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© Copyright 2002, Jim Loy
After this game, Mr. Birkoff predicted that I would be the next state champ. That took another dozen or so years. That year, Mr. Birkoff was rather lucky to take second place in the state championship.
Jim Loy -
Dimitry Birkoff, 1968 Montana State University Chess Club
1 d4 d5 2 c4
c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 e6 5 e3 Be7 6 cxd5 exd5 7 Bd3 Bg4 8 h3 Bh5 9 0-0 Nbd7 10 e4
dxe4 11 Nxe4 Nd5 12 Re1 Qc7 13 Bg5 f6 14 Bh4 g5?! 15 Bg3 (White has an
advantage) 15...Qb6 16 Nd6+ Kf8 17 Nf5 (17 Nc4 looks fine)
17...Re8?(A) [diagram]
18 Nxg5! Bxd1? (18...fxg5 19 Qxh5 Ra8 20 Bd6 +-) 19 Ne6+ Kf7 20 Nh6#
A - 17...Bb4 (17...Qxb2 18 Rb1 Qxa2 19 Rxb7 Bb4 20 Rxb4 looks like White wins) 18 Re4 Bg6 19 Re2 and a3 looks even.