In his book "Chess Coaching" John Littlewood describes piece co-ordination as one of the hallmarks of master play, and I always was struck by that aspect of Ben’s game. We were privileged to have in Exeter for a number of years the services of this young man whose pieces, like Petrosian’s, seemed always to be strung by invisible threads, threads which could trip and bind the strongest opponents. Here is Ben in action against a Welsh International. — DR
Van Geet's (Dunst) Opening
1. Nc3
Ben’s speciality.
1…d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nxe4 e5 4. Bc4 Nc6
The ancient threats to f7 are beginning to stir once more. A number of games of Van Geet played by correspondence(!) have gone
4…Be7 5. Qh5 Nh6 6. d3 1-0
5. d3 Be7 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bb5 Qd5 8. c4 Qe6 9. O-O Bd7 10. d4 exd4 11. Re1 O-O-O 12. Nc5
12…Bxc5
[Black must make some sort of concession, e.g. 12...Qf6 13. Nxd7 Rxd7 14. Bxc6 Qxc6? 15. Ne5, but even this bold try does not prevent the shattering of the Queen's-side]
13. Rxe6 Bxe6 14. Bxc6 bxc6 15. Qa4 Kb7 16. Ne5 Bd7 17. b4 Bd6 18. Nxd7 Rxd7 19. c5 Be5 20. b5 Rd5 21. Qa6+ 1-0
[Notes by DR]