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British
Championships 2000
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John Henderson's Round 4 Report on Thursday 3rd August
THE STING!
IT’S official! Summer has most definitely arrived in Britain – we’ve been invaded by a swarm (well, ok, four – but to me that constitutes a swarm!) of wasps in the Commentary Room. Make no mistake about it; I’m terrified of the little buggers, who, as far as I’m concerned, are just the skinheads of the insect world.
The four were constantly buzzing me all morning at my usual berth alongside Andy Martin in the Commentary Room, making me think seriously about asking Malcolm Pein for danger money, which in itself is a task that should qualify for danger money.
"Just don't annoy them and they won't annoy you," was the words of wisdom from Andy, who I'm sure was luring them towards me by leaving bits of a half-eaten apple and an open bottle of Lucozade down beside where I was working. Things were soon sorted though as a quick visit next door to the bookstall to "borrow" a copy of "Grandmaster Strategy" to better defend myself, I realised that this could lead to a first: one of Ray Keene's books finally being of some use at a chess tournament! And, just to be on the safe side in the afternoon, we made sure that as many juniors as possible were encouraged to come into the Commentary Room to lure some of the mourners at the funeral away from us. Armed with vast quantities of Coke, Pepsi and various chocolate bars, the "sweet" little things ended up taking the flak all afternoon from the mourners instead of me as the wasps sought richer pickings. It's the law of the jungle - the survival of the fittest!
There were no such problems with wasps in the playing hall but there was certainly a fair amount of stinging going on. On the top board encounter, Aaron Summerscale took the sole lead in the tournament following a few self-inflicted stings from the 1996 champion, Chris Ward. In the game, Ward’s original idea was to play 13 Nd4 to exchange the knights and queens, but suddenly conned himself into believing that it didn’t work because of 13 ..Bg4, forgetting that he’d originally worked out that this was refuted by 14 f3!, and Black’s in a bad way - a fact that will be confirmed if you put the position into Fritz or Hiarcs.
Chris Ward vs Aaron Summerscale
Ward,C - Summerscale,A [D53]
