Keverel Chess

Archive for the ‘Western Morning News’ Category

The 7^th Steve Boniface Memorial Congress took place in the Holiday Inn, Bristol, at the weekend. The winners were as follows (club and grade follow each name, and all scores out of 5):

Open Section: 1^st = David Buckley (Bath – 218) & Lewis Martin (Bristol Uni. – 187) 4 pts. 3^rd=  and U-187 grading prize combined. Chris Beaumont (Clifton – 208); Robert Thompson (Bristol Uni. – 180); John Waterfield (Clifton – 178) & David Sully (Penarth – 189) all 3½.

Grading prizes: U-177: Raymond  Ilett (Peterborough – 167) 2½. U-165 1^st=  Dominic Bennett (Clifton – 159) & Lynda Roberts (Thornbury – 159) 2½.

Major  (U-155): 1^st= Harvey Atkinson (Horfield – 154); Roger Hardy (Grendel – 144) & Richard George (Cirencester – 141) all 4pts.

Grading prizes: U-147:  Nigel Dicker (Glastonbury) 3½. U-141:  Paul Gillett (Cirencester) 3½. U-131:  Peter Dimond (Bath) 2½ .

Minor (U-125): 1^st Lee Bullock (London – 118) 4½. 2^{nd =} Laurence Paynter (Bristol Cabot – 121) & Daniel Rowan (Banbury 115) both 4.

Grading prizes: U-115: Alex Ter Hark  (Clifton – 109) 3½. U-109: Shaun Walsh (Downend – 75) 3½.

This was a most entertaining and instructive game from Round 3. Last year Musson won the Bristol League’s prize for the most attacking game of the season. Playing through this, one can see why.

White: Lynda Roberts (159). Black: Adam Musson (179).

Bird’s Opening – From Gambit. [A02]

1.f4 An opening devised by H. E. Bird (1830 – 1908) who had a penchant for the unorthodox. 1…e5 A gambit popularised by the Dane, Martin From (1828-95), widely regarded as Black’s most aggressive reply. 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 Black has invested a solitary pawn to reach this position; compare Black’s open lines for rapid piece development with White’s, where nothing on the board has moved. 4.Nf3 virtually forced. If, for example, 4.Nc3 retribution would be swift. 4…Qh4+ 5.g3 Bxg3+ 6.hxg3 Qxg3 mate 4…Bg4 5.g3 Nf6 6.Nc3 Qe7 7.Bg2 Nc6 8.d4 0–0–0 9.Nb5? White must continue to develop pieces e.g. 9.0–0. 9…Bc5 10.c3 a6 11.Na3 Rhe8 12.Nc4?? The 4^th move for this one piece in this razor sharp opening. 12.Nc2!? would have been better. Black is now poised to strike. 12…Bxd4! 13.cxd4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Rxd4 15.Qc2 Qxe2+ 16.Qxe2 Rxe2+ 17.Kf1 Rd1# 0-1 The unmoved bishop cuts off any defence.

This 2-mover is another first-time publication kindly sent in by Dave Howard of East Harptree.

White to mate in 2.

The 45^th Cotswold Congress was held in Cheltenham over the bank holiday weekend. The winners were as follows (all points out of 6):

Open: 1^st C. Beaumont (5). 2^nd= S. Berry & H. Lamb (4½). Grading prize: J. Jenkins (4).

Major Section (U-160): 1^st T. Slade (5); 2^nd= L. Roberts, M. Ashworth, P. Wood & R. Weston (4½). Grading prizes: A. 1^st= A. Farthing & E. Varley (3½). B. 1^st= T. McLaren & M. Forknall (3).

Minor Section (U-120): 1^st= S. Crockett, C. Mace, M. Schroeder, K. Hapeshi & D. Archer (4½). Grading prizes: (A). 1^st= S. Rees, R. Waters, C. Smith & B. Headlong (3½). (B) 1^st= S. Calderbank, N. Purry, R. Buxton & C. Vernon (2½).

This was Theo Slade’s best win, with his own notes.

White: T. Slade (157). Black: B. O’Gorman (155).

