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Volume 137
APRIL
2017
INTERVIEW: GM RAY KEENE
CHESS IS IN
DANGER OF
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CROSSWORD
PUZZLE
Lennox Lewis would
make a great
FIDe president
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BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE, the World’s Oldest Chess Journal
BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 195

IMPRESSUM
Contents
BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE
Founded 1881
www.britishchessmagazine.co.uk
Chairman Shaun Taulbut

Director Stephen Lowe
Editors
Milan Dinic and Shaun Taulbut
249
Prepress Specialist Milan Dinic
Milica Mitic
So becomes
Photography new US champioN
Harald Fietz, Andreas Kontokanis,
Mihajlo Antic, Zachary Snowdon Smith 197 41st Blackpool Chess Conference
Sharjah Chess Masters Oicial/ Peter Wells triumphs
Maria Emelianova, Tata Steel 2017, By IM Shaun Taulbut
US Chess Championship Oicial
201 BCM Interview: GM Raymond Keene
Advertising Chess is in danger of becoming
Stephen Lowe a superior crossword puzzle
We need a champion
Enquiries who can take on the computers
editor@britishchessmagazine.co.uk By Milan Dinic
ISSN 0007-0440 207 Sharjah Masters 2017
© The British Chess Magazine Limited Six Emirs Rule in The Emirates
By GM Aleksandar Colovic
Company Limited by Shares
Registered in England No 00334968 216 Shenzhen Masters 2017
Ding Liren’s triumph and Michael
Postal correspondence: Adams’ missed opportunities
Albany House, 14 Shute End By GM Aleksandar Colovic
Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 1BJ
226 The brilliancy of the
Subscription 135th Varsity Match
support@britishchessmagazine.co.uk By BCM editors
12 monthly issues
UK: £55 | RoW: £85
233 4NCL weekends two and three analysis
Guildford and Cheddleton
Printed in the UK: by Lavenham Press Ltd at the top!
By Tom Rendle
Cover photography:
GM Raymond Keene, Photo BCM
241 At the birth of a Gambian
chess culture
By Zachary Snowdon Smith

April 2017
41st Blackpool Chess Conference

Peter Wells triumphs
by IM Shaun Taulbut
The annual Blackpool Open tournament Alan B Merry – Peter Wells

was won jointly by Peter Wells and Charles
Storey with 4.5 points out of 5. Alan Merry, 41st Blackpool Conference Blackpool ENG (4.1)
Tim Kett and WGM Qiyu Zhou were equal
3rd on 4/5.
1.d4 ¤f6 2.¥g5 The Trompovsky has
The tournament took place between the 10th become a mainstream opening and was seen
and 12th March and attracted 348 players. in the 2016 world championship match.
This year the Open field of 45 included
GM’s Hebden and Wells with IM Merry 2...d5 A solid choice allowing White to
joining them in a good strength event. double Black’s pawns by exchanging on f6
but staking a claim in the centre.
For the first time this year the joint winners
played a blitz finish to decide on the trophy, 3.e3 c5 Black expands challenging the
they played the best of 4 blitz games with White centre and allowing the Black queen
GM Peter Wells beating Charles Storey to come either to b6 or a5.
2½ ½ to take the winner’s trophy.
4.¥xf6 gxf6 Capturing towards the centre
Here is a superb win by Peter Wells over and importantly allowing the pawn on d5 to
Alan Merry. be defended by ...e6.

04/137
5.dxc5 ¤c6 5...e6 is the alternative aiming 13...d3 14.£d1 f5 Black opens the long
to recapture on c5 as soon as possible. diagonal and also allows the Queen access
to the kingside.
6.c3 White aims to hold onto the pawn
on c5 with b4 at the expense of a delay in 15.a4 After 15.¤bd2 ¥g7 16.¦b1 ¦xa2
development. 17.b5 ¥d5 with advantage to Black but this
may be the best try.
6...e6 7.b4 White has an extra doubled
pawn but Black has good compensation. 15...¥g7 Strongest was 15...£d5 16.¤bd2
(16.¢h1 £c4 17.¤bd2 £xb4 with a
7...a5 Logical aiming to break up the winning advantage) when 16...¥g7 is
queenisde pawn chain. very strong eg: 17.¦a3 ¥b2 18.¦b3
¥xa4 19.£b1 ¥xb3 20.£xb2 ¥c4 with a
8.¥b5 White has to pin the Black knight winning advantage.
to shore up the defence of the pawn on b4.
16.¦a3 ¥e5 Threatening the White
8...¥d7 9.¤f3 ¦g8 10.0–0 Castling is King; after 16...£f6 17.¦xd3 (17.b5 ¥e4
logical but Black has counterplay down the 18.¦xd3 ¥xd3 19.£xd3 gives White good
open g-file which leads to a rapid attack. play for the sacrificed exchange) 17...¥xa4
18.£d2 ¥b5 is slightly better for Black.
10...axb4 11.¥xc6 ¥xc6 12.cxb4
XIIIIIIIIY 17.b5 17.g3 Qd5 18.b5 is best; Not 17.¦xd3
¦xg2+ 18.¢xg2 £g5+ 19.¢h1 £h5 wins.
9r+-wqkvlr+0
9+p+-+p+p0 17...¥xh2+ 18.¢xh2 18.¢h1 ¥e4
19.¤bd2 ¥c7 20.b6 ¥b8 with advantage
9-+l+pzp-+0 to Black was the only way for White to stay
9+-zPp+-+-0 in the game.
9-zP-+-+-+0 XIIIIIIIIY
9+-+-zPN+-0 9r+-wqk+r+0
9P+-+-zPPzP0 9+p+-+p+p0
9tRN+Q+RmK-0 9-+l+p+-+0
xiiiiiiiiy 9+PzP-+p+-0
Already the game has reached a critical 9P+-+-+-+0
stage.
9tR-+pzPN+-0
12...d4 A good move sacrificing a pawn to 9-+-+-zPPmK0
open up the Bishop against f3 and g2.
9+N+Q+R+-0
13.£e2 After 13.exd4 £d5 14.Kh1 xiiiiiiiiy
(14.¤bd2 ¥h6 is very strong for Black 18...¦xg2+ Another sacrifice strips the
simply aiming to take on d2 (not the White king of the protective pawn cover.
flashy 14... ¦xg2+ 15.¢xg2 ¦a3 when
16.b5 is good) ) 14...£c4 15.a3 ¥xf3 19.¢h1 19.¢xg2 £g5+ 20.¢h1 £h4+
16.gxf3 (not 16.£xf3 £xf1#) 16...0–0–0 21.¢g1 £g4+ 22.¢h2 ¥xf3 23.£xf3
17.¤d2 £xd4 18.¤e4 Qe5 gives a slight £xf3 wins for Black.
edge for White. Now Black is able to gain
a tempo. 19...¥xf3 20.£xf3 ¦g4 Threatening
...£h4+ and mate.

April 2017
XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-wqk+-+0 9r+lwq-trk+0
9+p+-+p+p0 9+p+-zppvlp0
9-+-+p+-+0 9p+nzp-snp+0
9+PzP-+p+-0 9+-zp-+-+-0
9P+-+-+r+0 9-+P+P+-+0
9tR-+pzPQ+-0 9+-sNP+-zP-0
9-+-+-zP-+0 9PzP-+NzPLzP0
9+N+-+R+K0 9tR-vLQ+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy
21.¢h2 £g5 22.c6 ¦h4+ 23.£h3 ¦xh3+ Black prepares to expand on the queenside
24.¢xh3 ¢e7 Threatening to bring the with ...b5 rather than playing in the centre.
rook to g8 so White resigned.
0–1 9.h3 ¦b8 10.a4 White chooses to prevent
Black from expanding with ...b5 at a cost of
leaving a hole at b4.
Alan Merry played a brilliant attack in the
following game. 10...¥d7 11.¥e3 ¤e8 Black repositions
his knight also allowing himself to answer
Philip J Crocker - Alan B Merry f4 with ...f5.
41st Blackpool Conference Blackpool ENG (5.2) 12.¢h2 ¤c7 13.d4 White changes tack
expanding in the centre before Black brings
1.c4 ¤f6 2.g3 g6 3.¥g2 ¥g7 4.¤c3 0–0 his knight to e6.
5.e4 c5
XIIIIIIIIY 13...cxd4 14.¤xd4 ¤e6 15.¤de2 White
9rsnlwq-trk+0 opts to keep the knight; both knight
exchanges left Black with adequate
9zpp+pzppvlp0 counterplay.
9-+-+-snp+0
15...¤a5 Black targets the White pawn on
9+-zp-+-+-0 c4 allowing him to achieve the break ...b5
9-+P+P+-+0
9+-sN-+-zP-0 16.b3 b5 17.cxb5 axb5 White now plays to
create a passed pawn.
9PzP-zP-zPLzP0
9tR-vLQmK-sNR0 18.b4 ¤c4 19.a5 ¤xe3 20.fxe3 White has
a ruined pawn structure but has a passed
xiiiiiiiiy a-pawn in compensation and the position is
A heavyweight English opening where slightly better for White.
White often plays on the kingside with f4.
20...¤c7 20...¦c8 looks best trying to
6.¤ge2 ¤c6 7.0–0 d6 8.d3 a6 disrupt the White position.
21.¤d4 21.a6 is critical when White has

the edge because of the simple plan of
pushing the a-pawn.

