White: Larry Evans Black: Sammy Reshevsky
US Championships 1964
Spoil alert! If you have not read the previous article, the ‘Swindle of the Century (part 1)’, it is recommended that you do so before reading this one which gives the game away. The challenge was to work out the result of the game which did not – contrary to all all appearances – end in a win for Black. If you read the article and resisted the urge to Google the answer, here it is.
The game ended in a draw! 1….Qxg3 may have seemed the obvious move but how often has the obvious move proved to be the wrong one? The correct move was 1….Qf6! If 2. gxf4 then 2….Qxh4 wins. Instead, this is what happened:
1….Qxg3? 2. Qg8!!
Larry Evans describes what happened next:
“Reshevsky still had no inkling of the plot. He actually thought I was reaching out to shake his hand, which is a customary gesture when resigning.”
2…..Kxg8
3. Rxg7+!! Draw agreed
Black must either capture the rook (stalemate) or face perpetual check. Larry Evans describes his opponent’s reaction:
“Reshevsky’s face turned a delicate shade of scarlet. He laughed wryly at his own stupidity….” It wasn’t long afterwards that the the result was dubbed ‘The Swindle of the Century’.