the numerous chess databases, but has not even been published in such storehouses of chess beauty and wisdom.
Accordingly, I shall give it here, with a diagram after every sixth move or so, for the coup de grace Ne6!! … and for the final position, to aid those readers who lack the resource of a chess set.
Basman vs. Hartston
Birmingham-London, 1968
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 Nf6 4. Qe2!?
A deceptively slow but typically original Basman opening – offbeat but not without a drop of poison.
4… Nc6 5. g3 g6 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Na3 e5
This move seems overly committal of Black’s central pawn structure.
9. Nc4 b5 10. Ne3 Rb8 11. Nh4 Re8 12. h3 Ba6? 13. Qd3
Basman tempts the black pawns forward in the hope of compromising their cohesion.
13… c4 14. Qe2 Nd7 15. b4 Nd4!?
This tactical stroke looks alarming but fortunately for White there is no need to capture the bold knight which, having been spurned, is obliged to retreat.
16. Qd1 Ne6 17. d3 cxd3 18. Qxd3 Nb6 19. a4!
From now on Basman conducts the rest of the game with great power and artistry. Having once gained the initiative he never slackens his grip – here for example. 19… Nxa4 fails to 20. Rxa4 and Qxa6 winning material.
19… Qd7 20. Rd1 Red8 21. Bf1 Nc8 22. Nd5 Nc7 23. Qf3 Nxd5 24. exd5 e4
A violent bid for freedom but in fact this only has the effect of weakening Black’s dark square resistance.
25. Qxe4 Bxc3 26. Ra3 Re8 27. Qb1 Bg7 28. Bb2 Bxb2 29. Qxb2
White’s control of the dark squares in the vicinity of Black’s king has grown to alarming proportions. Watch now as Basman adroitly transfers all his attacking units onto dark squares.
29… Qb7 30. a5 Ne7 31. Qd4 Qd7 32. Rf3 Rf8 33. Rf6 Rbe8 34. Qf4
Tightening the noose.
34… Nc8 35. Nf3 Qd8 36. Ng5 Qe7 37. Qh4 h5 38. Ne6!!
The coup de grâce which shatters Black’s resistance. A crushing tactical opportunity of this nature could ne’er go by, without Basman spotting it.
38… fxe6 39. Rxg6+ Kf7 40. Qxh5
The ending of the world for Black, who promptly resigned 1-0
Raymond Keene’s latest book “Fifty Shades of Ray: Chess in the year of the Coronavirus”, containing some of his best pieces from TheArticle, is now available from Blackwell’s. His 206th book, Chess in the Year of the King, with a foreword by The Article contributor Patrick Heren, and written in collaboration with former Reuters chess correspondent, Adam Black, is in preparation, hopefully to be ready for publication in time for Christmas.
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