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Black Really Is OK!
GM András Adorján
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GM Adorján is dedicated to the proposition that, as he puts it:
Black
does NOT have to equalize, as it is not Black who has to prove
anything in the first place!
I presume
- in the spirit of the presumption of innocence - that the position
is equal. It
is White who has to prove that he can get an advantage.
White, by virtue of having the first move, - in
traditional chess theory - is presumed to have an advantage. GM Adorján
disagrees, asserting that:
The right to move first, however,
is an obligation at the same time. We
can all remember cases - even from our own practice - when this right became
a coercion. This
is the so-called zugzwang. Take
a simple pawn ending: opposition, and the person to move loses the game,
regardless of colours.
The annotated games in this column then, will illustrate
that principle. In keeping with the spirit of GM Adorján's philosophy,
we will present all diagrams from Black's perspective:
This is just the opposite of conventional chess practice,
which always presents positions with White moving up the diagram, even when
the author is attempting to illustrate ideas for Black! GM
Adorján concludes:
No
one has ever won a chess
game without his opponent making mistakes.
Whether
it is blundering a rook or just some minor inaccuracy, the utilization of
which takes strategic depth and flawless technique is naturally important
from an esthetic or professional point of view, but makes no difference
concerning the general point.
If one of the players
wins the game, his opponent has certainly made some mistake.
All games ever played
in the history of chess serve as evidence of this statement, whether they
took place on benches of public squares or on the stages of world
championship matches.
The ‘fair’ result of a
chess game is draw. Why
is it so surprising, then, that BLACK IS OK?
If
the game is drawn with both players making the best moves from the starting
position, then Black can not possibly have any problems if he plays well.
So sit back and enjoy the ride, while one of the great chess
thinkers (and trainers: Kasparov, Leko) of our era enlightens you, and
educates you, and proves that Black really is OK!
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Biography (this textual material about
GM Adorján taken from
Wikipedia):
 András Adorján (born March 31, 1950) is a Hungarian author
and Grandmaster of chess (1973), born in Budapest. Many of Adorjan's
earliest games were played under the name A. Jocha. Later he took the name
of the celebrated flautist András Adorján (born 1944).
In 1969-70, he secured the title of European Junior Champion
and in 1969 at Stockholm, finished runner-up in the World Junior Chess
Championship to Anatoly Karpov. Qualification as an International
Master came in 1970 and as a Grandmaster in 1973. The latter was also
the year that he won (jointly) his first Hungarian Championship, going on to
a further (this time outright) victory in 1984.
Other tournament successes (finishing either first or joint
first) included Varna 1972, Osijek 1978, Budapest 1982, Gjovik 1983, Esbjerg
1985 and New York Open 1987. In an interview, he recounts the story of
his telephoned invitation to Luhacovice in 1973; he enquired - "Is there a
GM norm on offer?", to which came the answer "Yes". His next question
- "When does it start?" was met with the reply "Half an hour ago". He
also went on to win that tournament.
At
the Riga Interzonal of 1979, he finished joint third and qualified for the
World Championship Candidates Tournament via tiebreaks, after drawing a
match (+1 -1 =2) with fellow Hungarian Zoltan Ribli. At the Candidates
he lost his quarter-final match to Robert Hübner.
 In team chess, Adorjan has an excellent record.
Competing at the Chess Olympiad of 1978, he helped Hungary to capture the
gold medal from the Soviet team who had convincingly won the event twelve
consecutive times from 1952 through 1974. His further participation in
1984, 1986 and 1988 contributed to a top five finish on each occasion.
Compatriots Lajos Portisch, Ribli and Gyula Sax were also at the peak of
their playing strength during this period.
Adorjan has also worked over the years, sometimes secretly,
as a second to Garry Kasparov and to Peter Leko, helping them to prepare for
important World Championship matches. He is known as a leading expert
on the Grünfeld Defence, which has been favored by both Kasparov and Leko.
He is also known for his political battles with Susan Polgar, with them
attacking each other in the press. Polgar has often stated that she
will not play in any tournament to which Adorjan has been invited.
In
recent years he has played less and concentrated more on writing, becoming
renowned for his series of books championing the cause of the player of the
black pieces - Black is OK, Black is Still OK and Black is
OK Forever.
 The books challenge the popular perceptions of Black's
chances and diagrammed positions are even presented with the black pieces
playing up the board. For their creativity with the black pieces, Adorjan cites the games of Tony Miles and Alexander Morozevich as a source
of inspiration.
His writing is always imaginative, quirky and anecdotal.
In one review, it was suggested that Adorjan's books could have been
co-authored by Botvinnik and Monty Python.
In the field of chess opening theory, Adorjan's passions
have in many ways mirrored the theme of his books. Typical is his
handling of the 'Hedgehog System' versus the English Opening. The
system seeks to neutralise white's first move advantage by engineering rapid
piece development on the queenside, behind flexible, low-key pawn moves
(such as d6, a6 and b6). The formation is said to resemble the prickly
spines of the hedgehog, repelling premature attacks and offering no soft
targets.
Adorjan's other passion is music. He has composed many
songs and also translated Godspell into Hungarian.
A Poem by GM Adorján:
The Blackout Fright
(written by András Adorján)
Here stirs again
the Blackout Fright,
descending on my mind: arrived;
like dog snarls on my breast so tight:
the mind arresting Blackout Fright.
This is my
destined Blackout Fright;
with it I come and go alike;
and by that all my shirts are lined;
that wakes me up from mercy-nights!
From where to
when, how long, what for?
Against heaven my fist I shall not lift!
But oh, my God why was not yet enough?
My human-self how long shall be adrift?
Lord, if at all
be possible,
rid my soul from this ghastly cramp!
I must not be just dust and sand!
Lord help, as help is only in your hand!
Does such horror
come from your Will and Might?
How many times got me the Blackout Fright?
To serve my people is my only Will,
though swallowed hemlock could not make me ill.
Lord, who could
peek into your greater Plan?
Your hand holds all the cards that 's really worth!
It does make all the happiness a sham,
while your subject writhes and devours the earth!
Lift me up,
Father or trample me down:
it already seems all the same to me!
I had enough of my foul, thorny crown;
any less vital I will never be!
Let Thy Will be
done -- as we ever quote!
It shall be so! - Adored and hated Lord!
My broken soul shall also be restored,
if you just say it with one sacred word!
(translated by
Imre Gyöngyös, Sunday 22 May 2005)
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