Keverel Chess

Archive for the ‘Western Morning News’ Category

The 24^th Frome Congress took place last weekend, and the prizewinners were as follows (with club & grade).

Open: 1^st David Buckley (Bath – 218). 2^nd= Tyson Mordue (S. Bristol – 195); Chris Ross (Peterborough – 207) & Paul Bonafont (H. Hempstead – 187).

Grading prize (U-170): 1^st= Graham Steer (Frome – 171) & Martin Clancey (Ringwood – 175).

Major (U-170): 1^st= R. Radford (S. Bristol – 159) & P. Jackson (Coulsdon – 165). 3^rd= C. Bellers (Wimborne – 167); G. Crockart (Yeovil – 166); S. Appleby (Gillingham – 165); A. Gregory (Bath – 145); R. Bennett (Newport -147): D. Marshall & D. Weston (both Trowbridge). Grading prize (U-50): 1^st= K. Winter (Bingley – 147) & B. Macreamionn  (Wilts).

Intermediate (U-140): 1^st A. Champion (Frome – 134). 2^nd= C. Brown (Bath – 126); O. Bennett (Newport – 128) & Phil Foley (Upminster – 129).  Grading prize: P. Horne (N. Radstock – 125)

Minor (U-115): 1^st Marian Cox (Southampton – 107). 2^nd= A. Fraser (Beckenham – 104) & R. Porter (Bristol Uni. – 110). Grading prize (U-90): M. Watson (Taunton – 79) & C. Bennett (Newport – 74).

This Rd. 5 game clinched Buckley’s 1st place.

White: D. Sully (189). Black: D. Buckley (218).

Alekhine’s Defence – Spielmann Variation. [B02]

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e5 Nfd7 4.e6 Rudolf Spielmann’s move, typical of his aggressive style. 4…fxe6 5.d4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Bb5 g6 8.0–0 Bg7 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Re1 0–0 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Be3 Qd6 13.Bd4 Rxf3 White feels this offer too risky, for if 14.gxf3 e5 15.Bxc5 Qxc5 16.Qd2 Bf5 and Black’s bishop pair and 4 central pawns will prove difficult to deal with, so 14.Bxg7 Rf5 15.Qd4 Nd7 16.Bh6 e5 17.Qd2 Nf6 18.h3 Bb7 19.Qe2 Rh5 20.Bd2 c5 21.f3 Rf8 22.g4 Now the rook is doomed anyway. 22…Rxh3 23.Kg2 Rh4 24.Qxe5 d4 25.Qxd6 exd6 26.Kg3 dxc3 27.bxc3 If 27.Bxc3 g5 allows the rook to escape. 27…Rxg4+ 28.fxg4 Ne4+ winning the exchange back. 29.Rxe4 Bxe4 30.Bf4 g5 31.Bxg5 Rf3+ 32.Kh4 Rxc3 33.Rf1?? Bg2 Threatening mate and the rook. 0–1

Coming up next weekend is the 45^th Cotswold Congress at St. Edward’s School, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham. Enquiries to Mike Powis on 077-4801-4988 or e-mail:mike.powis@which.net.

In last week’s position, Carlsen lost to 1.Bc6! and he must lose a piece in order to prevent a back rank mate.

He is due to meet the Indian, Vishy Anand, to contest the World Championship later this year. This week it is Anand’s turn to lose. How did White mate him in 3 moves?

White to play and mate in 3.

The 2^nd Grand Bournemouth Congress took place recently with one of the largest prize funds on the local circuit. The main prizewinners were as follows:

Open: 1^st GM Nick Pert (£1,000). 2^nd= Zhuo Lim; IM Robert Bellin; FM Tony Corkett; Steve Homer (Exminster) & Roger de Coverley (£120 each). De Coverley and Homer got the British Championship qualifying places.

Challengers (U-160): 1^st Brendan O’Gorman (£300). 2^nd= Armel Collard & Barry Sandercock (£100 each).

Intermediate (U-130): 1^st= Ian Blencowe (Gloucester) & Patrick Reid (£187 each).

Minor (U-110): 1^st Tony Tatam (Plymouth – £200).

Here are a couple of instructive miniatures from the Open Section. Over-hasty attacks before piece development is completed can often rebound on the aggressor, as here.

White: Ray Gamble (167). Black: Ian Clarke (179).