04/137
21...¤a6 Black blocks the dangerous pawn, 33...g5 34.¥f3

the position is now equal. XIIIIIIIIY
22.¦b1 e6 23.£d3 £g5 23...£e7 9-+-sN-+k+0
24.¤dxb5 ¥e5 is good for Black because 9+-+-+p+p0
of the control of the dark squares.
9-+-zpp+-+0
24.¤f3 £e7 25.¤d4 25.¦fd1 ¥c8 is 9zP-+-vl-zpq0
slightly better for White 9-+-+P+-zP0
25...¦fd8 25...h5 with the idea of ...h4 was 9+-+QzPLzPK0
the best plan. 9-tr-+-+-+0
26.¤dxb5 ¥xb5 Black can play 26...¥e5 9+-+-+R+-0
27.¤d4 ¤xb4 28.£d2 ¤a6 and the Knight xiiiiiiiiy
has a good square on c5 but he prefers an Stubborn is 34.£d1 ¦e2 35.£xe2 £xe2
attacking line. 36.¤xf7 gxh4 37.¤xe5 dxe5 38.gxh4 £a2
with a winning endgame, now Black has a
27.¤xb5 £g5 28.¤d4 ¤xb4 29.¦xb4 winning combination.
¦xb4 30.¤c6
XIIIIIIIIY 34...g4+ 35.¥xg4 ¦h2+ 36.¢xh2 £xh4+
37.¢g2 £xg3+ 38.¢h1
9-+-tr-+k+0 It is mate next move so White resigns.
9+-+-+pvlp0 0-1
9-+Nzpp+p+0 Peter Wells, Photo by Harald Fietz
9zP-+-+-wq-0
9-tr-+P+-+0
9+-+QzP-zPP0
9-+-+-+LmK0
9+-+-+R+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
30...¦b2 30...¥e5 31.¤xb4 £xg3+
32.¢g1 £h2+ 33.¢f2 ¥g3+ 34.¢f3
¥h4 35.¥h1 ¦c8 is very hard for White
to defend eg: 36.a6 ¦c1 37.¦xc1 £f2+
38.¢g4 £g3#
31.h4 After 31.¤xd8 ¥e5 32.¦f3 £xd8

33.a6 h5 34.£a3 h4 is decisive eg: 35.a7
hxg3+ 36.¢g1 £a8 37.¦f1 ¦b7 winning
the a-pawn.
31...£h5 32.¤xd8 ¥e5 33.¢h3 After

33.¦f4 ¥xf4 34.exf4 £xa5 35.¤c6
£a2 36.£f1 £a4 37.f5 £xc6 38.fxe6
fxe6 39.£f6 ¦xg2+ 40.¢xg2 £xe4+ is
winning for Black.

April 2017
BCM Interview: GM Raymond Keene
We need a champion who can take on the computers

by Milan Dinic, Photo BCM

04/137
Raymond Keene, OBE, is one of the most established figures in British and world chess. The second
Englishman to be awarded the title of GM (after Anthony Miles), Keene has won over 50 tournaments
and represented England in seven Olympiads. A chess author and columnist for The Times and The
Spectator, he is a well-known chess organiser who, among other events, had a pivotal role in arranging
the 1993 London match for the World Champion between Kasparov and Nigel Short. As in the case of
all people who aim high – Raymond Keene's career has also been linked to controversy and disputes
with some of the leading English and world players, including Anthony Miles and Viktor Korchnoi.
BCM interviewed Ray Keene at his house in Clapham. Among books about modern art, medieval
history of Britain, works of Shakespeare and, of course, chess books, we discussed chess politics,
the future of the game in Britain and the world and what characteristics make up the profile of a
world champion.
The romance and the great heroes of chess
are now harder to identify. Chess players do
not have such a heroic status as Fischer and
Spassky did. We all know that a computer is
better than people. Even the Go world champion
has been beaten by a computer
British Chess Magazine: On the way to your as it was before. The decisive thing in the FIDE
house I read the April-fools story about elections are how much can small countries be
Malcolm Pein running for FIDE president. mobilised for support. The key is in the small
Would that be a good or a bad thing? countries. And that is where Malcolm may
Raymond Keene: It is an April fools joke but have an advantage because I do not see him
it is not such a bad idea. Recently released alienating any of the small countries.
correspondence from previous meetings shows BCM: And what are the chances of Karpov
FIDE is in turmoil. Malcolm has done wonderful or Kasparov running again?
things for international chess, for education and R.K: In both cases it is hopeless because they
all of these achievements certainly qualify him are viewed as too elitist in the chess community.
for a FIDE president candidate. He also has Also, both of them failed to get the backing of
a lot of international contacts and has more smaller countries. For example, I went to the
advantage than Karpov and Kasparov who Bunratty tournament recently and the Irish
managed to get a lot of enemies. If Malcolm Chess Federation were not very positively
decides to run for FIDE president, we should all disposed to Kasparov. He was meant to have
support him. a meeting with Irish government ministers about
BCM: And who else do you see potentially chess, but they alleged he did not turn up. I am
running for FIDE president and opposing not aware of other aspects of the story, but they
Pein? clearly did not appreciate this.
R.K: Ilyumzhinov himself has certainly not given BCM: You were involved in a FIDE
up and might try to defend his position. The presidential race yourself. What does
Greek deputy-president Georgios Makropoulos someone need to win the FIDE presidential
certainly has his eyes on the presidency. Apart election?
from them I cannot think of anybody else who R.K: When Lincoln Lucena tried to become
has a reasonable chance. FIDE president in 1986 I offered myself as
BCM: In a race for FIDE president, do you a candidate for the General Secretary. You
envision a split between countries along the need a lot of money to travel and visit all the
lines of East vs the West, i.e. those which countries. Also, you preferably need a block of
would be leaning more towards Moscow countries which are not against you. One of the
and those more pro-Western? reasons I did not stand a fair chance in 1986
R.K: I do not think it will be an East-West thing is because we just had a war with Argentina.

April 2017
Lennox Lewis would Being an Englishman that meant to have the

whole of Latin America against you. It is also
make a great FIDE important to have backers who are respected
president people and who will stand by you.
BCM: In an interview we did a few years ago
BCM: Looking at the current FIDE for “Svedok” weekly in Serbia, you said that
president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov – there India and China were on the rise but that they
have been a lot of stories in the chess are overrated. Has your opinion changed?
media about him resigning – what do R.K: I don’t think the Chinese have yet got
you make of that? someone who will be an incredible world
R.K: I think that his reign is finished. Whether champion. The Chinese and the Indians are
he said “I resign” and meant it or did not great at producing a lot of players of very high
mean it, the cat is out of the bag. Obviously. level, but one coming out on their own and
The great chunk of people who supported taking the throne is very unlikely, for now.
him, clearly do not do so any more. It would BCM: Why do you think that is the case?
be impossible for Ilyumzhinov to stand on. R.K: It may have something to do with the
The next election will be in 2018, but I think collectivist nature of cultures in those countries.
it is very likely Ilyumzhinov will be kicked out In the case of China, it might be connected to
before and that the vice-president Georgios the communist tradition. They do not seem to
Makropoulos will take his place. be able to find one strong personality to push
BCM: If you could name someone FIDE to the top.
president, anyone - including yourself, In the case of India, Anand is the one who is
who would it be? really outstanding. They have other rising stars
R.K: Apart from Malcolm Pein who is a and the only one who has a special spark is the
realistic choice, I imagine there could be 11-year old Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa –
people who could have more influence than he could be very good.
him, but they are beyond availability. Lennox BCM: And among the people who are at the
Lewis, the former heavy-weight world boxing top now?
champion would be a great president: a big R.K: I think the next person who will become a
sporting personality with interest in chess, great champion is probably Wesley So. He has
he would be a powerful figure head. Henry that charisma that Bobby Fischer had. If you
Kissinger, but if he was look at So’s results, he is just stably increasing
a bit younger. He was and the standard of his play is growing all the
allegedly interested in time. It seems to me he is more consistent than
chess because of his role Carlsen. If there is a match with Carlsen next
in urging Bobby year, I expect So to beat him. So is the new
Fischer to Bobby Fischer without the baggage.
play the 1972 BCM: What makes the mentality of a chess
match. His champion?
diplomatic R.K: One of the key things is that you always
skills would think you are going to win. You think you are
be very always right.
helpful. It affected me in some ways when I was coming
up. There were some competitions I was certain
I was going to win, for example – the Cambridge
college matches. A mentality of extreme
determination combined with extreme talent is
hard to beat.
BCM: Who do you see as the British rising
stars in chess?
R.K: Gawain Jones and David Howell. They are

