FREE THE HENDERSON ONE!
By John Henderson

John receiving advice on how to pack up his computer

WELL, John Henderson has most definitely left the building! And believe me, as you can see from the picture above featuring laugh-a-minute Knuckles and myself, it wasn’t exactly voluntary!

Sit back and allow me to tell you a tale of democracy BrainGames style Sitting comfortably? Kids safely tucked-up in bed? Doors and windows firmly locked? Ok, let’s begin…

I arrived at the press centre on the day of game six, unpacked all my usual essential equipment; radio, newspapers, sandwiches and thermos flask – oh, and of course, my laptop and trusty camera, and headed downstairs to take the photographs of the players for the start of play. Once there, I discovered another silly new rule from BrainGames in place – they had drawn a yellow-line on the floor, which was strictly verboten to go over to take a photograph.

A picture of a yellow line

Now, after game five, I had a very constructive discussion with Eric Schiller on why we good people of the press should be allowed a little closer to the action for the mug shots (though I was disappointed that he immediately ruled out my usual preference of two inches from their nose).

To be fair, Eric could see our problem and promised to discuss the matter further with the BrainGames CEO, Suzanne Martin. Well, I don’t know what took place in that discussion, Eric, but hey, somebody must have got the wrong end of the stick! We found ourselves further than usual from the action, with this new yellow-line at least five-feet from the stage, the players being a further 3-4 feet from that.

Hubble Telescope: Houston, we've got a picture of the players!

In reality, I would have needed the services of the Hubble Space Telescope to get a suitable picture of Big Bad Vlad and Gazza for you to ogle and dribble over! Ok, call me irresponsible (“John, you’re simply irresponsible”), but I decided to mention this, in the politest possible way, to Ms Martin. Oh, little did I know what was coming next...

Returning to the sanctuary of the press room, Ms Martin asked to see me for a “moment”. I was so naive here - I stupidly thought to myself, “maybe BrainGames finally wants to get my advice on how to actually run this exciting chess match and make it newsworthy!” Well, they certainly discovered a way to get some free publicity.

Now, I suppose I should really have twigged when she had two heavies in tow, specially hired for the occasion from THUGS-R-US, but I didn’t. She then (now remember, I’ve now got a couple of extras from the Sopranos on either side of me at this stage) decided to inform me that, after reading some of my articles (I presume the ones on this site), it was obvious “I wasn’t happy” with being here among us, so my press accreditation was being removed and these two upstanding, respectable gentlemen were here to “help” me pack up my belongings and leave quietly, Capite?

Sorry, did I miss something while having a wonderful time in Seattle? Did the government decide to outlaw anything that smacked of Freedom of the Press? Was there a military coup while I was sunning myself, and that nice Mr Blair replaced by a dictatorship?

I immediately informed Match Director Raymundo Keene that it was an affront for a journalist to be “asked” to leave simply because an organisation didn’t like what he was writing. Ever the guardian of journalistic rights, the great Raymundo told me to “leave for now and I’ll soon clear up this silly mess.” Ok, I thought, and having a sudden flashback to my good old Socialist days, I decided to organise an urgent branch meeting of my fellow journalists in the press room. Guess what? Yes, that’s right – ever so strictly verboten!

“Oh, no you’re not,” said Ms Martin letting her Pit Bull Terriers off the leash, “you’re leaving the building now!” It was at this moment, with Knuckles moving up close and personal (nice guy, really, he’s coming round for tea next week), that I spotted Raymundo racing towards the scene to sort this ugly mess out and restore the democratic rights of a fellow journalist, and the sanctity of the press room.

John discusses things over with Raymond Keene

“Get out of here. Get out now. You can’t write that crap from this building!” He bellowed at the top of his voice. Well, I suppose with his record in writing crap, he should be able to recognise it when he sees it!. So there we were: mano a mano – except that he had a couple of threatening hired gorillas ready to pounce.

Now, forgive me here, but don’t you think BrainGames are being totally, well, brainless or even braindead in their jackbooted approach because they: “didn’t like what I was writing”? Also, in full view of a room full of shocked journalists (thankfully not too shocked to remember to take pictures and even video footage – available to any news outlet all rights and charges waived!), they decide to remove someone just because they didn’t (or perhaps couldn’t?) understand satire.

However, the story doesn’t end there. Realising that they couldn’t justify removing a nationally accredited journalist (just in case you’re wondering, the Scotsman and CNN are the day jobs) because they didn’t like what he was writing, BrainGames decided to reassure the few “lucky” journalists left in the gulag – sorry, press centre – that my reason for being removed had nothing at all to do with my writing. Oh, far from it.

Like you, dear readers, they just can’t wait for another rib-tickling (or should that be rib-breaking?) issue of Henderson’s wacky adventures in BrainGames Land. No, no. I had to be ejected because of some other “undisclosed misdemeanour”.

So, Ray and Suzanne: we have a room full of journalists, who have all kindly written to my employers expressing their outrage at what happened and quoting verbatim your squawks. We have someone who was kind enough to leave his tape recorder on throughout the incident, and they all tell a different story.

As for the “undisclosed misdemeanour”, well, according to letters faxed from Braingames to the Scotsman and CNN, I had to be ejected because I was “constantly abusive towards their staff”. Fully supportive, my newspaper’s in-house legal department are still awaiting a reply from BrainGames to be specific about that so-called abuse towards their staff.

So, where do we go from here? Well, how about doing something radical for a change by supporting The Free Henderson One campaign? You can try and help me to get back my press accreditation and back into the press centre, by emailing me your support and by showing your displeasure at the harsh treatment of a journalist at chesscentre@easynet.co.uk (remember to add “Free The Henderson One” to your header), telling BrainGames to allow yours truly back in – You know it makes sense!