1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 Be7 5 Bg5 h6 6 Bxf6 Bxf6 7 e4?! Not an inspired choice, a variation that first saw the light of day in the encounter between Fine and Alekhine, Nottingham 1936. Looking at the statistics, it has a reputation of being drawish. 7 ..dxe4 8 Nxe4 Nc6 9 Nxf6+ Qxf6 10 Qd2 0–0 11 0–0–0 11 Qe3 Rd8 12 0–0–0 Ne7 13 Bd3 Nf5 14 Qe5 Qxe5 15 dxe5 Bd7 16 Be4 c6 17 Rd3 Be8 18 Rhd1 Rxd3 19 Rxd3 Kf8 20 Kc2 h5 21 Bxf5 exf5 22 Ng5 Ke7 23 b3 c5 24 h4 Bc6 25 f3 f4 26 Kc3 Re8 27 Rd6 Kf8 28 e6 f6 29 Nh3 Ke7 30 Rd2 Kxe6 31 Nxf4+ Kf7 32 Nxh5 Rh8 33 Nf4 Rxh4 34 Nd5 Rh5 35 Nf4 Re5 36 a4 g5 37 Nd3 Re3 38 Ra2 g4 39 Kd2 Re7 40 fxg4 Bxg2 41 Nxc5 Bf3 42 Kc3 Bxg4 43 Rf2 f5 44 a5 Kf6 45 b4 Kg5 46 Nd3 Kh4 47 Rf4 Kg3 48 Rd4 Bf3 49 Rd8 Be2 50 Rg8+ Kf3 51 Rf8 Ke3 52 Ne1 Ke4 53 Ng2 Bh5 54 Rd8 Kf3 55 Nh4+ Kg4 56 Rd4+ Kg5 57 Ng2 Bf3 58 Nf4 Be4 59 Nd5 Re5 60 Rd1 Bf3 61 Rg1+ Bg4 62 Kd4 Re4+ 63 Kd3 Re6 64 Ne3 Rd6+ 65 Kc3 Rd8 66 b5 Re8 ½–½ Fine,R-Alekhine,A/Nottingham 1936/HCL (66) 11 ..e5! Instant equality for Black. 12 d5 If 12 dxe5 Nxe5 13 Nxe5 Qxe5 14 Bd3 Be6 and Black is just that little bit better, due to White having moved the c-pawn! 12 ..e4! Spot on! This disrupts White's game completely. 13 dxc6 White may have been better accepting the fact that he'd lost the battle of the opening and settle for peace with 13 Nd4 Nxd4 14 Qxd4 Qxd4 15 Rxd4 Bf5 16 Be2 Rad8 17 Rhd1 b6 18 b4 Rfe8 19 c5 Re5 13 ..exf3 14 gxf3 14 cxb7 Bxb7 15 g3 Rad8 16 Bd3 Rfe8 and Black's in control. 14 ..Qxc6 Now Black's advantage is obvious to all with the crippled kingside pawns - a sure target for the endgame. 15 Qc3 Bf5 16 Rd5 16 Rg1 Bg6! 17 Bh3 (17 Bd3 Qxf3!) 17 ..Rad8 18 Rxd8 Rxd8 19 Bf5 Qd6 20 Bxg6 fxg6 21 Qe3 g5! and Black dominates the position: strong on the dark-squares, control of the d-file and better pawn structure for the ensuing ending. 16 ..Qg6 17 Bd3 Bxd3 18 Qxd3 Qg2
A move that led to different opinions in the commentary room between IM Andy Martin and myself. Andy thought that Summerscale should have opted for the "safe" endgame option of exchanging the queens with 18 ..Qxd3 19 Rxd3 Rad8 20 Rhd1 Rxd3 21 Rxd3 Re8. However, although Black is better in the rook and pawn ending, I still believe that Summerscale choose wisely - a fact confirmed by both players after the game. 19 Rd1 Qxf2 20 Rd2 Qg1+ 21 Kc2 Rae8!
Keeping the rook on f8 to better protect the king. 22 Rd7 Re1 23 Qd4 Qg6+ 24 Kb3 Qc6 25 Qd5 Re3+ 26 Kb4 Qa6! Now the King's dragged into a mating net of his own choice! 27 Qa5 c5+ 28 Qxc5 28 Ka4 Qxc4+ 29 b4 b6 30 Qb5 Ra3+! 28 ..Rxf3 29 Rd8 29 a4 Rf6! 30 Qd5 Qb6+ 31 Kc3 Qe3+ 32 Kc2 (32 Rd3 Qc1+ 33 Kb3 Rb6+!) 32 ..Rb6! 29 ..Rxd8 30 Rxd8+ Kh7 31 Qc8 Qb6+ 32 Ka4 Rf4 33 b3 a5! 34 a3 Qa6!