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nbd2 Nbd7 4.e4 e5 5.Bc4 Be7 Almost universal here is 6.c3 but White chances his arm for short-term gain. 6.Bxf7+ 6…Kxf7 7.Ng5+ Kg8 8.Ne6 Qe8 9.Nxc7 Qg6 10.Nxa8 exd4 11.Nc7 Ne5 12.Rg1 Nxe4 13.Nd5 Bh4 14.Qe2 By now, White must be regretting his earlier foray. 14…Nxd2. If 14…Bg4?? 15.Qxe4; 14…Nxf2? is answered by 15.g3; If 14…Bxf2+?? 15.Qxf2 Nxf2 16.Ne7+ Kf7 17.Nxg6 Kxg6 18.Kxf2 and White is a rook up. 15.Kxd2 Bg4 16.f3 Bxf3 17.gxf3 Qxg1 18.c4 Be1+ 19.Kd1 19.Kc2 d3+ wins the queen. 19…Ba5+ wins it anyway. 0–1.

White: M. Clancy (175). Black: K. Goater (191).

1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Nc3 e6 4.a3 Ne7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 a6 7.Bd3 d6 8.Nf3 Nd7 9.0–0 g5 10.Bg3 Bg7 11.Bc4 Ng6 12.Re1 g4 13.Nd2 h5 threatening 15…h4 winning the bishop. 14.f4 giving the bishop a flight square at the cost of his d-pawn. 14…Bxd4+ 15.Kf1 h4 16.Qxg4 White might have tried 16.Bf2 Bxf2 17.Kxf2 g3+ 18.Kg1 Nxf4 but things are little better. 19.Qg4 gxh2+ 20.Kxh2 Ng6 21.Nf3 h3 22.Qg3 (22.gxh3 Nde5 23.Nxe5 Nxe5 24.Qg7 Qh4). 16…hxg3 17.Qxg3 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Qf6 0–1 White is a piece down and facing a strong attack.

In last week’s position, Adams won by playing 1…QxR+! 2.RxQ NxB 3.RxR+ RxR and White cannot both save his queen and avoid mate on e1.

Magnus Carlsen won the recent Candidates’ Tournament for the right to challenge for the World Champion, Vishy Anand, a match that will take place later this year. Here is a game he lost when still a child prodigy, aged 13. How did White end the game at a stroke?

White to play and win.

The snow-delayed match between Somerset and Gloucestershire was finally played at Cheltenham last weekend, resulting in a win for the visitors by 11-5. Somerset thereby won the 1^st Division of the WECU Inter-county competition (the Harold Meek Cup) and now go forward to the National Stage Quarter-Finals to meet Lancashire at Bloxwich in a fortnight.

Somerset’s winners were Jack Rudd, Peter Chaplin, Andrew Footner, Chris Purry, Gerry Jepps, Chris McKinlay, Adrian Champion and team captain, Roger Knight. Gloucestershire’s two winners were Matthew Claypole and Pat Baker.

This was Somerset’s win from Bd. 5.

White: P. J. Meade (168). Black: A. F.  Footner (186).

Chigorin Defence [D02].

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bf4 Bg4 4.e3 f6 Usual here is an immediate 4…e6 but the text prepares the more assertive …e5. 5.Be2 e5 6.dxe5 Bxf3 7.Bxf3 fxe5 8.Bg3 e4 This advance gives Black a grip on the centre. 9.Be2 An interesting, if unpredictable alternative, was 9.Bh5+ g6 10.Nc3 and now if 10…gxh5 11.Qxh5+ Kd7 12.Nxd5 Bd6 13.Bxd6 cxd6 14.Qg4+ Ke8 15.Qg7 Qa5+ 16.Nc3 Qe5 17.Qxb7 Nge7 18.Qxa8+ Kf7 19.Qb7 Rb8 20.Qa6 Rxb2 21.Qa3 Rb4 22.0–0 leaving White the exchange and 2 pawns up. 9…Bd6 10.c4 Bxg3 11.hxg3 dxc4 12.Nc3 Nf6 13.Bxc4 Qe7 14.Qa4 14.0–0 would have prevented Black from castling on either side in the short term. 14…0–0–0 Preventing White from also castling long. 15.Bb5 Rd6 16.Bxc6 Rxc6 17.Rd1 a6 18.0–0 Qe5 19.Qd4 White would like to exchange pieces, but Black can see the weakness of the h-file. 19…Qh5 20.Nxe4 Ng4 21.Rfe1 Also not good enough is 21.Qd7+ Kb8 22.Rfe1 Rh6 23.Kf1 Rf8 24.Ke2 (24.Qxg7 Nxe3+ 25.Rxe3 Qxd1+ 26.Re1 Rh1#) 24…Nxf2+. 21…Rh6 0–1. White resigned. Play might have continued 22.Kf1 Nh2+ 23.Kg1 Nf3+ 24.Kf1 Nxe1 25.Qd7+ Kb8 26.Kxe1 Qg6 27.Rd4 Rh2.

