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Photo credit: Yves Sucksdorff |
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German-born Wandkowsky tipped the scales within a whisker of the 75kg limit while his Polish opponent came in somewhat underweight at 72kg though seemed unconcerned about handing the advantage to his opponent. Both fighters appear trim and well-prepared for the hostilities ahead. Wandkowsky drew the White pieces. The contrast in personalities is apparent at the weigh-in with literature graduate, Wandkowsky displaying the quiet almost dreamy air of the natural born poet, while the chirpy Pukacs from Lublin, never misses a chance to laugh and joke with anyone who comes near.
Round One
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 d5
[Black's Queens Gambit Declined is a solid choice of defence.]
4.Bg5 Be7
5. e3 0-0
6. Bd3 Nbd7
7. Ng2 dxc4
8. Bxc4 a6
9. 0-0 c5
10. d5?!
[A miscalculation which puts Wandkowsky on the back foot. 10. dxc5 would leave the position equal.]
10... Nb6
Pukos' choice is the correct practical move since it FEELS strong & is hard to meet - humans are not computers and chess is a subjective psychological game, just like boxing![Objectively best is 10…Nxd5! 11.Bxe7 Nxe7 12.Qd6! Nf5! 13.Qf4 Qh4! with an extra pawn in an endgame. 10…exd5 11.Bb3! c4 12.Bc2 leads to positions similar to the game.]
11. Bb3?!
Amazingly it isn't too late for White to extricate himself with accurate play! [11.Bxf6! Bxf6 12.Qb3! exd5 13.Nxd5 Nxc4 {13…Nxd5 14.Rad1! recaptures the piece}14.Qxc4 Bxb2 15.Rab1 Ba3 16.Nef4!? intending Qc3. If Black is hell-bent on keeping his pawn, one nasty trap would be the beautiful 16…Qa5 17.Ng6!! hxg6? {17…fxg6 18.Nc7+ Kh8 19.Nxa8} 18.Ne7+ Kh7 19.Qh4 mate! However this sort of deep variation would be spotted by few humans at ChessBoxing's accelerated time controls!]
11…c4
12. Bc2 exd5?!
13. Bxf6
[The slow 13. Qd4! would equalize, intending to increase pressure on the d5 pawn. After 13…Be6, White can continue with either 14.Rfd1 or 14.e4 dxe4 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Qxe4 g6 17.Qxb7=. In light of this, Black should’ve opted for …Nbxd5! on his 11th or 12th move, with a solid extra pawn.]
13… Bxf6
14. Nxd5??
A disastrous blunder! Wandkowsky is playing far too quickly. The adrenaline from the flashing lights and boisterous crowd is a likely factor. The solid 14.Nd4 would require Black to work hard to convert his extra pawn to a win. The beauty of ChessBoxing is that a pawn deficit is not the end of the world as the player can hold out for several more rounds and hope to disorient his opponent along the way.
14... Qxd5
15. Qxd5 Nxd5
Black is now a piece up in a safe position.
16. Nd4 Bxd4
BELL
Round Two
Wandkowsky, chasing a third straight ChessBoxing victory, comes out of his corner in determined fashion while Pukacs in his first bout appears nervous. Wandkowsky moves forward behind his jab looking confident and Pukacs responds with a wild left hook. Wandkowsky feels the wind of it passing close to his chin then moves in quickly working the body with a series of hard uppercuts and short hooks. Pukacs falls back and both fighters take a breather, fencing harmlessly at long range. As the clock ticks down the crowd begin crying out for some action and it's Wandkowsky who responds, trapping Pukacs against the ropes by his own corner and landing a straight-right flush on the lighter man's chin. Wandkowsky moves to a neutral corner and watches calmly as Pukacs takes a standing eight count. The fight resumes but the bell comes in the nick of time for Pukacs. The pattern of the evening had been set for both men.
Round Three
17. exd4 Nb4
18. Be4 Nd3
19. d5 Nxb2
20. d6 Rb8
21. Rb1 c3
22. Rfc1 Na4
23. Rb4 Nc5
24. Rxc3 Nxe4
25. Rxe4 Bf5
26. Rd4 Rfe8
27. g4 Bd7
28. Rc7
White has done well to recover and drum up some counterplay with his passed d-pawn
28... Bc6
29. Re7?!
[29. f4! intending d7 is best. Black would then have to solve the problem of how to best convert his extra piece into a win, costing him time and allowing Wandkowsky an extra round of boxing to go for the knockout. A general rule in chess is that you should keep pieces on the board if you are a piece down, but should strive to exchange if you’re a piece up. In terms of abstract logic, the extra piece has proportionately extra value the less wood there is on the board.]
