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British
Championships 2000
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John Henderson's Round 10 Report on Thursday 10th August
FROM RICHTER’S TO RICHES
THAT man Hodgson (and his chair!) has done it again – he’s retained his British title after a disastrous start of 0.5/2. A tenth round win over Chris Ward and a last round draw with Mark Hebden sees our hero winning the £10,000 first prize. So what does he attribute his famous victory to? Fish, it seems – and plenty of it!
Julian Hodgson
Just like good old Viktor Korchnoi who believed in the virtues of storing up on "brain-food" before and during a tournament, Hodgson claims that his success was the result of eating fish. But what about the bad start, I ask? "Lamb!", says Hodgson boldly.
Hodgson explains that, the evening before all of his seven victories in the tournament, he had selected fish for his evening meal at the local restaurant, Richter’s. His only defeat in the tournament was after a lamb dish (ironically against the biggest “Veggie” himself, Jon Speelman!), the draws due to chicken dishes. So there we have it. Culinary Chess: Fish to win, chicken for a draw and lamb for losses – and all straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.
Speelman
His incredible comeback in the tournament continued as he chalked up his fourth successive win in the tournament after a penultimate round victory over Chris Ward, who discovered that the gastronomic counter-gambit of bananas before the game where just no match for the fish!
Meanwhile on the next board, a couple of confirmed meat and two veg men dished up the game of the day...which Mr Hodgson had a bit part in! These two went off like a rocket in the game and, as the poor little game-score taker and demo board operator blinked for a second, he discovered that they were are at move 15 – and he’d lost the plot completely!
Tony Miles and Mark Hebden
Miles,A (2584) - Hebden,M (2505) [A45]
1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 Ne4 3 Bf4 c5 4 f3 Qa5+ 5 c3 Nf6 6 Nd2 cxd4 7 Nb3 Qb6 8 Qxd4 Nc6 9 Qxb6 axb6 10 Nd4 e5 10 ..Ra5 11 Nb3 Ra8 12 Nd4 Ra5 13 b4 Ra4 14 Nb5 g6 15 e4 Bg7 16 Nc7+ Kf8 17 Bb5 Ra3 18 Ne2 Nh5 19 Bc1 Rxc3 20 Bb2 Rc2 21 Bxg7+ Kxg7 22 Nd5 e6 23 Ne3 Rb2 24 a3 d5 25 Nd1 Torre,E-Svidler,P/Bad Homburg 1998/CBM 66/½–½ (60) 11 Nxc6 dxc6!
Best. If Black takes on f4, White eventually will end up with the better endgame due to Black's weak pawn structure. 11 ..exf4 12 Nd4 Bc5 13 Nh3N Nd5 14 e4! fxe3 15 Bc4 Nc7 16 Nf4 0–0 (16 ..Bxd4 17 cxd4 0–0 18 Ke2 Re8 19 Rhc1±) 17 0–0–0 b5 18 Nxb5 Nxb5 19 Bxb5 Rxa2 20 Kb1 Ra7 (20 ..Ra8 21 Bxd7 Rd8 22 Bxc8 Raxc8 23 Kc2) 21 Bxd7 b5 22 Bxc8 Rxc8 23 Rd5 White has a clear plus. Black’s pawns e3 and b5 are weak, and white pieces control important squares in the centre. 23 ..Rb7 24 Rhd1 g6 25 Rd8+ Rxd8 26 Rxd8+ Kg7 27 Rd5 Ba7 28 Kc2 Kf6 29 Kd3 g5 30 Ne2 h6 31 Nd4 b4 32 c4 Bb8 (32 ..Re7 33 Ke2±) 33 g3 White has a technically winning position. Pawn in e3 is fall and black's position is hopeless. 33 ..Re7 34 Ke2 Rc7 35 Rd6+ Ke5 36 Rd5+ Kf6 37 b3 Ra7 38 Nc6 Ra2+ 39 Kxe3 Bc7 40 Rd2 Bb6+ 41 Ke2 Ra3 42 Nxb4 Bg1 (42 ..Rxb3 43 Rd6++-) 43 Kf1 Bc5 44 Nd5+ Ke5 45 b4 Bf8 46 Re2+ Kf5 47 Kg2 Rd3 48 h4 Rd4 49 h5 g4 50 f4 1–0 Hodgson,J-Sutovsky,E/York 1999/CBM 75 12 Bxe5 Be6 13 a3 b5!?N 13 ..Nd7 14 Bd4 b5 15 e4 b4 16 cxb4 Bxb4+ 17 Kf2 was the choice of Hebden when he faced “Mr.Trompowsky” himself, Hodgson, at last year's Heywood Congress, which worked out fine for White, who won the game. 13 ..b5!?, is Hebden big improvement - unfortunately for Miles! 14 e4 b4 15 cxb4 Bxb4+ 16 Kf2 16 Bc3? Bxc3+ 17 bxc3 Ke7! and Black will double up on the a-file, winning back his pawn with better prospects in the ending. 16 ..Bc5+ 17 Ke1 Bb4+ 18 Ke2?!