Somerset resident Mickey Adams is currently playing in the Alekhine Memorial Tournament and after 5 rounds was lying 2^nd jointly with Boris Gelfand, Lev Aronian and Laurent Fressinet a half point behind Vachier-Lagrave.

In last week’s position, Evans played 1.Bc6! offering his queen, but if taken he had 2.RxB mate, and Black can’t take the rook because his queen is pinned.

Here is an Adams finish from 1998. How did Black (to move) force resignation with a 2-move combination?

Black to move and win.

Last Saturday, Somerset beat Gloucestershire 11-5 and so win the West of England Championship.

This was one of Devon’s wins in their recent match against Hampshire.

White: Trefor Thynne (158). Black: Barry Kocan (140).

King’s Indian Defence  [E69]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 An immediate 4.Nc3 is commonest here with the top players. 4…0–0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0–0 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.e4 c6 9.h3 h6 10.Be3 Better here to continue developing with either Qc6, Qe7 or Re8. 10…Ne8 11.Qd2 g5 12.Rad1 f5 13.exf5 Rxf5 14.b3 Qe7 15.g4 Rf8 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Nd4 Bd7 18.f4 With all his pieces developed and nicely placed, White now contests the centre. 18…gxf4 19.Bxf4 Nf7 20.Rde1 Qd8 21.Ne6 Bxe6 22.Rxe6 Qh4 23.Ne4 Qd8 24.Ng3 merely a temporary retreat en route to f5 24…Qb6+? Losing a tempo, which helps White’s knight to join the attack. 25.Be3 Qc7 26.Nf5 Rd8 27.Ne7+ Kh8 28.Ng6+ winning the exchange. 28…Kg8 29.Nxf8 Kxf8 30.Bxh6! Kg8 If 30…Bxh6 31.Qxh6+ Ng7 (31…Kg8 32.Rg6+) 32.Qh8# 31.Bxg7 Nxg7 32.Rg6 Ne5 33.Rgf6 a5 34.Be4 b5 35.Qf4 Qe7 36.cxb5! White needs d5 for his bishop.  36…cxb5 37.Bd5+ 1-0 Black resigned, in view of 37…Nf7 (37…Kh8?? 38.Qh6#) 38.Rxf7 Qh4 39.Rf8+ Kh7 40.Be4+.

The 2^nd Bournemouth ‘Grand’ Congress started last evening at the Carrington House Hotel, with a £1,000 prize for the winner of the Open Section, and a total prize fund of over £3,000, which attracts a large entry. Last year’s winner was the 2009 British Champion, David Howell, with the help of this quick win against the 2010 West of England Champion.

White: Paul Helbig. Black: David Howell.

Scotch Game [C47]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Bd3 0–0 8.0–0 Re8 9.Re1 d6 10.Bd2 Ng4 11.h3 Ne5 12.Bf1 Qf6 13.Na4 Bxd2 14.Qxd2 g5 15.Re3 Kh8 16.Rg3 Rg8 17.Be2 Be6 18.Rf1 Rg6 19.f4 gxf4 20.Rxf4 Qg7 21.Rxg6 Qxg6 22.Kh1 Rg8 23.Bg4 Bxg4 24.hxg4 Qh6+ 25.Kg1 Rxg4 0–1 White resigned in view of  26.Rf2 Nf3+ 27.Rxf3 Qxd2.

Last week’s game ended 1.PxP+ Kh8 2.Rf8+ Rg8 3.RxR+ KxR and the coup de grace is 4.Bc4 pinning the knight which cannot be defended.