04/137
already risen stars and are very good. There

is also Jonathan Hawkins, another player who Chess
could be very good, but does not play very much. in Britain today:
I do not see chess rising in the UK, Germany, John Nunn
France, Spain, Italy or anyone in western Europe predicted the
who is a really big talent. There is possibly Aryan decline of
Tari from Norway, but that is probably it. British chess
BCM: Russia? only by accident
R.K: Even in Russia. They have a lot of players
but I do not see a new Nakamura or So. Karjakin
was the challenger last time, but I do not see a
huge pool of great players behind him.
BCM: From a big thing in the news, today
chess is crammed between crosswords and
puzzles in newspapers. Do you see chess
coming back to the global media spotlight
as it was before the 1990s? And if so – how?
R.K: There are a few possibilities. One is that
a young woman might emerge as the world’s BCM: In a recent interview for BCM, Nigel
strongest player. If that happened it would Short said that things in British chess are
electrify things. improving, but he mentioned that John
Secondly, if there was a kid who would start to Nunn was right when he wrote about the
beat all the top players. decline in the 1990s, and that the absence
Thirdly, if we had a champion who could take of young blood is still notable today.
on the computers and beat them. I would not R.K: John Nunn made a prediction that came true
rule that out totally. Players constantly train with in some ways, but only accidently. When in 1990
computers so they might be able to understand he predicted the decline of British chess, he could
the functioning logic of the systems. So, it would not possibly have foreseen that within three years
be the case of humans learning from AI and not a British player would be challenging the world
the other way around. This would be something champion, that BBC and Channel 4 would produce
that will create interest around the world, but it about 100 programs about chess, that The Times
is very difficult because computers are probably would put in millions of pounds for chess. Even
playing perfect chess. Princess Diana came to watch Nigel Short play in
Also, we miss enthusiasm and people in chess the Savoy theatre! If there has been a decline, it is
who are able to inspire others. because other factors have intervened that John
BCM: Would you say that is a major Nunn could not have foreseen.
difference between today’s top young BCM: Like what?
players and those in the past? R.K: Computers became much stronger than
R.K: In previous eras champions were older, and anyone could have possibly predicted. By 1997
with age people become more interesting. When already computers were at least as good as,
I was playing actively I was appalled by some or better than the world champion. That was
players’ lack of culture or general knowledge of when Deep Blue beat Kasparov in a match. For
the world. But, you had interesting people like technically advanced nations, like the UK, it has
Bent Larsen, Jan Timman… been more difficult to persuade young people to
BCM: We talked a lot about the top players, take up chess because thy already feel that the
but what about the ordinary players or computer knows more than they do.
people who like playing chess for fun or Next problem – the USSR totally imploded.
might have general interest in it. What is in Where there was one major country dominating
it for them? the chess world, suddenly there are 12 or 15
R.K: Intellectual stimulation and pleasure in different countries, all dangerous opponents.
playing and thinking. Botvinnik said that chess For example, only one of them – Armenia – won

April 2017
was the art which manifested the science and

the Olympic gold medal three times since then. logic. Chess also provides the illusion of control
Then the old Soviet grandmasters started over events, more than in the real world.
emigrating and playing all over the world. I am not BCM: You claimed that Fischer was the
against that but there should be a clear connection worst thing that happened to chess. Do you
and so long they stick to the country they have still stand by that claim?
chosen and not go around as a mercenary. There R.K: He is the second worse thing for chess,
should be a moratorium of, say, four years for after the computers. He built up expectations for
switching from country to country. Then, there is people, inspired them and then let them down.
the rise of India and China. Then came the computer which took away the
Finally – in 1993 Nigel Short, who played a match element of the unknown.
in London against Garry Kasparov for the title of Chess is now in danger of becoming a superior
the world champion, was a national chess hero. crossword puzzle. Computers seem to know
However, unfortunately for us, he left and we lost all the answers, and your part is just to try
someone who was supposed to be our key promoter. and find them. In the past, there were games
BCM: So, how would you describe the where nobody really knew what the answer
chess life in the UK now? was. The mysterious jungle of possibilities and
R.K: We have regular tournaments, we have uncertainties has now been chopped down by
the London Classic which is one of the leading computers. With computers and videogames
world events. There is a lack of younger players it is hard to compete in attracting a young
taking up chess, but you can see a lot of that person’s attention.
in the roots of what I have mentioned before.
Also, there is absolutely no chess on TV which
is disgraceful. Also, let us be fair – there are a lot
of other things young people can engage their
minds in. Back in the days of the USSR, chess
was the only way you could be creative with your
mind and not be censored. But now, as things
have become more liberal in Russia, even their
young people are interested in other things.
BCM: In the March issue of BCM, in the
article “Time to grow up guys”, Mike
Basman – a well known chess player and
organiser – said that the people who are at
the front of British chess need to do more
to spread the game among the young.
R.K: I understand his point but, I think I have
done my fair share: I published 199 books on I think the next person
chess, I won European gold medals, won 50
tournaments, British championship, organised who will become a
three world chess championships, regularly great champion is
publish chess columns in the leading papers… probably Wesley So. If
I am quite diverse even in chess, but I also
organised championships in mind games, as there is a match with
well as the first ever match in any thinking Carlsen next year, I
sport between a computer and a human. I have expect So to beat him.
organised the world memory championship for
the past 25 years and am the president of the So is the new Bobby
global organisation for memory sport… So I can Fischer without the
say to Mike Basman that he has put me in the baggage
wrong category. I have done something, Mike!

04/137
BCM: Does that mean that in the long

term there is actually no hope for chess – Faster
because of computers being stronger than tournaments
any player and because they seem to be will make chess
more interesting to young people? more attractive
R.K: I do not think it is doomed but there are a lot
of alternative attractions. I also think there are more
people playing chess now than before, thanks to We need much faster tournaments. The
computers. The downside is that the romance standard goes down but creativity goes
and the great heroes of chess are now harder to up and it is more interesting and almost
identify. Chess players do not have such a heroic every single game is decisive. Faster
status as Fischer and Spassky did. We all know time limits would help chess. This will
that a computer is better than people. Even the Go attract more people and, ultimately, more
world champion has been beaten by a computer, sponsors to chess.
which was declared virtually impossible. I pioneered this in 1987 when I organised
All of these intellectual games have a large a match between Kasparov and Short
groundswell of interest, but there are also other which was televised. In the six games
ways today of proving oneself intellectually. played every game was decisive.
If we are looking at top chess players, I think Kasparov won four games, Short won
in the future they are more likely to come from two. Both had 25 minutes each.
India and China.

April 2017
Sharjah Masters 2017
First among equals:

Wang Hao wins the tournament
among six players who tied for the first place
Six Emirs
Rule in The Emirates
by GM Aleksandar Colovic
Photos by: Sharjah Chess Masters Oicial/ Maria Emelianova
The 1st Sharjah Masters took place from Nodirbek Abdusattorov (FM, 2429). These
23rd to 31st of March 2017 and assembled an are probably the names we should try to
impressive field of 57 GMs from a total of remember as they are currently the world’s
230 players, making it one of the strongest brightest prospects.
opens in the world. The Middle East has Open events are always a bit of a lottery,
become a very popular destination not only but the winners are never undeserved.
for the strong GMs, but also for the elite as And the more players a tournament has,
the venue of the World Rapid and Blitz and the more points need to be scored in order
the Qatar Masters in Doha. to win. At the end 7/9, as it is usual in
In such a big open it is difficult to follow all opens, was enough for a shared first for
the action, simply because there’s too much 6 players: Wang Hao, Adhiban, Kravtsiv,
going on. Additionally, the tournament had Kryvoruchko, Sethuraman and Salem.
an abundance of young talent, particularly First on tie−break was Wang Hao, and
India’s 11−year old Praggnanandhaa perhaps rightly so because he managed to
(youngest ever IM in the history of chess, beat two of the players with whom he shared
rated 2455) as well as 12−year old Nihal first place (Sethuraman and Adhiban). The
Sarin (FM, 2386), Uzbekistan’s 11−year old combination he played against Sethuraman
Javokhir Sindarov (2374) and 12−year old was very beautiful.

04/137
balanced.
14...bxc4 15.¤xc4 ¢h8 16.d4 Getting rid

of the backward pawn. When a lot of pawns
and no pieces have been exchanged the
game becomes increasingly tactical.
16...¥b4 17.¦e4 ¤de7 17...f5 18.¥g5

£e8 19.¦h4 exd4 20.¥a4 is extremely
unclear.
18.¦h4?!
XIIIIIIIIY
Hao Weng - Sethuraman P Sethuraman
9l+-wq-tr-mk0
9+-zp-sn-zpp0
1st Sharjah Masters 2017 Sharjah UAE (3.1)
9-+n+-zp-+0
1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 a6 4.¥a4 ¤f6 9+-+-zp-+-0
5.0–0 ¥e7 6.¦e1 b5 7.¥b3 0–0 8.a4 This 9-vlNzP-+-tR0
variation to avoid the Marshall Gambit
became incredibly popular after Kasparov 9+L+-+N+-0
used it to great success in his match against 9-zP-+-zPPzP0
Short in 1993.
9+-vLQ+-mK-0
8...¥b7 Short played this twice in the xiiiiiiiiy
match, but lost on both occasions. 8...b4 Piling up the pressure, by sacrificing the
is considered more reliable nowadays.; pawn on d4 but the engine doesn’t like it.
8...¦b8 is the third alternative, rarely It easily finds a refutation, but easy for an
played today. engine is rarely so for a human.
9.d3 d5 The modern way is the Marshall 18.¦g4 is what the engine evaluates around
way. 9...¦e8 10.¤bd2 ¥f8 11.c3 1–0 (59) 0.00 18...exd4 19.¤xd4 ¤g6 20.¥e3 with
Kasparov,G (2805)-Short,N (2655) London unclear play.
m/3 1993; 9...d6 10.¤bd2 ¤d7 11.c3 1–0
(36) Kasparov,G (2805)-Short,N (2655) 18...¤f5 19.¦h3 ¤cxd4 20.¤xd4 exd4
London m/7 1993. 20...¤xd4 was possible, leading to a forced
draw after:
10.exd5 ¤xd5 11.¤bd2 11.¤xe5 ¤d4
12.c3 ¤xb3 13.£xb3 and at first the A) 21.¤xe5.¥e4 (21...fxe5? 22.¦xh7+
engine doesn’t believe much in Black’s ¢xh7 23.£h5#) 22.¦e3 fxe5 23.¦xe4
compensation, but at greater depth it gives ¥c5 24.¥e3 is equal, the strong knight
13...¤b6 14.axb5 axb5 15.¦xa8 £xa8 on d4 compensates for White’s pair of
16.f3 ¥h4 17.g3 ¥f6 and here Black bishops.;
should have enough for the pawn.
B) 21.£d3 e4 22.¦xh7+ ¢xh7 23.£h3+
11...f6 12.axb5 axb5 13.¦xa8 ¥xa8 ¢g8 24.¤d6+ ¤xb3 25.£e6+ ¢h7
14.c4 White is looking for more direct 26.£h3+ is a perpetual.
confrontation. 14.c3 is a more positional
move, after 14...¢h8 15.¤e4 ¤a5 16.¥c2 21.£g4 ¤h6??
c5 17.¤g3 the position is dynamically