With the deadly threat of 35 ..b5+! 35 Rh8+ Kg6 36 Qc5? Greater resistance could have been found with 36 Qd7! Rh4 and Black just has to contend himself with winning the ending. 36 ..Rf5 37 Qg1+ Rg5 38 Qb1+ Kf6 39 Qa1+ Re5 40 Qf1+ Ke7 41 Rc8? Losses, but how does he prevent the dual threat of ..Qc6 mate and ..b5+, mating? 41 ..b5+ 42 cxb5 Qxc8 0–1
Luke McShane vs Daniel Gormally
McShane,L - Gormally,D [B50]
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 Bc4 An innocuous little system, popularised by Joel Benjamin; the idea being to adopt a Lopez/Italian Game stet-up with d3, 0–0, Nbd2, Re1 and Nf1. 3 ..Nf6 4 d3 g6 5 0–0 Bg7 6 c3 0–0 7 Bb3 Nc6 8 h3 b5! 9 d4 e5 10 a4 Na5!? 11 dxe5 11 axb5?! Nxb3 12 Qxb3 Nxe4 13 Qd5 Bf5 just leads to trouble for White as Black's pieces become very active. 11 ..dxe5 11 ..Nxb3?! allows White the option of 12 exf6 Nxa1 13 fxg7 Kxg7 14 axb5 Be6 15 Bf4 Nb3 16 Bxd6 Re8 17 Na3 with good compensation for the exchange. 12 axb5
12 Nxe5? Nxb3 13 Qxb3 Nxe4 14 Nc6 bxa4 15 Qxa4 Qe8 and Black stands better due to the potential of the bishop pair. 12 ..Nxb3 13 Qxb3 Nxe4 14 Qc4 14 Rd1 Qb6 15 Be3 Be6 is good for Black. 14 ..Bb7 15 Re1 Nd6! Forcing White down an alley, which McShane has to defend carefully. 16 Qxc5 Rc8 17 Qb4 Bxf3 18 gxf3 Rc4 19 Qb3 Qd7 20 Kg2 Rh4! 21 Rh1 e4 22 Nd2 exf3+ 23 Nxf3 Rg4+
With White having defensive resources like Ra4 coming up, Black makes sure of securing the draw with 23 ..Rg4+. 24 Kf1 24 hxg4 Qxg4+ 25 Kf1 Qxf3 26 Rh2 Nf5 27 Qc2 Ng3+ 28 Kg1 Ne2+ 29 Kf1 Ng3+ also draws. 24 ..Qb7 25 hxg4 Qxf3 26 Rg1 Re8 27 Qc2 f5 28 Ra4 All roads leads to a draw due to the precarious state of the White king e.g. 28 Rg2 fxg4 29 Ra4 g3 30 Rf4 Re1+ 31 Kxe1 Qxg2 32 Qb3+ Kh8 33 fxg3 Qxg3+ 34 Ke2 Bh6 35 Qb4 Bxf4 36 Bxf4 Qg2+ 28 ..Ne4 29 gxf5 Qh3+ 30 Rg2 Qh1+ 31 Rg1 Qh3+ 32 Rg2 Qh1+ 33 Rg1 ½–½
ANDY’S BIT’S ‘N’ PIECES
After praising Harriet Hunt’s play all day, Andy Martin fails to (thankfully for Harriet along with Keith Arkell!) spot the sting in the tail with 33 ..Qe4!, which nobody, apart from the players themselves when they were doing the post mortem, had spotted!
Harriet Hunt vs Keith Arkell
Hunt,H - Arkell,K [B12]
1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 4 c3!?N