This position arose in a game in the 1958 US Championship, between Larry Melvyn Evans and Arthur Bisguier. Both trailed in behind the first three, Fischer, Reshevsky and Sherwin, but Evans did have his moment of glory here. How did he (W) end the game at a stroke?

White to play and win immediately.

At the end of the recent West of England Championship, held over the Easter weekend, there was a four-way tie at the top of the Open Section and although the cash prize could easily be calculated (£155 each), there was some uncertainty about who should get the title of WECU Champion and the qualifying place for this year’s British Championship. Richard McMichael was the first to be eliminated under the eligibility rule as he has no connection to the West of England by birth or residence. Next to go was Patryk Krzyzanowski of Yeovil as he had the lowest sum-of-opponents’ scores, the next level of tie-break.  This left Dominic Mackle and Robert Thompson, both of the Newton Abbot Club, but it took 3 days to be absolutely sure that Mackle had already qualified for “the British” via his success at the Paignton Congress in September. Therefore this place went to Thompson. However, as Mackle had the superior sum-of-opponents’ score, he became the new West of England Champion.

Here is a game from Rd. 4 in which two players from Hull battled it out.

White: D. Stephenson (169). Black: T. Paulden (177).

Robatsch Defence [B06]

1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.Nc3 a6 4.f4 d5 5.e5 h5 6.Be3 Bg4 7.Qd2 Nh6 8.h3 Bf5 9.Nf3 e6 10.0–0–0 White has built up a strong centre, but his castled position looks vulnerable to a quick pawn-storm – and here it comes. 10…b5 11.Be2 Nd7 12.Nh2 h4 13.Nf3 Bf8 14.Bf2 Be7 15.Ng5 Ng8 16.Bg4 Nb6 17.Bxf5 gxf5 18.b3 c6 19.Kb1 a5 As Black’s attack proceeds, White must try to some activity on the other wing. 20.g4 hxg3 21.Bxg3 a4 22.h4 Qb8 23.h5 Nh6 Developing a piece and blocking the h-pawn. 24.Ka1 Qa7 25.Nf3 White’s kingside ambitions are thwarted so he must attend to his defences. Bb4 26.Rc1 Qa5 27.Be1 Kd7 28.Ng1 Rhg8 29.Nge2 Rg2 30.Rh3 Ba3 31.Rb1 b4 32.Nd1 Qb5 33.Bf2 Ng4 34.Rg3 Rxf2! 35.Nxf2 Nxf2 36.Rg7 Ne4 37.Qe1 axb3 38.cxb3 Qd3 39.Rxf7+ White is trying to get some counterplay but  a single piece is not enough.  39…Ke8 40.Rb7 which brings us to this week’s position in which Black found a winning move before White could threaten mate himself with Qh4. Can you find it?

The solution to last week’s problem was 1.Rh3! Kf4 (forced) 2.Rf3 mate

Black to play and win

The West of England Championship finished on Monday in Exmouth after the coldest Easter weekend since records began, but although it was bitter outside there was plenty of hot chess inside, with a very open Championship section. After 7 hard-fought rounds the winners were as follows (All scores out of 7):

Open: 1^st= Dominic Mackle (Newton Abbot); Richard McMichael (King’s Head); Robert Thompson (Bristol Uni.) & Patryk Krzyzanowski (Yeovil) all 5 points. Grading prizes: (U-188) Steve Dilleigh (Bristol) 4½. (U-180) Dave Littlejohns (Taunton) 4½.

Major Section: (U-175). 1^st= Yasser Tello (Wimbledon); David Razzell (King’s Head) & John Nyman (Sutton) all 5. C07Grading prizes: (U-158) Theo Slade (Barnstaple) & Joshua Higgs (Worth School) both 4½. (U-150) Andrew Farthing (Worcester) 4½.

Minor (U-140) 1^st Graham Shepherd (Church Stretton) 6. 2^nd= Dave Rogers (Exmouth) & Nathan Mills (Brixham) both 5½. Grading prizes: (U-124) John Dean (Plymouth) & Nigel Mills (Yeovil) both 4½. (U-109) Alan Fraser (Beckenham) 4.

The standard in the Open section was high and there were very few short draws, many games being long drawn out affairs. Going in to the last round, 8 players, a third of the section, were either in the lead or a half point off it.

Here is a sharp finish from round 7 by two non-prizewinners.