April 2017
XIIIIIIIIY White also had a more prosaic win after

9l+-wq-tr-mk0 24.£xg8+ £xg8 25.¦xg8+ ¢xg8
9+-zp-+-zpp0 26.¤b6+ ¢f8 27.¤xa8 ¥a5 28.¥c2
and in spite of the stranded Na8 White is
9-+-+-zp-sn0 winning because the Ba5 must stay on a5
9+-+-+-+-0 to control the knight, which effectively
9-vlNzp-+Q+0 means White is a bishop up. After 24.¤d6!!
there follows 24... ¦xg4 25.¤f7+ ¢g7
9+L+-+-+R0 26.¦xg4+ ¢f8 27.¤xd8, and so...
9-zP-+-zPPzP0 1–0
9+-vL-+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy A challenging
Cracking under pressure. After 21...£d5! tournament for
White doesn’t have direct threats and Black Britain s Gawain Jones
puts pressure on g2 on the long diagonal.
22.¤e3!? (22.¦xh7+ ¢xh7 23.¥c2 d3;
22.£g6 ¤h6 23.¥xh6 hxg6 24.¥c1+
£h5 25.¦xh5+ gxh5 wins for Black.
22.¥d2 is the strongest move according
to the machine, but if this is a move that
needs to be played it is a clear indicator that
things had gone wrong for White Because
of 22...¥xd2 23.¤xd2 £e5) 22...£xb3
(22...¤xe3 23.¦xh7+ ¢xh7 24.£h4+
¢g8 25.¥xd5+ ¤xd5 26.£xd4 ¥d6
should eventually win for Black, who has a
material advantage, though the white queen
will certainly pose problems.) 23.¤xf5
£g8 24.£xd4 ¦d8 25.£g4 £f7 and Black
has a clear advantage with the bishop pair
in an open position.
An excellent start to the tournament,
but a bad finish: British GM Gawain Jones
22.¥xh6 gxh6 23.¦g3 ¦g8
XIIIIIIIIY Britain’s GM Gawain Jones had an
incredibly successful start of the year when
9l+-wq-+rmk0 he emerged victorious from the bloodbath
9+-zp-+-+p0 of Group B of the Tata Steel tournament in
Wijk aan Zee, thus securing a place in next
9-+-+-zp-zp0 year’s main event.
9+-+-+-+-0 In Sharjah he started with 4/4 and it seemed
9-vlNzp-+Q+0 his excellent form would continue. But
after a short draw against Wang Hao in
9+L+-+-tR-0 Round 5 his rhythm was derailed and he
9-zP-+-zPPzP0 lost two in a row – first he was outplayed
by GM Kravtsiv in the Breyer Spanish and
9+-+-+-mK-0 then blundered badly in a sharp position
xiiiiiiiiy against untitled 20-year old Xu Yinglun,
24.¤d6!! A fantastic finish, probably rated 2540. A win against IM Swayams in
missed by Black. the penultimate round put him in a position

04/137
to fight for the top prizes, but a last-round Gelfand-Kramnik, Monaco 2007.
loss to yet another Chinese player, 18-year The latter demonstrates how the weaker
old IM Xu Xiangyu (rated 2503), from a side should defend such an endgame.
strategically dominating position ruined his 69.¦b1 (69.¢f1?? loses after 69...g4
tournament. 70.¦b1 ¦a3 71.¦c1 g3 72.hxg3 ¢xg3
Gawain played a very instructive rook 73.¢g1 ¦a2 74.¦b1 f3 75.¦c1 ¦g2+
endgame against 11-year old Mittal Aditya 0–1 (8) Garcia,G-Smyslov,V Havana
(rated 2183), who gained 89 points in Sharjah 1965) 69...¢e2 (69...g4 70.¦f1+ ¢e4
beating WGM Abdumalik, GM Neverov and 71.¦a1 and Black cannot make progress,
drawing with GM Lazarev. The endgame similar to the game) 70.¢g2 g4 71.¦a1
is objectively a draw, but the weaker side ¦d1 72.¦a2+ ¦d2 73.¦a1 ¦b2 74.¢g1
needs to avoid quite a few pitfalls. f3 75.¦c1 ¦d2 76.¦a1 ¢e3 77.¦a3+
¢f4 78.¦a4+ ¢g5 trying to get to h3,
Mittal Aditya - Gawain Jones but that is not very realistic here. 79.¦a8
¦g2+ 80.¢h1 ¦c2 81.¢g1 ¦e2 82.¦g8+
1st Sharjah Masters 2017 Sharjah UAE (4.3) ¢f4 83.¦f8+ ¢e3 84.¦e8+ ¢d2
XIIIIIIIIY 85.¦a8 ¦g2+ 86.¢h1 ¦e2 87.¢g1 ¢d3
88.¦d8+ ¢e3 89.¦e8+ ¢d2 90.¦a8
9-+-+-+-+0 ½–½ Gelfand,B (2733)-Kramnik,V (2766)
9+-+-+-+-0 Monte Carlo 2007.
9-+-+-+-+0 68...¢h3 -+ Now it’s over.
9+-+-+-zp-0
9-+-+-zpk+0 69.¦b5 if 69.¦a1 g4 70.¦b1 g3 71.hxg3
¢xg3 is the winning method from the
9+-+r+-+-0 game Garcia-Smyslov.
9-+-+-+-zP0
69...¦d1+ 70.¢f2 ¦d2+ 71.¢f1 ¦g2
9tR-+-+-mK-0 72.¦f5 ¢xh2 73.¦a5 ¢h3 74.¦a3+
xiiiiiiiiy ¦g3 75.¦a4 ¦f3+ 76.¢g1 ¢g3 77.¦a2
67...¦d3 Black has two winning plans g4 78.¦g2+ ¢h4 79.¦h2+ ¦h3 80.¦f2
here - either to penetrate to h3 with the ¢g5 81.¦a2 ¦b3 82.¦a5+ ¢h4 83.¦a2
king, in which case the h2–pawn will fall, g3 84.¦a4 ¢h3 85.¦xf4 ¦b1+ 86.¦f1
or push ...g3 when the white rook in on ¦xf1+ 87.¢xf1 ¢h2
the first rank and the other black pawn is 0–1
on f3. Then an elementary rook endgame
arises, as demonstrated in the game Garcia-
Smyslov below. Gawain’s best play was in the wild game
against Argentinian GM Alan Pichot where
68.¦b1?? White misses Black’s threat he had to defend against a sacrificial attack
of 68...¢h3, after which he is lost. It was by his opponent.
necessary to prevent it and White had more
than one way to do it. Gawain Jones – Alan Pichot
1st Sharjah Masters 2017 Sharjah UAE (3.3)
68.¦a8! is thematic, using the rook
from behind to annoy the king. 68...¢f3 1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.c3 Gawain has
(68...¢h3 69.¦h8+ is the idea) 69.¦a1; been a proponent of the sidelines in the
68.¢g2 is also good; 68.¦a5 latching Sicilian when playing White - the Grand
onto the g5–pawn is also good enough.; Prix Attack, the Rossolimo and the Alapin
68.-- ¢f3 is a position reached in two have all served him well over the years.
games, Garcia-Smyslov, Havana 1965, and His usual choice here is the Rossolimo,