"In reflection perhaps I should have settled for the draw with 18 Kf2 ," said Miles the following day with the benefit of hindsight. 18 ..Bb3 An important move that gives Black total control of the d-file. 19 Nh3 Ba5 20 Nf4 0–0–0 21 Bc3 Bb6 22 Ke1 Rhe8
The position now resembles a sort of Icelandic Gambit - Black's active piece-play is awesome. 23 Be2 The alternative isn't any better for White, who suffers from not only from a lack of development but also awkwardly placed pieces. 23 g3 Nd5 24 Nxd5 (24 Bxg7 Ba5+ 25 Kf2 Nxf4 26 gxf4 Rd2+ 27 Ke3 Red8) 24 ..cxd5 25 Bb5 Re6 26 Bxg7 dxe4 27 f4 Rd5 28 Be2 Rc6! with obvious pressure. 23 ..Nxe4!! All prepared by Hebden after the aforementioned Heywood game against Hodgson. 24 fxe4 Rxe4 25 g3 g5! 26 Bf6 Rg8
In the Commentary Room, we thought Black's clearest route was 26 ..Rde8 27 Bxg5 Bc4 28 Kd2 Bxe2 29 Nxe2 (29 Rhe1? Be3+ 30 Kc2 Bg4) 29 ..Rxe2+ 30 Kc3 R8e5 31 Bf6 Rf5 32 Rhf1 Bf2 (32 ..Rxf1!? 33 Rxf1 Rxh2 34 Be5 Rf2 35 Rh1 Rf5 36 Bf4 h5) 33 Bd4 Bxd4+ 34 Kxd4 Rxf1 35 Rxf1 Rxb2 36 h4 Rb3 but White does seem to have chances to salvage the draw. 27 Kd2 27 Bxg5 Rxg5 28 Kf1 Bd4 and there's no respite. 27 ..gxf4 28 Bd3 Ba5+ Maybe better was heading straight for the ending with 28 ..Re3!? 29 Rae1 Rxe1 30 Kxe1 (30 Rxe1?! fxg3 31 hxg3 Ba5+ 32 Bc3 Bxc3+ 33 Kxc3 Rxg3) 30 ..Bd5 31 Rf1 fxg3 32 hxg3 Bg2 33 Rf4 Bc7 34 Ra4 Rxg3 35 Bxh7 Rf3 36 Bd4 Rf4! with an extra pawn, which good technique should be enough for the win. 29 Bc3 Bxc3+ 30 Kxc3 Re3 31 gxf4?! It's the sort of position where the exchange of pieces may actually help White: 31 Rae1!? Rxe1 (31 ..Rf3!? 32 Rhf1 Rxd3+ 33 Kxd3 fxg3 34 hxg3 Rxg3+ 35 Kd4 Rg4+ 36 Kc5 Be6) 32 Rxe1 fxg3 33 Bxh7 Rg7 34 Kxb3 Rxh7 35 hxg3 drawing. 31 ..Rd8 32 Kxb3 Rdxd3+ 33 Ka2 Rd2 34 Rad1 Rf2 35 Rd4 35 Rdf1? Ree2! 36 Rxf2 Rxf2 37 Rg1 Rxf4 with an easy rook and pawn win. 35 ..Ree2 36 Rb4 Kc7
Another surprising move that confounded the Commentary Room - why not just take the pawn? 36 ..Rxh2!? 37 Rg1 Re7 (37 ..Rhg2 38 Rh1! Rh2 39 Rg1) 38 Rg7 Kc7 with an extra pawn. I suppose Hebden's reckoning was that, with the more active rooks and White's kingside pawns being so weak, he can take them at his leisure. 37 h3 b5 38 Rg1 Kb6! 39 Rg8 Re6 40 Rb8+ Kc5 41 Rg8 h6 42 Rg7 Rf6! 43 Rg4 Kb6 44 a4 Ka5 45 Ka3 45 Re4? bxa4 46 Rh4 Kb5 and White's all tied-up - and also a pawn down! 45 ..Rd6 46 axb5 cxb5 47 Rg3 Rd1 48 Re4 Ra1+ 49 Kb3 Rb1 50 Kc3 Rfxb2 51 Rg7 Rb3+ 52 Kc2 R1b2+
Consigning the king to the back-rank and mating threats - all just too much for Miles to cope with. . 53 Kc1 f5 54 Re5 Rf2 55 Rxf5 Rxh3 56 Rg1 Rh4 57 Rf8 h5 58 f5 Rhf4 59 Rg5 h4! 60 Rh5 Ka4 61 Rd8 b4 62 Rd1 Ka3 The rest is simply academic now. 63 f6 Rc4+ 64 Kb1 Rxf6 65 Ra5+ Kb3 66 Ra2 Rc3 67 Rh1 h3 68 Rah2 Rff3 69 Re2 Rg3 70 Reh2 Kc4 71 Ka1 Ra3+ 72 Kb1 Rgb3+ 73 Rb2 Rxb2+ 74 Kxb2 Rg3 0–1