Oh yes, and game six was pretty exciting

Kramnik,V - Kasparov,G [D27]

1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4 3 Nf3 e6 4 e3 c5 5 Bxc4 a6 6 0–0 Nf6 7 a4 7 Bb3 cxd4 8 exd4 Nc6 9 Nc3 Be7 10 Re1 0–0 11 h4 Na5 12 Bc2 b5 13 Qd3 Bb7 14 h5 Bxf3 15 Qxf3 Qxd4 16 Bf4 b4 17 Rad1 Qc4 18 Bd3 Qc6 19 Ne4 Nd5 20 Be5 f5 21 Qg3 Rf7 22 Nd2 Nb7 23 Nf3 Nc5 24 Nd4 Qb6 25 Nxf5 exf5 26 Bc4 Nf6 27 Bc7 1–0 Kramnik,V-Huebner,R/Dortmund GER 2000/The Week in Chess 297 (27); 7 dxc5 was seen in game four. 7 ..Nc6 8 Qe2 cxd4 9 Rd1 Be7 10 exd4 0–0 11 Nc3 Nd5 12 Bb3 Re8 13 h4N

A TN from Kramnik - and one that the Danish GM, Bent Larsen would be proud of with both rooks pawns advanced after just 13 moves. Note that the TN also closely resembles Kramnik's recent h4 improvement in a similar line of the QGA he had against Huebner in Dortmund. 13 ..Ncb4! Superb play from Kasparov - he didn't even blink an eyelid about taking on h4, which of course is dangerous for Black: 13 ..Bxh4? 14 Nxh4 Nxc3 (14 ..Qxh4?? 15 Bxd5 Nxd4 16 Qe4) 15 bxc3 Qxh4 16 Rd3! and Black has problems defending the kingside with moves like Rh3 and Rg3 in the offing. 14 h5 Just as the game gets interesting, Ray Keene and his thugs now move in to evict me. 14 ..b6 15 Ne5 Bb7 16 a5 b5 (16…Rc8! ) 17 h6 g6 18 Ne4 Nc7 19 Nc5 Bd5 20 Ra3!

A truly nice rook lift from Kramnik. The rook has so much scope from a3: c3-e3 or kingside attack with Rf3-g3 or -h3. 20 ..Nc6 21 Bxd5 Qxd5 22 Ncd7 Rad8! 23 Nxc6 Rxd7 24 Nxe7+ Rexe7 25 Rc3 f6 26 Be3 26 Bf4 e5! is good for Black. 26 ..Kf7 27 Rdc1 Qb7 28 Rc5 Nd5 29 Qf3 Nb4 30 Qe2 Rc7 31 Bf4 Rxc5 32 dxc5 e5 33 Qd2!

During the press conference after the game, Kasparov readily admitted that overlooked this strong move in mutual time trouble. 33 ..Nc6 34 Qd5+ Kf8 35 Be3 Qd7 36 Qf3 Kf7? Kasparov misses his chance for an easily life: 36 ..Qe6! 37 Rd1 e4 38 Qf4 g5 39 Qd6 Kf7!, with advantage. 37 Rd1 e4 38 Qe2 Qf5 39 Rd6 Re6 40 Rd7+ Re7 41 Rd6 Re6 42 Qd1 g5?

42 ..Rxd6 was the best way to equalize. This drawing plan was also suggested during the game by GM Mickey Adams who made a special appearance in the commentary box for this game. 43 Qxd6 (43 cxd6 Ke6 44 d7 Ke7 black advantage) 43 ..Qe6 44 Qc7+ Ne7 45 Bd4 Qd5=, with the simple threat of a perpetual check between d1 and h5!] 43 Qh5+ Ke7 44 Qd1 Kf7 45 Rd7+ Kg6 46 Rg7+ Kxh6 47 Qd7 Re5 48 Qf7 Rd5 49 Kh1! An amazing concept from Kramnik: Stopping any idea of ..Ne5 and, if Qxd5, ..Nf3+ winning - He's literally got Kasparov in Zugzwang. 49 ..Nd8 50 Rxh7+ Qxh7 51 Qxd5 Kg6+ 52 Kg1 Qc7 53 Qg8+ Kf5 54 Qd5+ Kg6 55 Qxe4+ Kg7 56 Qa8 Qd7 57 Kh2 Qd3!

The Houdini of Hammersmith strikes again! Garry's saving move was simply missed by Kramnik. 58 g3 What else? Trying to run with the king isn't the solution: 58 Qxa6 Qh7+ 59 Kg3 Qh4+ 60 Kf3 Qh5+ A) 61 Ke4 Qh7+ 62 Kd4? (62 Kf3=) 62 ..Qc2 63 Qxb5 Ne6+ 64 Kd5 Nc7+; B) 61 g4 61 ..Qh3+ 62 Ke2 Qxg4+ 63 f3 Qc4+ 64 Kf2 Qc2+ 65 Kg3 Qe2 66 Bd4 Qe1+ 67 Bf2 58 ..Nf7 59 Qb7 Kg6 60 Qxa6 Ne5 61 Qa8 Ng4+ 62 Kh3 Qf5 63 Qg8+ Kh6 64 Qh8+ Kg6 65 Qe8+ Kh6 66 Qh8+ ½–½

Dr Fritz informed us that if 66.Kg2 Qd5+ 67.f3 Ne5 and there is perpetual if white trys to run his king away after …Nxe3 and …Qb1+ etc

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC, Chess & Bridge Ltd or the London Chess Center.