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 g6 4.b3 Bg7 5.Bb2 0–0 6.Be2 c5 7.0–0 cxd4 8.exd4 Nc6 9.Re1 Nh5! 10.c4 Nf4 11.c5? Nxe2+ 12.Qxe2 Bg4 13.Rd1 Re8? 13…e5! 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Nxd4 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 e5 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Bxe5 17…Rxe5! doesn’t look natural but actually keeps Black’s advantage. 18.Nc3 Qa5 19.Rac1 Bxc3 In hindsight 19…d4 would have been better. The text move presents White with a small advantage. 20.Qxc3 Qxa2 21.Rxd5 Rad8? The decisive error which makes White’s task easier. 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Ra1 Rd3 This move must be tried, but unfortunately White wins after 24.Qf6! Qxb3 25.Rxa7 Qd1+ 26.Kh2 Rd8 27.Rxb7 27…Rf8 28.c6 Qd5 29.Rd7 Qb5 30.Rd8 Qb6 31.Rxf8+ Kxf8 32.Qd6+ Kg7 33.Qe5+ Kh6 34.c7 Qc6 35.Qe7 1-0

Last week’s problem was solved by 1.Qa5+ threatening 2.Nb3 mate.

This week’s 2-mover is the starter problem for the 2013-14 British Solving Championship. Work out White’s only move (the key) that leaves Black unable to avoid mate next move. Send the solution to Paul Valois, 14, Newton Park Drive, Leeds, LS7 4HH, together with a cheque or postal order for £3 made payable to the British Chess Problem Society. Please provide an e-mail address if you have one. All entries should be postmarked no later than 31^st July 2013. Don’t forget to mention that you saw the position in this paper. After the closing date, all competitors will receive the solution and a free copy of The Problemist. Those who got the correct solution will also receive the Postal Round, comprising 8 positions of slightly greater difficulty and variety. In due course, the best competitors from the postal round will be invited to the Final at Eton College in February.

British Solving Championship 2014 - Starter problem - a 2-mover.

The arrival of June brings the British Championships that bit closer, as they return to the Westcountry next month, starting at the Riviera Centre, Torquay, on 28^th July. The fact that this will be the 100^th championship makes it that bit more special, and extra events have been organised to help mark the occasion, several of them quite unusual. For example, Gary Lane and Keith Arkell, past and present Paignton residents, will try to set a record for the greatest number of games played in 1 hour. The rate of moves is 1 minute per player per game, called “bullet chess”. Then 9 players will take part in an all-play-all simultaneous match, using 36 boards and there will be a prize for the player gaining the highest points total in all the tournaments he/she plays in, which, in theory, could be considerable.

Peter Chaplin of Weston-Super-Mare was Somerset’s only winner in their recent match against Lancashire.

White: P. Chaplin (187). Black: P. Almond (180).

Sicilian Defence – Close Variation [B50]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 a6 4.g3 Nf6 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.0–0 Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.d3 e6 9.Re1 Be7 10.Be3 0–0 11.Qd2 Qc7 12.g4 Bg6 13.Nh2 Rad8 14.f4 d5 15.exd5 If 15.f5 d4 16.Bf4 dxc3 17.bxc3 e5 18.Bg3. 15…exd5 16.Bf2 d4 17.Ne2 h6 18.f5 This lock-out of the bishop is a major factor in the eventual win. 18…Bh7 19.Bg3 Bd6 20.Bxd6 Qxd6 21.Qf4 Qd7 22.Ng3 Nb4 23.Re2 Nbd5 24.Qf3 g6 25.Re5 Rfe8 26.Rae1 Rxe5 27.Rxe5 Qd6 28.Re1 Ne3 29.Nhf1 Nxc2 30.Re2 Ne3 31.Nxe3 dxe3 32.Ne4 Nxe4 33.dxe4 Qd1+ 34.Bf1 Rd2 After the next skirmish, the weakness of Black’s bishop becomes more apparent.  35.Qxe3 Rxe2 36.Qxe2 Qxe2 37.Bxe2 gxf5 38.exf5 f6 39.Kf2 Kf8 40.Bc4 Ke7. If 40…b5 41.Be6 Ke7 and Black’s bishop is blocked out of the game.  42.Kf3 Kd6 43.Ke4. 41.Ke3 h5 42.Be6 hxg4 43.hxg4 b5 44.b3 a5 45.Bd5 If 45.a4 bxa4 46.bxa4 Kd6 47.Kf4 and Black hasn’t got a positive move on the board. 45…Kd6 46.Ke4 Kc7 47.Bf7 Kd6 48.Be8 Bg8 Finally the bishop is out, but still powerless. 49.Bxb5 Bd5+ 50.Kf4 Bg2 51.Bc4 Bc6 52.g5 fxg5+ 53.Kxg5 Ke7 54.f6+ Kf8 Bishop and pawn combine to keep the Black king on the back foot.  55.Kf4 a4 56.Ke5 axb3 57.axb3 1–0 Black resigns as his last pawn must fall.