4 dxc5 is the prescribed antidote. Harriet Hunt makes 4 c3 look better. Here's the Chessbase blurb: 4 dxc5 Nc6 A) RR 5 Nc3 e6 (RR 5 ..e6 6 Nf3 Bxc5 7 Bd3 Nge7 8 0–0 Ng6 9 Re1 a6 10 a3 Qc7 11 b4 Be7 12 Na4 0–0 13 Be3 b5 14 Nc5 Ncxe5 15 Nxe5 Qxe5 16 a4 bxa4 17 Rxa4 Qd6 18 b5 a5 19 Nb3 Qd8 20 Qd2 Acksteiner,H-Born,M/Wuerttemberg 1997/EXT 99/0–1 (37)) 6 Nf3 Bxc5 7 Bd3 Nge7 8 0–0 Ng6 9 Re1 a6 10 a3 Qc7 11 b4 Be7 12 Na4 0–0 13 Be3 b5 14 Nc5 Ncxe5 15 Nxe5 Qxe5 16 a4 bxa4 17 Rxa4 Qd6 18 b5 a5 19 Nb3 Qd8 Acksteiner,H-Born,M/Wuerttemberg 1997/EXT 99/0–1 (37); B) RR 5 Nf3 Bg4! A move that allows Black to equalize effortlessly. B1) RR 6 Bf4 e6 7 Nbd2 Nge7 8 h3 Bxf3 9 Nxf3 Ng6 10 Bg3 Bxc5 11 Bd3 Qc7 12 Qe2 0–0 13 0–0 Nd4 14 Nxd4 Bxd4 15 Qh5 Bxb2 16 Rae1 Bc3 17 Re2 Qb6 18 Kh2 f5 19 exf6 Rxf6 20 Bh4 Rf7 Ahn,M-De Wachter,M/Antwerp 1999/EXT 2000/1–0 (57)(RR 20 ..Rf7 21 f4 Nf8 22 Qf3 Rc8 23 g4 Ng6 24 Bxg6 hxg6 25 Qd3 Bf6 26 g5 Rc3 27 Qd2 Bd4 28 Bf2 Rc4 29 Bg3 Rc6 30 Qd3 Rf5 31 Rfe1 Bc3 32 Rd1 Qa6 33 Rb1 Qxd3 34 cxd3 b6 35 Rc2 Ahn,M-De Wachter,M/Antwerp 1999/EXT 2000/1–0 (57)); B2) RR 6 h3 Bxf3 7 Qxf3 Nxe5 8 Bb5+ Nc6 9 c4 e6 10 Nc3 Bxc5 11 cxd5 exd5 12 Nxd5 Nge7 13 Bxc6+ bxc6 14 Nc3 0–0 15 0–0 Nd5 16 Rd1 Qe7 17 Nxd5 cxd5 18 Bf4 d4 19 Rac1 Bb6 20 Re1 ½–½ Ciric,D-Pomar Salamanca,A/Beverwijk 1967/MCD (20); B3) RR 6 Bb5 Qa5+ 7 Nc3 e6 8 Be3 Nge7 9 h3 Bxf3 10 Qxf3 a6 11 Ba4 Nf5 12 0–0 Bxc5 13 Nxd5 0–0 14 Bxc6 bxc6 15 Bxc5 Qxc5 16 Nc3 Qxe5 17 Qxc6 Rfc8 18 Qa4 Qd4 19 Qa5 Qc4 20 Rfd1 Nd4 21 Rd3 Nxc2 22 Rad1 Qb4 23 Qg5 Qb8 24 a3 h6 25 Qc1 Qb3 26 R1d2 Nxa3 27 bxa3 Rab8 28 Kh2 a5 29 Rg3 Rb7 30 Qe1 Qxa3 31 Qe5 Qf8 32 Ne4 Kh8 33 Nd6 Rd7 34 Nxc8 Rxd2 35 Nb6 Rxf2 36 Nd7 Qg8 37 Rb3 Rc2 38 Qxa5 Rc8 39 Qh5 Rc7 40 Ne5 Kh7 Ciric,D-Vukic,M/Kraljevo 1967/EXT 2000/1–0 (51)(RR 40 ..Kh7 41 Qd1 Qf8 42 Qd3+ g6 43 Ng4 f6 44 Qg3 Rf7 45 Rb8 Qc5 46 Re8 Kg7 47 Rxe6 h5 48 Ne5 fxe5 49 Qxg6+ Kf8 50 Qh6+ Rg7 51 Qh8+ 1–0 Ciric,D-Vukic,M/Kraljevo 1967/EXT 2000 (51)); B4) 6 c3 6 ..e6 7 Be3 Bxf3 8 Qxf3 Nxe5 9 Bb5+ Nc6 10 0–0 a6 11 Ba4 Qa5 12 Bc2 Nf6 13 Nd2 Be7 14 Qg3 0–0 15 Nb3 Qd8 16 Bh6 Ne8 17 Rad1 Kh8 18 Bc1 Qc8 19 Rfe1 Nf6 20 Bg5 Ng8 21 Bxe7 Ngxe7 22 Qh3 g6 23 c4 Qc7 24 cxd5 ½–½ Wang Zili-Magem Badals,J/Yerevan 1996/EXT 97 (24); C) 5 Be3 5 ..e6 6 Bb5 Qc7! (6 ..Nge7 Either this or 6...Qc7 are excellent ways of meeting 4 dxc5.); RR 4 Nc3 Nc6 5 Bb5 (RR 5 Nf3 Bg4 6 Be2 e6 7 Be3 cxd4 8 Bxd4 Nxd4 9 Nxd4 Bxe2 10 Qxe2 a6 11 Qd3 Ne7 12 0–0 g6 13 Rfe1 Bg7 14 Rad1 Rc8 15 f4 0–0 16 Nce2 Qb6 17 b3 Rfd8 18 Kh1 Nc6 19 c3 Rc7 Renaud,G-Cordon,I/Dubai 1986/TD/0–1 (36)) 5 ..e6 6 Nf3 Bd7 7 Ne2 Qa5+ 8 Nc3 Nxe5 9 Bxd7+ Nxd7 10 0–0 Ngf6 11 Bd2 Qb6 12 dxc5 Bxc5 13 Na4 Qb5 14 Nxc5 Nxc5 15 Bc3 Nce4 16 Bxf6 Nxf6 17 Rb1 0–0 18 c3 Qc4 Hudynov,M-Hodykin/Orel 1996/EXT 99/0–1 (48); RR 4 Nf3 Bg4! A key idea in this line. If allowed, Black will pin the Knight on f3. 