Derek Geoffrey Horseman 1931-2010

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Derek Geoffrey Horseman (1931-2010)

Derek Geoffrey Horseman 1931-2010

IM Malcolm Pein - Thursday 8th April 2010

Malcolm Pein remembers Derek Geoffrey Horseman 6th May 1931 - 18th March 2010.

I am saddened to report the passing of Derek Geoffrey Horseman who died three weeks ago at the age of 78. He became a strong player while at Oxford University and won the Hastings Challengers to qualify for the prestigious Hastings Premier of 1956/7. This must have been an enormous step up for him and a great honour but far from overawed, in his opening game, he confounded the great Laszlo Szabo with a tactical blow and would have won but for a remarkable saving resource. He also defeated England internationals Jonathan Penrose and CH Alexander. Horseman competed in four British Championships 1954, 1956, 1957 and 1958 making a positive score on each occasion.

Although he pursued a successful career in education he continued to play a lot of chess and passed his love of the game to his children and grand children. Until shortly before his death he was coaching juniors at Southport Chess Club and at a primary school. Here is possibly his finest hour at the board. Horseman had been suffering a little in the middlegame but sacrificed a pawn for counterplay to reach the following position.

Derek Horseman

Laszlo Szabo

Position after 32.Qh5

32...Rxe6!! 33.Qxh6

(33.dxe6 Rg8+ 34.Kh2 Bxf4#; 33.Qxh4 Rg8+ 34.Kh2 Qg7 35.Qg4 Bxf4+! is good for Black)

33...Rg8+ 34.Kh1 f5?

(34...Nf5 35.Qh5 Qg7 36.Qg4 Re4 is fine for Black)

35.Qxe6?

(Both players missed 35.Qxh4 Qg7 36.Qg3 when White should win)

35...Qg7 36.Qxg8+ Kxg8 37.Rac1 Qb2

(Black is better, his queen can pick off some pawns)

38.Rc8+ Kg7 39.Rc7+ Kh6 40.Re1 Qxf2 41.Re6+ Ng6 42.Bg2 Qxf4 43.Rc6 Qf2 44.Rcxd6 f4 45.Rf6 Kg5 46.Rf7 Nh4?

(46...Ne5! wins 47.Rg7+ Kf5 48.Rd8 f3)

47.Rg7+ Kf5 48.Rf7+ Kg5 draw

(Fortunately for Szabo 48...Ke5 49.Re6+ Kd4 50.Rxf4+! Qxf4 51.Re4+ Qxe4 52.Bxe4 Kxe4? 53.d6 wins so Black has to go back with the king and accept a draw.

The Vienna was one of Horseman's favourite openings. Here is a textbook attack with the standard blow Bxf7+!

DG Horseman - N Lavers

British Ch Plymouth 1957

Vienna Game

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ng5 d6 7.d4 Bg7 8.Bc4 Nh6 9.Bxf4 Nxd4 10.Qd2 Bd7 11.0-0-0 b5 12.Bxf7+!

NHS Lavers