White: Steve Homer (183 – Newton Abbot). Black: Alan Brusey (171 – Teignmouth).

French Defence – Tarrasch Variation [C07]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Ne4 6.Nxe4 dxe4 7.Ng5 cxd4 8.Nxe4 Qa5+ 9.Bd2 Qxe5 A nice manoeuvre to win a pawn, but it leaves his queen in the centre, vulnerable to harassment. 10.Bd3 Nc6 11.0–0 Bd7 12.f4 Now, as the position opens up, Black’s tardy development proves fatal. 12…Qc7 13.Ng5 g6 14.f5 exf5 15.Bc4 Nd8 16.Qe2+ Ne6 17.Bxe6 Bxe6 18.Nxe6 fxe6 19.Qxe6+ Qe7 20.Qc4 Qc5 Now the Black king is really exposed. 21.Rae1+ Kd7 If 21…Be7?? 22.Qxc5. 22.Qe6+ Kc7 23.Bf4+ Bd6 24.Qe7+ Again, the bishop is pinned. Kc6 the least worst move. 25.Bxd6 Qxd6 26.Re6 the Black queen falls. 1–0

The key move in last week’s problem was 1.Nd6!

In this position, how can White mate in 2 while avoiding stalemate.

White to mate in 2

The death occurred recently of former West of England Champion and Britain’s 6^th Grandmaster, A. S.  Hollis.  Born in 1940, Adrian Swayne Hollis was the only child of Sir Roger Hollis and Evelyn Esme (née Swayne) whose families came from Wells and Burnham-on-Sea respectively. At the time of Adrian’s greatest chess activity, his father was Director-General of MI5 (1956 – 1965) a period that saw a string of high profile spy cases, including the Burgess, Philby, Blunt, Blake and Vassall affairs and the Profumo scandal.

He went to Eton and read Classics at Oxford. He was a contemporary of future WECU President, Philip Meade, of Queen’s College, Cambridge, and the two played each other on Bd. 1 in the 1961 Varsity match.  Adrian had learned the game at 13 and within 7 years had become the then youngest West of England Champion at Weymouth in 1961. He was also British Universities Champion and played in six Anglo-Dutch matches scoring 7½ / 12.

His first teaching post was at St. Andrews University before moving to Keble College, Oxford, where he lectured in Classics from 1967 until his retirement in 2008. The twin demands of academic and family life led him to abandon any serious ambitions in over-the-board play and to concentrate instead on postal play from 1965. Ironically, his retirement from active chess coincided with the award of International Master. However, greater recognition came when he became England’s 6^th Grandmaster in 1976, for postal play. After retirement he returned to his roots in Wells.

Here is a lively win of his from the 1961 WECU Championship.

White:A. S. Hollis. Black: J. A. Henley.

 Queen’s Gambit Declined [D61]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.e3 0–0 7.Qc2 h6 8.h4! c6 9.0–0–0 b5 10.cxb5 cxb5 11.Bxb5 Bb7 12.Kb1 hxg5 13.hxg5 Ne4 14.Nxe4 dxe4 15.Rh3 Bxg5 16.Nxg5 Qxg5 17.Rdh1 f5 18.Bxd7 Bd5 19.Qc7 Qe7 20.Bxe6+ 1–0 Mate cannot be avoided.

In last week’s position, Magnus Carlsen broke through after…1.Bxf7+! 2.Qf3+ Kg8 3.Rxh8+ Kxh8 4.Rh1+ Kg8 5.Qh5 Rf8 6.Bf6 and Black resigned in view 6…gxf6 7.exf6 Rxf6 8.Qh8+ Kf7 9.Rh7+ Kg6 10.Qg8+ Kf5 11.Rh5+ Ke4 12.Qg4+ Kd3 13.Qd1+ Ke4 14.Qe2#.

This 2-mover, resembling a mass brawl, was composed by Gerald Frank Anderson (1893-1983) and first appeared in the Western Daily Mercury in 1919.

White to mate in 2

The brightest of Devon’s ten wins against Gloucestershire in their recent match was this one from Board 3.

White: S. J. Homer (183). Black: S. J. Waterfield (178).