29... Rxe7
30. dxe7 Re8
31. Rd8 f6
32. f4
Round Four
The bell for Round Four was the signal for Wandkowsky to step up a gear in a bid to turn the bout around. Realising now that his only chance lies with stopping his opponent he begins to take risks, throwing straight right bombs at the Polish chin with metronomic regularity. Pukacs defends well under the onslaught but can find no way to strike back. With the crowd well and truly roused Wandkowsky finds yet another gear and throws a booming straight-cross that sails over his opponent's guard and lands right on the money. Pukacs is rocked to his boots and for a moment it looks like the game is up. But the plucky man from Lublin recovers during another standing eight count and prepares to defend himself once again. Sensing the moment Wandkowsky tracks down his weakening opponent and strikes again with the straight-right. Another eight-count, the third of the night for Pukacs and surely this can't last much longer? As the referee signals the fight to continue Wandkowsky moves in again but the Pole backs away furiously and manages to hang on.
Round Five
32... Kf7
33. Kf2 Rxe7
Now Black is easily winning.
34. Rd2 Re4
35. Kg3 Re3+
36. Kf2 Rh3
37. Rg1 g5
38. fxg5 fxg5
39. Rf2+ Kg6
40. Kf1 h5
41. gxh5 Kxh5
Round Six
It's all or nothing for Wandkowsky now. His position on the board is hopeless and he knows he must end the fight this round or face defeat. Once again he relies on the trusty right-cross, moving in behind the jab and lining up big shots with the deliberation a snooker player closing out a frame. Within seconds Pukacs is taking his fourth eight-count. Once again it seems Wandkowsky must have his man. Pukacs is reeling and at times it looks as though Wandkowsky's long range punches were planned the previous week as he moves in, fist cocked and ready to strike. Pukacs takes two more counts before incredibly, responding with an attack of his own, landing a vicious right hook on the Wandkowsky chin. Now it's the German who staggers but he recovers instantly and both fighters go toe-to-toe swinging wildly. Pukacs is rocked once again and takes an eight count for the seventh time in the bout. One more and the referee will stop the fight under ChessBoxing rules and Wandkowsky knows it. He swings again with the right, but his own legs are starting to go under the incredible pace. Pukacs shows he has the heart of a lion taking everything the heavier man can throw and still coming back for more, holding out in street-brawler style until the bell finally comes to his rescue.
Round Seven
42. Kg1 Rf3
43. Re2 Kg4
44. Rg2+ Kf4
45. Rd2 g4
46. Rd8 Bd5
47. Rf8 Ke3 (0-1)
White runs out of time in a lost position, Black had 8:55 of his original
12 minutes remaining.
A fantastic bout which set up the evening to come in wonderful style and both men gave value for money and more. Wandkowsky's first defeat will have hurt and the manner of his blunder on the chessboard will no doubt haunt his memory but he can be proud of his part in a rousing battle and will return for his next bout a wiser and more dangerous opponent for this reverse. |
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L | W |
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| Sascha Wandkowsky |
Name |
Piotr Pukos | | 2-0-0 |
W-L-D |
0-0-0 | | 29 |
Age |
? | | ? |
Height |
? | | 79 kg |
Weight |
? | | ? |
Reach |
? | | 1800 |
ELO |
? | | Germany |
Country |
Poland | | Berlin, Germany |
Hometown |
| |
Gym |
| |
Job |
|
|
Pukos wins via chess - timeout (Round 7) |
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[Event "WCBO - Chessboxing Tour 2008 Berlin"]
[Site "Station, Berlin, Germany"]
[Date "2008.07.05"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Sascha Wandkowsky"]
[Black "Piotr Pukos"]
[Result "*"] 1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 d5
4.Bg5 Be7
5. e3 0-0
6. Bd3 Nbd7
7. Nge2 dxc4
8. Bxc4 a6
9. 0-0 c5
10. d5?! Nb6
11. Bb3?! c4
12. Bc2 exd5?!
13. Bxf6 Bxf6
14. Nxd5?? Qxd5
15. Qxd5 Nxd5
16. Nd4 Bxd4
17. exd4 Nb4
18. Be4 Nd3
19. d5 Nxb2
20. d6 Rb8
21. Rab1 c3
22. Rfc1 Na4
23. Rb4 Nc5
24. Rxc3 Nxe4
25. Rxe4 Bf5
26. Rd4 Rfe8
27. g4 Bd7
28. Rc7 Bc6
29. Re7?! Rxe7
30. dxe7 Re8
31. Rd8 f6
32. f4 Kf7
33. Kf2 Rxe7
34. Rd2 Re4
35. Kg3 Re3+
36. Kf2 Rh3
37. Kg1 g5
38. fxg5 fxg5
39. Rf2+ Kg6
40. Kf1 h5
41. gxh5 Kxh5
42. Kg1 Rf3
43. Re2 Kg4
44. Rg2+ Kf4
45. Rd2 g4
46. Rd8 Bd5
47. Rf8 Ke3 |