5 Nc3 e6 6 Be3 cxd4 7 Qxd4 Bh5 8 0–0–0 Ne7 9 g4 Bg6 10 Qa4+ Nbc6 11 Nd4 a6 12 f4 Qa5 13 Qxa5 Nxa5 14 f5 exf5 15 gxf5 Bh5 16 Re1 f6 17 exf6 gxf6 18 Bg2 0–0–0 Fominyh,M-Gilbert,J/Oropesa del Mar 1999/CBM 72 ext/1–0 (65)
4 ..Nc6 5 Be3 RR 5 Na3 cxd4 6 cxd4 Bf5 7 Bd3 Bxd3 8 Qxd3 e6 9 Ne2 Bb4+ 10 Bd2 Nge7 11 0–0 0–0 12 Nc2 Bxd2 13 Qxd2 Rc8 14 Ne3 Qa5 15 Nc3 Qb4 16 Rfd1 Na5 17 Rac1 Rc6 18 Ne4 Qxd2 19 Nxd2 Rfc8 Xie Jun-Karpov,A/Monte Carlo 1996/CBM 52 ext/0–1 (65) 5 ..g6!? RR 5 ..cxd4! Keith Arkell goes his own way in this line and he has made 3..c5 his speciality over the years with some excellent Black results. That said, 5..cxd4 to be followed by 6...Bf5 looks superior : 6 cxd4 Bf5 7 a3 e6 8 Nc3 Nge7 9 h3 Bg6 10 Nf3 Nf5 11 Be2 Be7 12 0–0 Nxe3 13 fxe3 0–0 14 Qe1 Rc8 15 Na4 Qa5 16 Qxa5 Nxa5 17 b4 Nc4 18 Bxc4 Rxc4 19 Rfc1 Rfc8 20 Nc5 Hausmann,I-Dautov,R/Seefeld 1997/EXT 2000/0–1 (42); RR 5 ..Qb6 6 Qd2 cxd4 7 cxd4 Bf5 8 Nc3 e6 9 Nf3 Nge7 10 Be2 Bg4 11 0–0 Nf5 12 Rfd1 Be7 13 Rac1 0–0 14 h3 Bxf3 15 Bxf3 Rfc8 16 Na4 Qd8 17 Be2 Bb4 18 Qd3 Qa5 19 Nc3 Qd8 20 a3 Houska,J-Thipsay,B/Scarborough 1999/CBM 71 ext/1–0 (47); RR 5 ..Bf5 6 Nf3 cxd4 7 Nxd4 Bxb1 8 Nxc6 bxc6 9 Rxb1 e6 10 Qa4 Ne7 11 b4 Qc7 12 b5 Rc8 13 f4 cxb5 14 Bxb5+ Nc6 15 Ba6 Be7 16 Bxc8 Qxc8 17 c4 d4 18 Bxd4 0–0 19 Be3 f6 20 exf6 Bxf6 21 0–0 Bd4 22 Bxd4 Nxd4 23 Rf2 Rxf4 24 Rxf4 Ne2+ 25 Kh1 Nxf4 26 Qxa7 1–0 Einersen,E-Hansen,J/Copenhagen 1995/CBM 47 ext (26)
6 Be2 Bf5 7 Nf3 Bxb1 I'm doubtful whether this can be a permanent solution to Black's problems. 8 Rxb1 Nh6?! Taking on d4 first before ...Nh6 apparently gives Black a playable position. The text is an inaccuracy, which Hunt exploits ruthlessly. 8 ..cxd4 9 cxd4 (9 Bxd4 Hiarcs likes this-enough reason for me not to: 9 ..e6 10 0–0 Nge7 11 Re1 Nf5 Black is OK; 9 Nxd4 Nxe5 Its too dangerous to take this pawn eg 10 Qa4+! Nd7 11 Qb5) 9 ..Nh6 (9 ..Qa5+? 10 Bd2 Qxa2 11 Bc3 is cheerio to the Black Queen.) 10 Qb3 Qd7 11 0–0 Nf5 looks a bit more like it. 9 dxc5!±
9 ..Nf5 10 Bd4 Bg7 11 0–0 0–0 12 Re1! There's no way that Keith Arkell can get his pawn back now. In fact, he struggles to find any counterplay at all. 12 ..a5 If Black lets White play b2-b4 unhindered he'll be rolled off the board. 13 Bb5 Qc7 14 a3 Nfxd4 15 cxd4 f6 16 e6!