April 2017
XIIIIIIIIY
but he played the Alapin recently at the 9-+ktr-+-tr0
Tata Steel, so this shouldn’t have been a
surprise. 9+p+-+pzpp0
9p+-+psn-+0
3...d5 4.exd5 £xd5 5.d4 ¥f5!? This has
become popular lately. 9+-vlq+l+-0
9-+NvL-+-+0
6.¥e3 ¤f6 7.£b3 cxd4 8.¤xd4 ¤xd4 9+QzP-+-+-0
9.¥xd4 a6 9...e5!? is an interesting
alternative, sacrificing a pawn for activity. 9PzP-+LzPPzP0
9tR-+-mK-+R0
10.¤d2 e6 11.¥e2
XIIIIIIIIY Afterxiiiiiiiiy
this White has an easy game.
12...£xg2 was the only move - Black wins
9r+-+kvl-tr0 a pawn and now White is pressed to find
9+p+-+pzpp0 enough compensation.
9p+-+psn-+0 It does look scary at first sight as Black
9+-+q+l+-0 is underdeveloped and all White’ s pieces
9-+-vL-+-+0 are active, but Black manages to survive.
13.0–0–0 ¥d6 14.¤xd6+ (14.£b6 ¥f4+;
9+QzP-+-+-0 14.¤e5 ¥xe5 15.¥xe5 £e4 centralising
9PzP-sNLzPPzP0 the queen and establishing control.; 14.¤e3
¥f4 15.£c4+ £c6 16.£xc6+ bxc6
9tR-+-mK-+R0 17.¥xa6+ ¢c7 is better for Black in view
xiiiiiiiiy of his better structure and more harmonious
White has an initiative here because pieces.) 14...¦xd6 15.¥e5 ¦xd1+ 16.¦xd1
Black has problems with the defence of £e4 and again this powerful centralisation
his queenside. Black’s next is in line with is Black’s main trump.
Steinitz’s dictum that the king is a strong
piece so he tasks it with the defence of b7. 13.0–0 ¥e4 14.¦fd1! £g5 15.g3 Black
is ages from commencing an attack while
11...0–0–0 11...£xb3 12.axb3 was an White needs only a move or two to start
alternative, but it gives White a pleasant his. The threat is Ne5, so Black goes ultra-
endgame. aggressive to try to divert White from his
natural play.
12.¤c4?! Too risky, but Black failed to
take advantage of it. 15...h5 16.¤e5 h4 17.¤xf7 hxg3 18.fxg3
£f5 19.£c4
12.£c4+! ¢b8 13.¥f3 ¥e4 (13...£xc4 XIIIIIIIIY
14.¤xc4 is another version of an excellent 9-+ktr-+-tr0
endgame - White’s activity is great and 9+p+-+Nzp-0
Black has to very careful. The immediate
threat is Ne5. 14...¤d7 15.0–0–0 ¥e7 9p+-+psn-+0
16.h4 preventing ...Bg5+ 16...f6 17.g4 9+-vl-+q+-0
¥g6 18.¦he1 e5 19.¤a5 and Black will
soon lose the pawn on b7) 14.¥xe4 ¤xe4 9-+QvLl+-+0
15.£xd5 exd5 16.¤b3 gave White a stable 9+-zP-+-zP-0
plus. 9PzP-+L+-zP0
12...¥c5? 9tR-+R+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
04/137
This allows Black an accidental chance, 29...¥b5+ 30.¢e1 ¤g5 31.£f5+ ¢c7
but it was a difficult one to spot! 19.¤xh8! 32.¥e5+
¦xh8 20.¥xc5 just taking everything wins 1–0
for White, although it looks a bit scary after
20...£h3 as the king will have to go for
a walk (20...£xc5+ 21.¦d4 e5 22.£c4) Naiditsch
21.¢f2 £f5+ (21...£xh2+ 22.¢e1 £xg3+ pushed hard for a win
23.¥f2 ¦h1+ 24.¥f1 £e5 25.£b6 with but ended up with a
the idea of Qe3) 22.¢e1 £xc5 23.£xe6+ draw
¢b8 24.£d6+ exchanging queens and it’s
game over. The final rounds at open tournaments are
usually exciting only if at least one player is
19...£h3? This loses. 19...¦xd4! was the forced to engage in active play in order to get
saving resource, but the lines are incredibly a result. In the following game Naiditsch was
difficult. 20.cxd4 (20.¦xd4 ¢b8 21.¤xh8 half a point behind his opponent and he needed
b5! 22.£b3 ¥d5 23.£d1 e5 24.£d3 £h3 a win to overtake him. Kravtsiv probably
Black has only a bishop (!) for two rooks didn’t have anything against a draw, but given
and a pawn, but it is White who needs to be the way he played it’s difficult to say what was
careful! 25.¥f1 £xh8 26.¦e1 exd4 27.cxd4 actually going on in his mind!
¥b6 Black gets most of the material back
and now the position is unclear.) 20...£h3 Arkadij Naiditsch - Martyn Kravtsiv
21.£xc5+ ¢b8 22.£d6+ ¢a8 23.¢f2
£g2+ 24.¢e3 (the king gets mated after 1st Sharjah Masters 2017 Sharjah UAE (9.3)
24.¢e1 ¦xh2) 24...¤d5+ 25.¢d2 £f2
26.¤xh8 £e3+ 27.¢e1 £g1+ with a 1.d4 ¤f6 2.¤f3 e6 3.¥f4 This has become
perpetual. all the rage lately, yet another attempt to
avoid the thick theoretical lines after any
20.£xc5+ ¥c6 21.¥f3 ¦d5 A flashy decent Black defence against 1.d4.
move but without substance behind it.
21...£xh2+ 22.¢f1 and the bishops 3...d5 4.e3 c5 5.c3 ¤c6 6.¤bd2 cxd4
control everything around the king. 7.exd4 ¤h5 This idea, recently employed
by So, is very interesting. Against none
22.¥xd5 £xh2+ 23.¢f1 exd5 24.¤xh8 It other but Anish Giri he managed to get an
is clear that being two rooks down and with excellent position after the opening!
a blunt bishop on c6 Black can only be lost.
8.¥e3 The main move in the position.
24...¤e4 25.£f8+ ¢d7 26.£xg7+ ¢c8 8.¥g5 was Giri’s choice, but after 8...
27.£g4+ ¢c7 28.£f4+ ¢c8 29.£f3 f6 9.¥e3 ¥d6 10.g3 0–0 11.¥g2?! f5
Consolidating the position, the queen 12.¤e5?! f4! White was already in trouble:
controls the important squares around ½–½ (56) Giri,A (2771)-So,W (2794)
White’s king. London ENG 2016.
The tournament had an abundance of young

talent, particularly India’s 11-year old
Praggnanandhaa (the youngest ever IM in the
history of chess, rated 2455) as well as 12-year
old Nihal Sarin (FM, 2386), Uzbekistan’s 11-year
old Javokhir Sindarov (2374) and 12-year old
Nodirbek Abdusattorov (FM, 2429)
April 2017
8...¥d6 9.¤e5 g6 10.¤df3 10.g4 ¤g7 piece down but is perfectly OK.
11.h4 is a sharp option for White.
17.¢f1 ¥d7 18.£d4 f6 19.¢xg2 ¤f7
10...£c7 A novelty, recommended by the 20.¥e3 More natural than the engine’s
machine. But from what follows it seems suggestion of 20.¥c1
that Black’s preparation wasn’t very deep.
10...f6; and 10...0–0 have been played 20...e5 21.£xd5?! This isn’t very practical
before. as it opens the diagonal for the bishop.
21.£h4! keeps the game more closed
11.¥e2 0–0 11...f6 can win a pawn, but (thanks to Black’s central pawns) and
12.¤g4 f5 13.¤ge5 f4 14.¥d2 ¤xe5 allows White more time to consolidate.
15.¤xe5 ¥xe5 16.dxe5 £xe5 17.0–0 gives
White good compensation. 21...¥c6 22.£b3 f5 Black has excellent
compensation for the piece. White is
12.¥h6 ¦e8 13.¤g5?! Naiditsch is a very awkwardly tied up along the h1–a8
aggressive player, sometimes a bit too diagonal and Black’s central pawns push
much. 13.0–0 would have been a calmer and back White’s pieces.
better alternative.
23.¥c4?!
13...¥xe5 14.dxe5 ¤f4!? XIIIIIIIIY
XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-+r+k+0
9r+l+r+k+0 9zppwq-+n+p0
9zppwq-+p+p0 9-+l+-+p+0
9-+n+p+pvL0 9+-+-zpp+-0
9+-+pzP-sN-0 9-+L+-+-+0
9-+-+-sn-+0 9+QzP-vLN+-0
9+-zP-+-+-0 9PzP-+-zPKzP0
9PzP-+LzPPzP0 9tR-+-+-+R0
9tR-+QmK-+R0 xiiiiiiiiy
xiiiiiiiiy Surprisingly, this active move lands
Now the game enters a very wild phase. Bear White in trouble as in the endgame, after
in mind that Black was probably satisfied exchanges on f7, White will find it even
with a draw, so his choice to play like this more difficult to untangle. 23.¢g1 getting
in such a situation is out of step with the away from the pin was better. Yes, it shuts
pragmatic approach favoured by today’s the ¦h1 out, but it is a sacrifice White
best players. 14...£xe5 was also possible, must make. The position is very difficult
then 15.0–0 ¤g7 keeps things under control to play, and as a demonstration here is the
for Black as White’s compensation isn’t engine’s line: 23...f4 24.¥c1 £d7 25.h3
readily visible. £f5 26.¦h2 £h5 27.¥c4 ¦e7 28.¤e1 b5
with a complete mess.
15.¤f3 ¤xe5 16.£a4 ¤xg2+!?
16...¤ed3+ was another way to sacrifice a 23...f4 24.¥c5 b6 25.¥d6? 25.¥a3 was
piece for positional compensation. This is more precise as after 25...£b7 26.¥xf7+
what the engine prefers. 17.¥xd3 ¤xd3+ £xf7 27.¦ad1 White manages to take the
18.¢d2 ¥d7 19.£d4 e5 20.£xd3 £b6! d-file first. 27...£xb3 28.axb3 g5 29.¦d6
(20...e4? 21.£d4+–) 21.¢c1 ¥f5 22.£e2 ¥b7 30.¦d7 ¥c6 can end in the most
¦ac8 with 0.00 telling us that Black is a curious perpetual attack!

04/137
25...£b7 26.¥xf7+ £xf7 27.£xf7+ ¢xf7 ¦e6 31.¥b4 ¦xd1 32.¦xd1 ¥e4 (32...g5?
Black threatens ...g5–g4. 33.hxg5 hxg5 34.¦d5! is one of the ideas
behind 30 c4) 33.¦e1 ¥c6 34.¦d1 with yet
28.h4 28.¦he1 ¦e6 29.¦ad1 ¦ae8 30.h4 another curious repetition.
h6 with the idea of ...g5; 28.¦ad1 g5.
30...¦e6 31.¥c7 ¦c8 32.¥d6 ¥a8! 33.c4
28...¦ad8 29.¦ad1 h6? ¦xc4 So, White lost the hapless c-pawn
XIIIIIIIIY and now is lost.
9-+-trr+-+0 34.¥b8 ¦c3 35.¦h3 ¦e7
9zp-+-+k+-0 XIIIIIIIIY
9-zplvL-+pzp0 9lvL-+-+-+0
9+-+-zp-+-0 9zp-+-trk+-0
9-+-+-zp-zP0 9-zp-+-+pzp0
9+-zP-+N+-0 9+-+-zp-+-0
9PzP-+-zPK+0 9-zP-+-zp-zP0
9+-+R+-+R0 9+-tr-+N+R0
xiiiiiiiiy 9P+-+-zPK+0
29...¦d7! was very strong, practically
winning for Black after 30.¥xe5 ¦xd1 9+-+R+-+-0
31.¦xd1 ¦xe5 32.¦d4 ¦f5. xiiiiiiiiy
35...g5 was also possible 36.hxg5 hxg5
30.b4? This weakens c3. Easy to write a 37.¦d7+ ¢g6 38.¦d8 ¢f5; 35...¦e8! is
sentence like that, but try figuring it out the cleanest win according to the machine.
during the game when all your thoughts are This prevents White’s counterplay based on
around that nasty pin! Alternatively 30.c4 Rd8 and allows for a nice rook switch to g8
Six points wasn’t enough: The youngest IM in history (only 11):

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (try pronouncing it again) finished 31st

April 2017
after 36.¥xa7 g5 37.hxg5 ¦g8! 38.¦d7+ 48...g3? 48...h5! transposes to 47...h5.