Dave Howard’s problem last week was solved by 1.Be8! after which Black has 3 moves, all answered by a rook mate viz.  1…Kb5 2.Rd5#; 1…f4 2.Rh5# and 1…b5 2.Rc2#.

This 2-mover won 1^st prize in the Uzbekistan Sport Committee Tourney 1947.

White to mate in 2.

Saturday was scheduled as the quarter-final round of the National Stages of the Inter-counties tournament, with several West of England teams featuring in the various sections. Devon were drawn against Middlesex in the U-180 section and they met under the shadow of Old Sarum, near Salisbury. Devon players were hampered by the County Show traffic, causing a delayed start and one player misunderstanding the start time, all of which contributed to their 6–10 loss. However, the match was closer than the score suggested and several games could have gone either way. Devon’s three winners were Kevin Hurst, Mark Abbott and John Fraser. Here is the win on Board 4, with notes based on those kindly supplied by the winner.

White: K. J. Hurst (176). Black: A. Fulton (178).

Caro-Kann – by transposition. [B15]

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 c6 4.Nc3 d5 5.e5 Bg4 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 e6 8.Be3 Qa5 If 8…Qb6 9.0–0–0 still with advantage to White in space and development. 9.Be2 Nd7 10.0–0 a6 11.a3 c5 12.b4 cxb4 13.axb4 Qd8 14.b5 White toyed with the sacrifice 14.Nxd5 exd5 15.Qxd5 after which might have followed 15…Qc7 16.Bf3 Rb8 17.e6 fxe6 18.Qxe6+ and Black’s king is stuck in the centre and struggling. e.g. If 18…Ne7 19.Bg5 Nb6 20.Rfe1 Nbc8. 14…a5 15.b6 White offers a pawn in order to open up lines on the queenside. 15…Ne7 16.Nb5 0–0 17.Rfb1 Nc6 18.c3 White takes care to consolidate his centre before continuing with his attack 18…Nxb6 19.Qg3 h6 20.Bd3 Ne7 21.Nd6 Qc7 22.Bd2 Rfb8 23.Qh4! Having tied up most of Black’s piece-power on the queenside, White exploits his flexibility by switching quickly to the other wing. 23…Nf5 24.Bxf5 exf5 25.Bxh6 Bxh6 26.Qxh6 Nc8?? A blunder that loses immediately. Ne8 threatening both the queen and mate. 1–0. Black’s best chance was 26…Nc4! but it would still be a struggle after 27.Nxc4 Qxc4 28.Rb6 Ra6 29.Rab1 Rxb6 30.Rxb6 with a breakthrough planned on e6.

In the Open Section Somerset lost 5½-10½ to Lancashire, Mike Richardt and Peter Chaplin being their only winners. In the Minor Counties section, Gloucestershire lost by the same score to Lincolnshire, with Daniel Lambourne and Matthew Claypole being their only winners.

(NB: Please note that since going to press, it was ascertained that Richardt did lose his game, but his opponent was subsequently found to be ineligible. So, for the purposes of the match, the result of that game was reversed and Lancashire penalised an additional point. However, for grading purposes, Richardt’s loss will stand.)

Hants had a walkover against Warwickshire in the U-140s.

In last week’s position, World Champion Anand had no choices in losing to 1.Qxf7+ RxQ 2.Ng6+ Kg8 3.Rh8 mate.

Here is reader Dave Howard’s latest composition, hitherto unpublished. There are several mates in 3, but can you spot the only 2 move mate?

White to mate in 2

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