Very strong indeed! The pawn cuts Black's position completely in half, making life intolerable. But it's interesting to see how Hunt changes tack, from positional advantage on the Queenside to outright assault on Arkell's King. Of course, it will be the e6 pawn that allows such a switch. 16 ..f5 17 Qd2 a4 Against b2-b4 18 Rbd1 Qa5 19 Qe2 Rfc8 20 h4! Great move! And with all the Black pieces languishing on the Queenside it's completely the right thing to do. A winning attack beckons. 20 ..b6 21 h5 bxc5 22 Bxc6 Rxc6 23 Nh4! Very nice. Keith Arkell finds the only playable defence. 23 ..Raa6 There is absolutely NO salvation to be found elsewhere: 23 ..Bf6 24 hxg6 Bxh4 (24 ..hxg6 25 Nxg6 Raa6 26 Nf4 Bg5 27 Qh5! Bxf4 28 Qf7+ Kh8 29 Qf8+ Kh7 30 Qxf5+ Kh8 31 Qxf4+-) 25 Qh5!+- Bxf2+ (25 ..hxg6 26 Qxg6+ Kh8 27 Re3!+-) 26 Kxf2; 23 ..Bxd4 24 hxg6 hxg6 25 Nxg6 Qd8 26 Qh5 Bxb2 27 Rxd5!+- 24 Qf3 cxd4 25 hxg6 hxg6 26 Nxg6 Rxe6 27 Nxe7+ Kf7 28 Rxe6 Rxe6 29 Nxf5 The end of this forcing sequence finds the Black position in tatters. Frankly, the rest is mopping up. 29 ..Re1+ 30 Rxe1 Qxe1+ 31 Kh2 Qe5+ 32 g3 Ke6 33 Nh4 White avoids annoying checks, heading for the blockading square d3. Once the Knight arrives, it will be counterplay over. Time then to create a passed pawn with b2-b3 and push it! Hunt carries through this plan with precision. 33 ..Bf6? Although we were all impressed with Harriet’s handling of this game, it wasn’t until the next day that (following comments from the players) we noticed that Keith missed the resource 33 ..Qe4!, which stymies White’s game e.g. 34 Qh5 d3!, and suddenly White’s got problems. Similarly, 34 Kg2 d3 – John Henderson 34 Ng6 Qe4 35 Nf4+ Kd6 36 Qd1 Bg5 37 Nd3 One of the strongest Knights you will ever see! 37 ..Be7 38 b3!+- OK, that's it. Creating this passed a pawn really does bring the game to a close. 38 ..axb3 39 Qxb3 Ke6 40 a4 Bd6 41 Qd1 Kd7 42 Qc2 Qh4+ 43 Kg2 Qe4+ 44 Kg1 Qf3 45 Kh2 Qf8 46 a5 Qa8 47 Qa4+ Qc6 48 Qxd4 Qc4 49 Ne5+ Bxe5 50 Qxe5 Kc6 51 Qb8 d4 52 Qb6+ Kd5 53 a6 Qa2 54 Qb7+ Kc5 55 Qa7+ 1–0