Chess Crackers
July/August 2002

The following is a tribute to FM Morris Giles, an incredible talent and one of the strongest players to emerge from the Chicago area. FM Giles vicious attacking skills belied his quiet demeanor, and he later achieved one of his finest results by scoring 9-3 in the 1988 U.S. Open. Unfortunately, Giles retired a couple of years later. In the following diagrams, you're challenged to find the winning line. Each position ends with decisive material gain or mate. Solve each of the four problems (as deep as possible) and check your answers by scrolling below. No peeking!!

No. 2

No. 1

FM Morris Giles - FM Eugene Martinovsky
White to Move  (after 27…Bc4-a6)

FM Billy Colias - FM Morris Giles
Black to Move  (after 30.Qc5-f2)

No. 3

No. 4

NM Morris Giles - FM Jonathan Yedidia
White to Move (after 20…Qg6-g4)

NM Morris Giles - NM David Rubin
White to Move (after 27…Bf7-g8)

Solutions

No. 1  Giles-Martinovsky (Prairie State Invitational, 1985)
FM Morris Giles and the late FM Dr. Eugene Martinovsky had several classic battles. These two titans entered this all-out brawl with Giles trotting out his pet King's Gambit. During his hot streak, FM Giles was once lauded for keeping his rating over 2400 while playing the speculative King's Gambit. In this position, Giles was pressing and had penetrated Black's position. Black had just played 27…Bc4-a6 to prevent the annihilating 28.Rxb7. In the diagram, Giles can play 28.Rd7?! gxf6 29.Raxd8+ Bxd8 30.Rxd8+ with a struggle, but instead he brings the game to a crashing end with the snappy 28.Re8+! Martinovsky resigned in lieu of 28…Kxe8 29.fxg7, when the white pawn will morph into a gigantic queen.  (See game)

No. 2  Colias-Giles (Illinois Class Championship,  1985)
FM Billy Colias was a child prodigy from Munster, Indiana and was one of the brightest Midwest scholastic stars (along with Munster teammate NM Peter Bereolos) in the 80s. FM Colias was afflicted with cancer and later died while in his mid-20s. In this classic Sicilian battle, Colias was put under severe pressure after Giles sacked a rook for a virulent attack.  Giles took full advantage of white's awkward rook placement and finished Colias off with mating attack starting with 30…Ng4! The point being that after 31.Qc5, Giles lands the knockout blow with 31… Rxg1+! Colias resigned before being smothered after 32.Qxg1 Nf2#. Classic combination! (See game)

No. 3  Giles-Yedidia (Illinois Class Championship, 1983)
In this position, Giles had built up a powerful position after facing the …b6 French defense. Black's king is stuck in the center and the Giles reeled off the shattering 21.Nf6+! The game ended after 21…gxf6 22.exf6+ Qe4 (22…Kd7 gets mated by 23.Qxd5+) 23.Qxf5 Be7 24.Rxe4 dxe4 25.Re1! Bd6 26.Rxe4+ Kf8 27.Qg5 Kf8 28.Qg7#  (See game)

No. 4 Giles-Rubin (Chess Mates Invitational, 1983)
FM Giles takes another French Defense to task by building up a strong, steady attack.  Giles pried open the kingside with an 16.Kh1 and 17.g4. Former scholastic standout David Rubin underestimated white's attack and was jolted with the stunning 28.Rxh6+! After 28…gxh6 29.Qf6+ Bg7 (29…Rg7 30.Qxh6+ Rh7 (30…Bh7 31.Rxg7! and mate follows) 31.Rxg8+! Kg8 32.Qxh7#) 30.Qxe7 Bxe5 31.Rxg8+! Kxg8 32.Nxe6, and black is finished. (See game)

See games of FM Morris Giles


Back to Index of Crackers


News Briefs | | Fire on Board! | |  Chess Crackers | |  The Talking Drum
The  65th Square | | Drum Majors of Chess | | Historic Moments
Game Library | | Your Chess Market | | The Chess Academy