¢e6 39.¦h7 ¥xf3+ 40.¦xf3 ¦xg5+
winning material and the game. 49.fxg3 fxg3 50.h5! And now it’s a draw
as Black cannot obtain the two connected
36.¦d8 ¥e4 37.¥d6 ¦e6 38.b5 ¦xf3 A passed pawns as in the lines after 47...h5.
bit hasty. Probably there was timetrouble
involved. 38...¦d3! would have been very 50...¢f4 51.¥c5 ¢g4 52.¥e3 ¢xh5
pleasing, as after 39.¥c7 ¦xd8 40.¥xd8 53.¢g2 ¢g4 54.¥xh6 ¥c6+ 55.¢f1 ¢f3
¢e8 the bishop is chased down and 56.¥d2 e4 57.¥e1 ¥a4 58.¢g1 ¥b5
eventually captured by the king 41.¥c7 59.¥b4 e3 60.¥d6 ¥c6 61.¥c7 g2 62.¥a5
¢d7 42.¥b8 ¢c8 43.¥xa7 ¢b7. ¢e2 63.¥b4 ¢d1 64.a4 e2 65.¢f2 ¥xa4
66.¢xg2 e1£ 67.¥xe1 ¢xe1
39.¦xf3 g5 40.¥b8 ¦e7 41.¦c8 g4 42.¦c7 ½–½
¥xf3+ 43.¢g1 ¦xc7 44.¥xc7 ¢e6
45.¥b8 ¥e2 46.¥xa7 ¥xb5 47.¥xb6
¢f5 Better was 47...h5! avoiding White’s Kravtsiv probably regretted missing the
counterplay based on h5 later on, 48.a3 win (in that case he would have won
¢f5 49.¥c5 g3 now this wins 50.fxg3 the tournament alone!), but nevertheless
fxg3 51.¢g2 (51.¥e7 ¢g4 52.¥g5 e4 this draw brought him a shared first,
53.¢g2 e3 54.¥xe3 ¥c6+ 55.¢g1 ¢xh4 an excellent result for the little-known
wins easily) 51...¢g4 52.¥e7 (52.¥d6 Ukranian.
¢xh4) 52...¥c6+ 53.¢g1 e4 54.¥g5 The saturation with elite events and the
¢f3. predictability of the openings the players
use there leads me to the idea that perhaps
48.a3 48.h5! should save White 48...¥e8 strong opens deserve a bit more exposure
49.¥c5 ¥xh5 50.¥f8 ¢g5 51.¥e7+ ¢g6 and attention in the public.
52.¥f8 and if Black wants to untangle he Too much action is, however, better than
will have to lose the h6–pawn. too little action.
FINAL STANDINGS
Rk SNo Ti. Name FED Rtg Pts TB rtg+/-
1 5 GM Wang Hao CHN 2683 7,0 47,0 12,0
2 6 GM Adhiban B. IND 2682 7,0 44,0 11,4
3 21 GM Kravtsiv Martyn UKR 2641 7,0 44,0 14,3
4 2 GM Kryvoruchko Yuriy UKR 2708 7,0 43,0 4,5
5 23 GM Sethuraman S.P. IND 2629 7,0 42,5 10,6
6 18 GM Salem A.R. Saleh UAE 2652 7,0 41,0 -1,9
7 4 GM Naiditsch Arkadij AZE 2702 6,5 46,5 -1,0
8 16 GM Fressinet Laurent FRA 2662 6,5 45,0 2,6
9 17 GM Amin Bassem EGY 2660 6,5 44,0 3,5
10 1 GM Wojtaszek Radoslaw POL 2745 6,5 43,5 -3,8

04/137
Shenzhen Masters 2017
Ding Liren’s triumph

and Michael Adams
missed opportunities
by GM Aleksandar Colovic
Ding Liren, the winner of Shenzhen Masters 2017, Photo by Mihajlo Antic
The 6−player double round robin tournament in Shenzhen consisted of players of the
highest caliber − Giri, Svidler, Adams, Harikrishna and top two Chinese players, Ding
Liren and Yu Yangyi. All exceptional and capable of excellent chess, but put together the
solidity of each one of them coupled with their inclination towards positional play meant
that this was going to be a slow and grinding tournament. That’s what I thought before the
tournament started. But when it finished I was surprised by the amount of exciting games
that were on display in China.
The tournament was won by Ding Liren with three wins and seven draws. Svidler and
Giri shared the second and third places with 5.5 points. The prize fund was $90,000 with
$20,000 for first place. Players received 90 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes
to the end of the game, with a 30 second increment from move one.
Draws were a major feature at the tournament. Out of ten games played by each of the
players, Giri and Yangyi had nine draws, while all other players had between five and
seven games which ended in an even result.

April 2017
A tournament of 37.e6 £d4+ 38.¢f3 £xa4 39.exf7+ ¢f8

missed chances 40.¥d5 ¤e5+ 41.¢g2 £d4 wins for
Black, his domination is decisive.
for Michael Adams
Unfortunately, it was a tournament of 37...£xd3+ 38.¢xd3 ¤b4+ 39.¢c4
missed chances for Michael Adams. He ¤xa2 40.¢b5 ¤b4 41.¢xb6 ¤d3
started with two whites and after his Round 42.¢xa5 ¤xb2 43.h4 gxh4 44.gxh4
1 draw against Giri (probably surprised by ¢g7 45.h5 ¢h6 46.¢b5 c4 47.¢b4 c3
Giri’s choice of the Open Spanish) he tried 48.¢xc3 ¤xa4+ 49.¢d4 ¢xh5 50.¢d5
to squeeze the maximum out of a slight ¤b6+ 51.¢c6 ¢g5
edge against Harikrishna. He missed his 0–1
best chances but then under time pressure
things went slightly out of control. And,
It was still the beginning of the tournament
uncharacteristically, Adams erred.
and after drawing comfortably against
Yu Yangyi and Svidler, both with black,
Michael Adams – Pentala Harikrishna Adams convincingly outplayed Ding Liren.
Du Te Cup 2017 Shenzhen CHN (2.3)
XIIIIIIIIY Michael Adams - Liren Ding
9-+-+-+k+0 Du Te Cup 2017 Shenzhen CHN (5.2)
9+-+q+p+-0 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 a6 4.¥a4 ¤f6
9-zp-+-+-zp0 5.d3 b5 6.¥b3 ¥c5 7.¤c3 Developing the
9zp-zp-zP-zP-0 knight on c3 in the Spanish has become
quite popular in the last year or so. The
9P+Qsn-+-+0 knight can still go to the traditional Spanish
9+-+-mK-zP-0 square g3 via e2, but it can also jump to d5.
9LzP-+-+-zP0 7...0–0 8.¤d5 h6 8...¤xd5 9.¥xd5 ¦b8
9+-+-+-+-0 10.0–0 ¤e7 11.¤xe5 ¤xd5 12.exd5 ¦e8
xiiiiiiiiy 13.d4 ¥f8 14.b3 and Black didn’t quite have
35...hxg5 Things have gone slightly amiss enough for the pawn: 1–0 (59) Carlsen,M
for White as he needs to be careful about (2848)-Aronian,L (2815) London 2012
his king and the weak pawn on e5, but this CBM 152 [Stohl,I].
is still very much equal.
9.a4!? A new move, but Adams seems
36.£f1?? Probably a result of time trouble. to like the idea. This time he plays it one
The move prevents ...£f5, but now the move earlier than in a previous game with
seemingly static knight opens the way for this line: 9.0–0 d6 10.a4 1–0 (66) Adams,M
the queen, at the same time attacking e5. (2752)-Erdos,V (2658) Warsaw 2013.
36.£d5 £f5 37.£d8+ (37.¥c4 keeps 9...b4 10.a5 This is always double-edged,
things under control, even though it does as the pawn on a5 may hang later on, but I
look a bit draughty around White’s king.) have always felt that it is slightly in White’s
37...¢g7 38.£f6+ £xf6 39.exf6+ ¢xf6 favour.
40.¢e4 is enough for a draw as White’s
king is very active. 10...¦b8 11.¥e3 d6 Allowing White to
take on c5 as it is usually considered that
36...¤c6! 37.£d3 Losing a piece and the grip on d4 is enough as compensation.
hoping to create counterplay with the king But White gets a lot of light squares to play
on the queenside, but it isn’t enough. on and this will prove to be more important.

