Tony Miles (person)

Warning: It may be helpful to know chess notation and some chess terminology before engaging this write up.

The Life of the British GM

Anthony "Tony" James Miles was a strong Grandmaster in chess. He was born April 23 1955 in Britain. He was introduced to chess at the age of five. In 1968, he won the British under 14 title. His chess rapidly improved and in 1973, he was a silver medalist in the Junior World Championships at Teeside. He resolved to win the next year. Miles received his Grandmaster title in 1976 in Dubna, USSR becoming Britain's first Grandmaster. The same year, he tied the world's number two player in a tournament in Amsterdam. After this he decided, "The only thing left is to have a go at Anatoly Karpov."

The two Grandmasters met in Skara, Sweden in 1980 at the European Team Championships. Miles took an unusual risk and replied to 1.e4 with 1...a6!? The defense would later be called the St. George Defense. The spectators laughed, but Miles still won the game. This win tied the British team with the Russians for first place. For once Britain was considered a top chess country. He played Karpov many times after that game. More often than not the result was a draw, but Miles managed to win once more against the reigning world champion.

Miles' highest point in his chess career was his success in a top-class tournament in Tilburg in 1984. He was best by one and a half points, topping three world champion candidates. Though Miles became one of the top ten strongest players in the world, he was never high enough to compete for the championship. However, he took on Garry Kasparov in an exhibition event where he lost five games to the World Champion. He exclaimed, "I thought I was playing a world champion, not a monster with 22 eyes who sees everything."

Tony Miles was the best player Britain had ever produced. He changed nationalities, briefly representing USA and Australia, but he eventually returned to his homeland where he will always be recognized as the man who inspired modern British players to reach international heights. Tony Miles died in his sleep November 12, 2001 at the age of 46.

Famous Games

w=white b=black p=pawn R=rook N=knight B=bishop Q=queen K=king

    A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
8 | bR |    |    |    |    | bR | bK |    |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
7 |    | bB |    | bp |    | bp | bp | bp |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
6 | bp | bQ |    |    | bp |    |    |    |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
5 |    |    |    |    | wp |    |    |    |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
4 | wp | bB |    |    | bB |    |    |    |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
3 |    |    |    |    |    | bN |    |    |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
2 |    | wp |    |    | wQ | wp | wp | wp |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
1 |    |    | wR |    |    | wR | wK |    |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|

The critical position. Eric Schiller believes that Karpov could have won using the Greek Gift. He gives the variation 19.Bxh7+ KxB 20.Ng5+ Kg6 21.Qg4 f5 22.Qg3 Qd4 23.Nxe6+! Qg4 24.Nxf8+ Rxf8 25.Qxg4+ fxg4 26.Rc4 a5 27.Rxg4+. White has a rook and three pawns for two pieces. He has the advantage.

Black is simply up a pawn. The rest is easy.

Gerusel - Miles Porz, 1981

This defense is unnamed but has potential to transpose into know defenses such as the Chigorin Defense.

w=white b=black p=pawn R=rook N=knight B=bishop Q=queen K=king

    A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
8 | bR |    | bB | bQ | bK |    | bN | bR |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
7 | bp | bp | bp | bp |    | bp | bp | bp |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
6 |    |    |    |    |    |    | bN |    |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
5 |    |    | bB | wp |    |    |    |    |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
4 |    |    |    |    |    | wp |    |    |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
3 |    |    |    |    |    | wN |    |    |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
2 | wp | wp | wp |    |    |    | wp | wp |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|
1 | wR | wN | wB | wQ | wK | wB |    | wR |
  |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|

Miles claims that white is already lost for he has no place to put his king.

Stops 0-0-0

Allows the queen to enter the attack

If 18.Qxg1 then Nf3+ wins the queen