Sicilian Defence – Dragon Variation [B72]

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c5 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.Nb3 Nf6 7.Be2 0–0 8.Be3 d6 Black has transposed into a classic Sicilian Dragon formation… 9.g4 … and White responds accordingly with a quick kingside attack. 9…Be6 10.g5 Nd7 11.h4 Nce5 12.h5 Nc4 13.Bxc4 Bxc4 14.Bd4 Ne5 15.f4 Bxb3 16.axb3 Nf3+ 17.Qxf3 Bxd4 18.0–0–0 Gaining a vital tempo, which allows White’s attack to continue. 18…Bg7 19.hxg6 fxg6 20.Qh3 Kf7 21.f5 Not 21.Qxh7?? which loses the queen to 21…Rh8. 21…Rh8 22.Rdf1 Ke8 23.fxg6 hxg6 24.Qxh8+! 1–0 Black resigned, as he would lose a piece after 24…Bxh8 25.Rxh8+ Kd7 26.Rxd8+ Rxd8.  Another attacking possibility would have been 24.Qe6 Rxh1 25.Rxh1 Bf8 26.Nd5 Qc8 27.Qxg6+ Kd7 28.Rh3 and White would again win material.

Today marks the half-way stage (the 7^th of 14 rounds) of the World Championship Candidates tournament currently being held at 2, Savoy Place, London, the strongest tournament of its kind in history. Eight of the world’s chess elite will play each of their opponents twice, the winner earning the right to challenge the World Champion, Vishi Anand of India.

The favourite is the former child prodigy, 22 year old Magnus Carlsen of Norway. Not only is he the highest rated of the contestants, he is the only one not from a former Soviet bloc country. It’s strange that neither China, India nor the Americas, with all their many millions of players, could produce just one person between them good enough to claim a place at this “high table”.

Today Carlsen is due to play Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan. The final round is on 1^st April, with the next day reserved for a possible play-off. Anand, for one, will be watching developments closely.

Last week’s 2-mover was solved by 1.Bf6! after which Black has 4 “tries”, each of which is answered with a different mate, viz 1…Ne3 2.Qxd6#. 1…Ne4 2.fxe4#. 1…Ne1 Rh4# and 1…Nc4 2.Qd4#.

This position is from an earlier game by Carlsen. How did he break through Black’s defences to record a win in 6 more moves?

White to play and win

The final scheduled round of the Inter-County competition was held on Saturday. Devon managed to get out a strong side and cruised past Gloucestershire at West Buckland, winning 11½-4½. The details were as follows (Devon names first):-

1. D. Mackle 0-1 J. Stewart; 2. J. K. Stephens 1-0 D.Lambourne; 3. S. J. Homer 1-0 J. Waterfield; 4. D. Regis 1-0 J. Jenkins; 5. P. Medina 1-0 P. J. Meade; 6. J. Leung ½-½ P. Dodwell; 7. K. J. Hurst 1-0 P. Denison; 8. A. W. Brusey ½-½ A. N. Walker; 9. B.W. Hewson ½-½ M. J. Ashworth; 10. J. Underwood 1-0 B. Whitelaw; 11. M. V. Abbott 0-1 G. A. Brown; 12. O. Wensley 1-0 R. J. Dixon; 13. A. S. Kinder 1- 0 M. Claypole; 14. M. Shaw 1-0 A. Richards; 15. W. H. Ingham 0-1 P. Baker; 16. B. G. Gosling 1-0 P. R. Bending.

Meanwhile, knowing their opponents are capable of unexpected wins against any team that under-estimates them, Somerset took no chances against Cornwall and fielded a strong side at Exminster, eventually winning 9-3 over a 12 board match. The details were as follows (Cornish players 1^st):- 1. J. F. Menadue 0-1 J. Rudd. 2. M. I. Hassal 1-0 P. Krzyzanowski. 3. R. Kneebone ½-½ D. LIttlejohns. 4. S. Bartlett ½-½ A. V. Wong. 5. J. Wilman 0-1 P. Chaplin. 6. G. Trudeau 0-1 A. Footner. 7. C. Sellwood 0-1 D. Painter. 8. 8. D. J. Jenkins ½-½ C. Purry. 9. M. Hill 0-1 J. E. Fewkes. 10. D. R. Jenkins ½-½ N. Senior. 11. C. Long 0-1 G. N. Jepps. 12. P. Spargo ½-½ D. Peters.