04/137
If instead 11...¥xe3 12.fxe3 d6 13.¤xf6+ 23...a5 24.¤d2 ¦d4 25.¥b3 and the game
£xf6 14.0–0 £e7 15.¥c4 and now the goes on.
advantage of having a pawn on a5, fixing
a6, are quite obvious. 22...¦d4 Black continues the manoeuvring
game, but this favours White. 22...c4!?
12.¥xc5 dxc5 13.¤e3 £e7 14.0–0 ¦d8 was possible and probably more practical,
15.¦e1 Black seems to be doing OK here, to return the material but obtain a free
but in fact his ruptured structure needs more game and get rid of the doubled c-pawns.
care. White can also manoeuvre as much as 23.¤xc4 ¤xc4 24.dxc4 ¦d4 is about equal.
he likes and this is the type of position in
which Adams excels. 23.¥b3 ¤xb3 24.¤xb3 ¤d5 25.£e2 ¦f4
26.¤d2 ¦xf5
15...¥e6 15...¤d4 16.¥c4 g6 with the idea XIIIIIIIIY
to slowly play ...¢g7 and maybe ...c6 was
probably better as it takes control of d5 and 9-+-+r+k+0
f5. 9+-+-+pzp-0
16.¥a4! Immediately attacking the 9p+pwq-+-zp0
undefended ¤c6 and e5. 9+-zpnzpr+-0
16...¤xa5 17.¤f5!?
9-zp-+-+-+0
XIIIIIIIIY 9+-+P+-+P0
9-tr-tr-+k+0 9-zPPsNQzPP+0
9+-zp-wqpzp-0 9tR-+-tR-mK-0
9p+-+lsn-zp0 xiiiiiiiiy
White is two pawns down at the moment
9sn-zp-zpN+-0 and Black has all his 8(!) pawns on the
9Lzp-+P+-+0 board, but not for long as both c5 and a6
9+-+P+N+-0 are hanging after White’s next move.
9-zPP+-zPPzP0
9tR-+QtR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
A very creative idea, continuing to play
on the white squares. Alas, the simple
materialistic approach was superior.
17.¤xe5! £d6 18.f4 c4 19.£f3 cxd3
20.cxd3 c5 21.¥c2 and White’s central
preponderance will result in a strong
kingside attack after £g3 and f5.
17...¥xf5 18.exf5 ¦d5 19.£e2 c6 20.£e3

White has excellent compensation here in
view of the easy play on the white squares
and Black’s need to defend the pawns on
c5, c6 and e5.
20...£d6 21.¤d2 ¦e8 22.h3 If 22.¤b3

¤b7 23.f3 preventing a possible ...e4
(23.¤d2 ¤a5 would have been a repetition) Not a very good tournament for Adams.

April 2017
37.dxc4 ¢h7 The funny thing is that Black

27.¤e4 £g6 28.£g4 ¦e6?! 28...¦a8 is the doesn’t threaten anything! Sometimes this
engine’s suggestion, but it’s mighty ugly is actually problematic as there is nothing
for Black after 29.£xg6 fxg6 30.¤xc5; concrete going on, no threat to repel, no plan
28...£xg4 29.hxg4 ¦f4 30.f3 and White’s to prevent. Given a free hand the players often
patience will be rewarded - he will get his find a way to create problems for themselves!
material back and Black will be left with
weaknesses on the queenside. 38.f3 Defending the ¤e4 and threatening
to take on f7.
29.¦xa6 h5 30.£xg6 ¦xg6
XIIIIIIIIY 38.f4! with the idea of f5 is the engine’s
preference as taking the pawn on f4 isn’t good.
9-+-+-+k+0 But a human wouldn’t look at such a move,
9+-+-+pzp-0 having to check two captures on f4, especially
if low on time. 38...¦xf4 (38...¤xf4 39.¤g5+
9R+p+-+r+0 ¦xg5 40.¦xg5 ¤h3+ 41.¢g2 ¤xg5 42.gxh4
9+-zpnzpr+p0 with an easily winning position.) 39.¦xh5+
9-zp-+N+-+0 ¢g8 40.¦a8+ ¤f8 41.¤g5 ¦h6 (41...¦f5
42.¦h8+ ¢xh8 43.¦xf8# is a nice finale.)
9+-+P+-+P0 42.¦xh6 gxh6 43.gxf4 hxg5 44.fxg5 winning.;
9-zPP+-zPP+0 38.¦xf7?! ¦xe4 39.¦xe4 ¤g5.
9+-+-tR-mK-0 38...¢g8 39.b3 ¦h3 40.¦f5?
xiiiiiiiiy XIIIIIIIIY
31.¤g3?! 31.h4! was stronger as the knight
can cover the g-file from g5 now. 31...¤f4 9-+-+-+k+0
32.¤g5 ¦fxg5 (32...f6? 33.¦a8# is cute.) 9tR-+-+pzp-0
33.hxg5 ¦xg5 34.g3 h4 35.¢h2 hxg3+
36.fxg3 ¤e6 37.¦xc6 ¤d4 38.¦c8+ ¢h7 9-+p+n+r+0
39.¦f1 should be winning for White. 9+-+-+R+p0
31...¦fg5 32.h4 ¦g4 33.¦xe5 ¦xh4? Now
9-zpP+N+-+0
again White has excellent winning chances. 9+P+-+PzPr0
9-+P+-+-+0
33...¤f4! was best, threatening ...b3 34.b3
(34.¦xc5 b3 35.cxb3 ¦e6 now Black is 9+-+-+-mK-0
two pawns down and his compensation xiiiiiiiiy
is structural. What a transformation in a The last move before the time-control spoils
single game! 36.¦a1 ¦xh4 and Black’s things quite a bit here. 40.¢g2 ¤f4+ 41.¢f2
activity should suffice for a draw.) ¦h2+ 42.¢e3 ¤e6 43.f4 is still winning
34...¦xh4 35.¦xc5 ¦hg4 and the threat of for White, but things look rather messy for
...h4 secures Black good counterplay. a human, who would feel that this must be
winning but would often not see a direct win.
34.¤e4 ¤c7 34...¦hg4 was better, but after 43...¦g4 44.c5! liberating c4 for the king. Not
35.¦a8+ ¢h7 36.¦xh5+ ¦h6 37.¦xh6+ an easy move to see! If 44...¦xc2? the rook
gxh6 38.¤xc5 this looks like a technical can never leave the h-file because h5 falls, for
win for White. example 45.¦a8+ ¢h7 (45...¤f8 46.¦ee8)
46.¦xh5+ ¢g6 47.f5+ ¢xh5 48.¦h8#.
35.¦a7 ¤e6 36.g3 c4 A desperate attempt
that should not suffice. 40...f6 41.¦a8+ ¢f7 42.¦a7+ ¢g8
43.¦a8+ Taking the draw even though

04/137
it was possible to continue. 43.¢g2 ¥xd2 36.¦xb5 and here Black will play
¦hxg3+ 44.¤xg3 h4 45.¢h3 ¦xg3+ for eternity. With a slightly different pawn
(45...hxg3 46.¢g2 ¤d4 47.¦f4 ¤xc2 structure for the weaker side Carlsen
48.¦e7 keeps the knight under control.) managed to get a winning position against
46.¢xh4 ¦g2 47.¦b7 ¦xc2 48.¦xb4 and Karjakin in the second rapid game of their
White can safely continue to push for a World Championship tie break even though
win. he failed to spot the win.
43...¢f7 44.¦a7+ 31.£xb5

½–½ ½–½
What a pity! A wonderful game by Adams, Even so, it still wasn’t over! Adams got
spoiled only on move 40! But Adams was yet another winning position in Round 8,
still pushing and in the next round he got but it transpired that Harikrishna was his
another chance when Giri misplayed the bete noire in this tournament.
position.
Pantala Harikrishna - Michael Adams
Anish Giri - Michael Adams
XIIIIIIIIY
XIIIIIIIIY 9-+r+-trk+0
9-+Q+-vlk+0 9zpQ+-vlpzp-0
9+-+n+pzp-0 9-zp-+-+q+0
9-zp-+-+-zp0 9+-+-vL-+-0
9tr-+-+-+-0 9-+-+-+P+0
9q+-+-+-+0 9zP-+-+-+P0
9+-+-vLlzPL0 9-+-+-+L+0
9-+-+-zP-zP0 9+-tR-+n+K0
9+-+-tR-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy
xiiiiiiiiy 35.¦xc8 £b1? Again the mistake comes
29.¥xd7 Black is a clear pawn up and just before the time control. This time it’s
White doesn’t have much to show for it. an obvious miscalculation.
The simple retreat should win for Black
29...b5?! Making things difficult for - he is a pawn up and has the safer king.
himself. 29...£b3 was more practical, After 35...¤e3 White cannot even create a
defending b6 and threatening ...¦a8 to get threat here. 36.¥f3 £b1+ 37.¢h2 £e1.
rid of the pin along the 8th rank.
36.£xe7 ¦xc8 37.£g5 Black cannot defend
30.£b8 ¦a8?? But this is very difficult g7 and the knight on f1 simultaneously.
to explain. Did Adams forget that b5 was
hanging after the rook moves? 37...¤e3+ 38.¢h2 £g6? But this looks
like panic. It was still possible to draw the
30...£c2 this was already the only move game.
to play for a win now, based on a nice
tactic after 31.¥xb5 £b2 32.£f4 £b4! 38...f6 39.¥xf6 ¦c7 40.¥e5 ¤f1+
33.£xb4 ¥xb4 34.¦b1 ¦xb5 35.¥d2 41.¥xf1 (41.¢h1 ¤g3+ 42.¢h2 ¤f1+