ANDY’S BIT’S ‘N’ PIECES
Hodgson,J - Ward,C A45
GB Ch Millfield (10), 10.08.2000
1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 e6 3 e4 h6 4 Bxf6 Qxf6 5 c3!? The latest twist in this line. White blunts the diagonal and develops play with Bd3, Ne2 and f4. I guess 5 c3 is popular due to the overall lack of success with each of 5 Nf3,5 Nc3,and 5 Qd2- Black is fine there. 5 ..d6N I have no idea why 5 ..d5! isn't played more often. White has no realistic way to play for the advantage eg 6 e5 (6 exd5 Very boring 6 ..exd5 7 Nf3 Bd6 8 Bd3 0–0 9 0–0 Bg4 10 Nbd2 Nd7=; 6 Nd2 c5 7 Bb5+ Nc6 8 Ngf3 cxd4=) 6 ..Qd8 idea ...c5,Nc6,Qb6-a French Defence where White lacks his Queen's Bishop.; RR 5 ..b6 6 Nd2 Bb7 7 Qf3 Qxf3 8 Ngxf3 d5 9 Bd3 Nd7 10 0–0 Be7 11 exd5 Bxd5 12 Rfe1 c5 13 dxc5 Bxc5 14 Be4 Nf6 15 Bxd5 Nxd5 16 Nb3 Be7 17 Rad1 Nf6 18 Ne5 0–0 19 Nc6 Bd8 20 Rd3 Granath,S-Miloradovic,J/Szeged 1994/TD/½–½ (50) 6 Bd3 e5 7 Ne2 g6 8 0–0 Bg7 Ward is up for a fight. The Bishop on g7 is the key piece. If Black can activate the Bishop successfully he will be better straightaway. If White stops him,then the large pawn centre and possibilities of f4,e5 and Ne4 gives Hodgson all he wants. 9 f4!
Good or bad, this is the idea behind White's play.9 Na3 doesn't trouble Black too much. RR 9 Na3 0–0 10 Nc2 exd4 11 cxd4 c5! 12 Ne3 Nc6 13 Nd5 Qh4 14 dxc5 dxc5 15 Nec3 Be6 16 Rc1 Rad8 17 g3 Qh5 18 Qxh5 gxh5 19 h4 Nb4 20 Bc4 Bxc3 21 Rxc3 Nxd5 22 exd5 Bxd5 23 Be2 b6 Summerscale,A-Adams,M/FRA 1999/EXT 2000/0–1 (35)(RR 23 ..b6 24 Bxh5 Bxa2 25 Ra1 Be6 26 Rxa7 Rd2 27 b3 Rb2 28 Bf3 Rd8 29 Rb7 Rd6 30 g4 Rxb3 31 Rxb3 Bxb3 32 g5 hxg5 33 hxg5 Rg6 34 Kf1 Rxg5 35 Rxb6 Bc4+ 0–1 Summerscale,A-Adams,M/FRA 1999/EXT 2000 (35)) 9 ..exd4N An interesting moment. Caught up in the excitement, Ward tries to get his Bishop going immediately but it may be that patience is required: RR 9 ..Qe7! 10 Nd2 0–0 A) 11 f5 exd4 12 Nxd4 (12 cxd4 Bxf5! 13 exf5 Qe3+) 12 ..c5 13 Nc2 Nc6÷; B) 11 Nf3 11 ..c5 12 Kh1 Nc6 13 fxe5 dxe5 14 d5 Nd8 15 Ng3 b6 16 Qc2 Nb7 17 Rae1 Nd6! Razuvaev shows a very instructive way to handle the position. Patient manouvering brings the Knight to d6, a superb square, and Black is slightly better. 18 Nd2 Bd7 19 Nc4 Nxc4 20 Bxc4 b5 21 Be2 h5 22 Rf2 h4 23 Nf1 f5 24 Bf3 Qg5 25 Qd2 Qxd2 26 Nxd2 c4 27 h3 Rae8 28 Bd1 Bh6 29 Bc2 Kg7 30 Rfe2 Bf4 31 Ra1 Rf6 32 Rf1 Ra6 33 a3 Rf6 34 Rxf4 exf4 35 e5 Rd6 36 Nf3 Rxd5 37 Kg1 Kh6 38 Kf2 g5 0–1 Neiman,E-Razuvaev,Y/Porto San Giorgio 1999/EXT 2000 (38) 10 cxd4 Nc6 11 e5 Qd8 12 Nbc3 0–0 13 Rc1! It's becoming a little awkward for Ward to break White down. He needs to smash up the centre but how to do it? Meanwhile Hodgson develops naturally and intends to use the e4 square as a base for attack. White has a definite advantage now. 13 ..dxe5 13 ..Bg4 14 Be4 Rb8 15 h3 Bxe2 16 Nxe2 Black's Bishop is under restraint. 