Apparently, the Hants vs Dorset match was not played due to a misunderstanding over the start time – another disruption to this season’s carefully planned programme of matches.

(Since going to press, it’s emerged that the Dorset team turned up at the venue for a 1 p.m. start, as defined in an e-mail, by the Dorset captain. As no Hants players had shown by 2 p.m. Dorset left for home. 5 minutes later, Hants players started arriving for a 2.30 start. Sodd’s Law, once again demonstrating that if a thing can go wrong, it probably will.) 

The West of England Congress at Exmouth starts a week on Friday and the entry limit is almost reached. Enquiries about late entries to Alan Crickmore on 01752-768206 or e-mail plymouthchess@btinternet.com.

Last week’s problem was solved by under-promoting the pawn to a bishop, forcing Black’s king to d8 and then Rd4 is mate.

The British Solving Championship was held recently at Eton College, and was won by Colin McNab ahead of the usual winners, Nunn and Mestel. Paignton’s Jon Lawrence came a respectable 13^th out of 35 competitors. This one, by Charles Kemp, was one of the three 2-movers in the competition, worth 5 points each. It was first published in Plymouth’s Western Daily Mercury in 1919.

White to mate in 2.

The East Devon Congress finished on Sunday with the following among the prizewinners. Open Section: 1^st R. de Coverly (Bourne End). 2^nd= D. Mackle (Newton Abbot) & P. Helbig (Bristol). Grading prize (U-179) M. V. Abbott (Exmouth). (U-162) G. Jepps (Frome). Major: 1^st= C. Sellwood (Camborne) & J. Nielsen (Wimborne). Grading prizes: (U-140) D. Jenkins (Camborne) & C. Strong (Cardiff). (U-136) P. Brackner (Wimborne).

Minor: 1^st G. Mill-Wilson (Yate). 2^nd= N. Tidy (Teignmouth), P. Errington (Bournemouth) & R. Fursman. Grading prizes: (U-113) R. Hood (Exeter). (U-101) P. Carrick (Norton Radstock).

In the fifth and final round, de Coverly led by half a point, and local player, Steve Homer, needed to win to deny him 1^st place. At first, things seemed to be going well for him, until Black’s queenside pawns started to march forward. 

White: S. Homer (183). Black: R. de Coverly (184)

Ruy Lopez – Anti-Marshall Var. [C90]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.d3 d6 9.c3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.Nbd2 Re8 12.d4 Bf8 13.d5 g6 14.Nf1 Bg7 15.a4 inviting an exchange of pawns, but Black sidesteps the offer and the a-pawn later becomes vulnerable. 15…b4 16.Ne3 Rf8 17.Nd2 Ne8 18.cxb4 cxb4 19.Nec4 f5 20.Nxa5 Qxa5 21.Nb3 Qc7 22.Bd2 a5 23.Rc1 Qf7 24.Be3 Nf6 25.f3 fxe4 26.Bxe4 Bd7 27.Rc7 Qe8 28.Qd3 Nxe4 29.fxe4 Bxa4 Black wins the a-pawn which proves critical. 30.Rec1 Bb5 31.Qc2 Now the a-pawn is ready to advance. 31…a4 32.Nd2 a3 33.bxa3 bxa3 34.Bg5 a2 From now on, all White’s energies will be devoted to blocking the a-pawn, abandoning all thought of attack.  35.Ra1 Qb8 36.Kh1 Ba4 37.Qc3 Qb1+ 38.Qc1 If 38.Nxb1?? Rf1# 38…Qxc1+ 39.Rcxc1 Rfc8 40.Nf3 Bc2 41.Re1 Bb1 42.Nd2 Bd3 43.h3 h6 44.Be3 g5 45.Kh2 Bf6 46.Kg3 Bd8 47.Kg4 Kg7 48.h4 gxh4 49.Nf3 Rc2 50.Nd2 Ba5 White’s defences are rapidly unravelling. 51.Nf3 Rxg2+ 52.Kxh4 Bxe1+ 53.Nxe1 Re2 54.Nxd3 Rxe3 0–1 White must lose even more material.

Photographs of the prizewinners and other results may be found on keverelchess.com.

In last week’s position, Woodruff simply played 1.RxN and his own exposed queen cannot be taken because of 2.Re8 mate.

What part can the pawn play in mating Black in just two moves?

White to mate in 2