14 dxe5 g5 Anxious, and maybe the move which costs Chris Ward the British Championship, although 14..g5 might not be so bad in itself. The problem is the Black King. White attacks on the light squares, playing around the Bishop on g7. To invite Hodgson to a wide-open game like this with as weak King is asking for trouble. I feel that 14 ..Be6! is the best chance eg 15 Be4 Ne7 16 Nd4 (16 Bxb7 Rb8 17 Bf3 Rxb2) 16 ..Bc4 17 Nce2 Bd5; 14 ..Bg4?! 15 Be4 Rb8 16 Bxc6 bxc6 17 b3± White's pawn structure reduces the value of the two Bishops. 15 Nd5!
A characteristic Hodgson move, stamping his authority on the game with the help of small tactics. As you can see, 15 Nd5! brings every White piece into the game-it's a very clever idea. 15 ..gxf4 Really courting danger now. Black had the chance to reduce material with 15 ..Bg4! best under the circumstances 16 h3 (16 fxg5 Qxg5; 16 Ne3 Bxe2 17 Qxe2 gxf4 18 Nf5) 16 ..Bxe2 17 Bxe2 gxf4 18 Bb5 Bxe5 19 Bxc6 bxc6 20 Rxc6 Qg5 21 Qf3 16 Nexf4 Nxe5? Missing the boat. Black had to play 16 ..Bxe5! and take his chances. There's no clear way for White to carry out the attack eg 17 Qc2 (17 b3 Qg5 18 Qe2 Bg4 19 Qe4 f5 20 Qc4 Kh8; 17 Qb3 Qd6 18 Be4 Re8 19 Qg3+ Kh8) 17 ..Qd6! This is the point where the Championship slips out of Ward's hands. 17 Rxc7± The active Rook will make all the difference. 17 ..Bg4 18 Be2 Qg5 19 Bxg4 Nxg4 19 ..Qxg4 20 Rxb7!± Keeping it simple maintains a large advantage. 20 h3 Ne5 21 Nh5 With time-trouble approaching, Hodgson prefers to stay in the middlegame. White can more or less force a favourable endgame with 21 Rxb7 Rab8 (21 ..Ng6 22 Nxg6 fxg6 23 Rxg7+ Kxg7 24 Qd4+ Kg8 25 Nf6+ Rxf6) 22 Ne7+ Kh8 23 Qb3 Rxb7 24 Qxb7 but this will take some time. Complications and control of e4 and f5 drive Ward towards the brink. By the way, White is threatening 22 Rf5! 21 ..Rad8 22 Nxg7 Qxg7 23 Ne7+ Kh8 24 Qc2!
The commentary room audience expected 24 Qe2 or 24 Nf5 but Hodgson's move is far superior, preferring control and flexibility to immediate occupation. 24 ..Rd3 25 Rc8 Rdd8 There is no solace to be found eg 25 ..Rxc8 26 Qxc8+ Kh7 27 Qf5+ Kh8 28 Rc1 Rd8 29 Rc8 Rxc8 30 Qxc8+ Kh7 31 Qxb7+-; 25 ..Rg3 26 Rxf8+ Qxf8 27 Qc7 Rg5 28 Nf5 f6 29 Qxb7+- 26 Rxd8 Rxd8 27 Qe4 Rd2 28 Nf5+- White plays this phase very accurately. Black cannot juggle with the twin problems of defending his King and avoiding the removal of his Queenside. It's noticeable that the centralized White Queen is the killer piece, radiating power in all directions. 28 ..Qf6 29 Nxh6! Qxh6 30 Qxe5+ Qg7 31 Qe4 Rxb2 32 Rf4!
Black's King is a goner. 32 ..Rb6 33 Qe8+ Qg8 34 Rh4+ Kg7 35 Qe5+ Kf8 36 Rh8 1–0