April 2017
is a perpetual) 41...£xf1 42.¥xc7 £f2+ Peter Svidler - Liren Ding

with a perpetual.
39.£xe3 ¦c2 40.¢h1 And the two bishops
eventually prevailed even though at the 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 a6 4.¥a4 ¤f6
moment Black is fine. 5.d3 b5 6.¥b3 ¥c5 7.c3 0–0 7...d6 8.0–0
1–0 h6 is the move order to avoid the position
Too many wasted chances can affect any that arose in the game.
player horribly during a tournament. After
this blow Adams kept a stiff upper lip and 8.0–0 d6 8...h6?! 9.d4!
was rewarded with one last chance when
he could have obtained an advantage in 9.¥g5! h6 10.¥h4 g5 This is automatically
the endgame against Yu Yangyi. But he played (even by Svidler himself!) but Black
missed it again… needs to be very well prepared.
XIIIIIIIIY
In the next round he effectively defused 9r+lwq-trk+0
Ding Liren’s 5.¥f4 in the QGD to take
an uneventful draw. And just to make 9+-zp-+p+-0
it as painful as possible, in the last 9p+nzp-sn-zp0
round he lost with white to Svidler after 9+pvl-zp-zp-0
unnecessarily sacrificing a pawn for what
turned out to be next to nothing. 9-+-+P+-vL0
A truly disappointing tournament for 9+LzPP+N+-0
Adams, but he will be back, as he always
is… 9PzP-+-zPPzP0
9tRN+Q+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
Ding Leng’s path 11.¥g3 The pragmatic approach.
to the top
However, 11.¤xg5!? is the obvious move,
The following game had an intriguing but does it work?
moment in the opening when Svidler had a
chance to take some risk. Have a look and 11...hxg5 12.¥xg5 ¥g4 (12...¢g7 13.£f3
decide for yourself if it was worth it. and Black will find it very difficult to
untangle.) If 13.£c1 ¢g7 14.¥d5 ¥d7
Peter Svidler, Photo by Andreas Kontokanis
15.¥h4 ¤xd5 16.¥xd8 ¤f4 17.£d2

¦axd8 is very unclear. But there is another
very forcing move for White. 13.£e1!? the
engine doesn’t suggest this at first (some
engines don’t suggest it at all!) but it’s a
very interesting idea that I discovered when
analysing this line some time ago.
Black has a wonderful (and only) defence

against it. 13...¢g7 14.¢h1 this is the idea
- to play f4 to open the f-file and let the
queen come to g3. 14...¦h8! 15.f4 £e7!
16.£g3 (16.fxe5? ¦xh2+! and now the
tables are turned with the White king being
the hunted one. 17.¢xh2 £xe5+ 18.g3
£xg5 winning for Black) 16...¦xh2+!!

04/137
17.£xh2 ¦h8 18.£xh8+ ¢xh8 19.fxe5 best results of his career, if not the best. A
¤xe4! an incredible exchange of blows! full point ahead of the second placed Giri
First the white queen was sacrificed and and Svidler, he played really impressive
now the black one follows suit! 20.¥xe7 chess. He seemed to be in control for the
¤g3+ 21.¢h2 ¤xf1+ 22.¢h1 ¤xe7 whole tournament and was able to survive
(22...¤g3+ is a perpetual) 23.d4 ¥b6 his only difficult moments in the games
24.exd6 cxd6 25.a4 with a very unclear against Giri (see below) and Adams. A
position. smooth victory in a tournament of this
caliber shows Ding’s potential – at the age
11...¥a7 12.¤bd2 ¤a5 13.¥c2 ¤h5 of 24 he has already been ranked number
14.¢h1 8 in the world with an imposing rating of
XIIIIIIIIY 2783. It’s very tight at the top of world
chess right now, but the Chinese player can
9r+lwq-trk+0 become a regular up there.
9vl-zp-+p+-0 The following game against Svidler was an
eye-opener for me. I have always thought
9p+-zp-+-zp0 that knights were better than bishops when
9snp+-zp-zpn0 play was on one wing. But the small “detail”
9-+-+P+-+0 here is that Black suffers because of the
instability of his second knight, which
9+-zPP+NvL-0 cannot find a safe square. The presence of
9PzPLsN-zPPzP0 a pair of rooks also made things difficult
for Black because f7 was always a potential
9tR-+Q+R+K0 target. A fantastic technical achievement by
xiiiiiiiiy the Chinese player.
A new move, the idea is to take on g3 with
the f-pawn. 14.b4 ¤xg3 15.hxg3 ¤c6 16.a4 Peter Svidler – Liren Ding
has been played before. Du Te Cup 2017 Shenzhen CHN (3.3)
14...¤c6 14...¥g4?! 15.h3 now this is XIIIIIIIIY
possible as the king isn’t pinned and the 9-+r+-trk+0
¥g3 doesn’t hang. If instead 14...£f6
15.b4 ¤c6 16.a4 with complex play.
9+-+-+pzpp0
9-sn-+-sn-+0
15.¥b3 White’s problem is that he is rather 9+-+-+-+-0
tied up and doesn’t have many constructive
ideas. 15.a4 b4; 15.b4 a5. 9-+-zp-+-+0
9+-+-vLL+-0
15...¤a5 16.¥c2 ¤c6 17.¥b3 ¤a5
18.¥c2 ¤c6
9-+-+-zPPzP0
½–½ 9tR-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
22.¥xd4 ¤c4 22...¤bd5 is the engine’s
Svidler’s last round win over Adams put suggestion, with the idea to play ... ¤c7–
him in shared second place with Giri, who e6, putting both knights on safe squares.
after beating Harikrishna with black in 23.¦fc1 ¦xc1+ 24.¦xc1 ¤f4 25.g3 ¤e6.
Round 3 went on to draw all his remaining 23.¦fd1 ¦fe8 24.g3 h6 25.¢g2 ¤e5
games. He had his chances to win several 26.¥e2 Both sides have consolidated and
more, but as we have seen too often from I thought this would end in a draw soon.
Giri, he failed to convert them. 26...¦e6 An inaccuracy according to the
The winner Ding Liren scored one of the

April 2017
engine as the evaluation starts to rise in

White’s favour. But I find it difficult to
Draws were a major
understand why that is so. The position is feature at the
very tactical and also requires deep level tournament. Out of
analysis and understanding. ten games played by
26...¤c6 27.¥e3 (27.¥a6 ¦b8 28.¥xf6 each of the players,
gxf6 29.¦d6 ¦e6 is a draw) 27...¤b4 Giri and Yangyi had
28.¥b5 ¦ed8 29.¦xd8+ ¦xd8 30.¦c1 nine draws, while all
¤bd5 and the game continues, but again
without major problems for Black. other players had
between five and seven
27.h3 ¤c6 28.¥a6 ¦d8 29.¥e3 ¦xd1 games which ended in
A more serious inaccuracy this time
(according to the engine). Again it is an even result
tactically based because of the awkward
position of the ¦e6 and ¤c6, but even here If 31...¤g6 32.¦d8+ ¢h7 33.¥c4 ¦e7 and
Black should be fine. again, in spite of the engine’s huge advantage
to White, there is a long road ahead for both
29...¤d5 30.¥c5 ¤c7 31.¥c4 ¦e4 sides. Black’s absence of weaknesses and
32.¦xd8+ ¤xd8 33.¦c1 ¦e8 34.¥d6 consolidated knights offer him good chances,
¤de6 35.h4 Black is awkwardly tied up. even though after White eventually advances
His main problem in this endgame is the with his pawns it will again become important
absence of safe squares for his knights and for Black to find good squares for the knights.
here it is clearly visible.
32.¦c1 ¦d6 33.¦c8+ ¢g7 34.¥a4 ¦a6
30.¦xd1 XIIIIIIIIY
XIIIIIIIIY 9-+R+-+-+0
9-+-+-+k+0 9+-+-+pmk-0
9+-+-+pzp-0 9r+-+-sn-zp0
9L+n+rsn-zp0 9+-+-sn-zp-0
9+-+-+-+-0 9L+-+-+-+0
9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-vL-zPP0
9+-+-vL-zPP0 9-+-+-zPK+0
9-+-+-zPK+0 9+-+-+-+-0
9+-+R+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy
xiiiiiiiiy This forces the bishop to the ideal diagonal,
30...¤e5 30...¦e8 31.¥b5 ¦d8 32.¦xd8+ but still nothing horrible has happened to
(32.¦c1 ¤e7) 32...¤xd8 is what the engine Black.
considers best for both sides, but this
vastly simplifies Black’s task to hold the 34...¤d3 was better according to the
draw, which means that White would have engine, threatening ...¤e1 in some lines
avoided the exchange of rooks. 35.¦c7 ¤e1+ 36.¢f1 ¤f3 37.¥b3 ¤d5
38.¥c5 ¦d8.
31.¥b5 g5 Quite normal, gaining some
space and taking away f4 from the ¥e3. 35.¥b3 ¦c6 36.¦a8 Again the engine
wants to play 36.¦xc6 but after 36...¤xc6

04/137
37.f4 gxf4 38.¥xf4 ¤d7 it is difficult to Liren Ding - Yangyi Yu

imagine White winning this.
Du Te Cup 2017 Shenzhen CHN (6)
36...¦c3 37.¥a2 ¦c2? XIIIIIIIIY
XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-+qvl-+0
9R+-+-+-+0 9+-+n+p+k0
9+-+-+pmk-0 9-snN+-+p+0
9-+-+-sn-zp0 9vLP+-zp-+p0
9+-+-sn-zp-0 9-+-+P+-zP0
9-+-+-+-+0 9zp-+R+PzP-0
9+-+-vL-zPP0 9L+-wQ-+K+0
9L+r+-zPK+0 9+-+-+-+-0
9+-+-+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy
xiiiiiiiiy 41...¢g7 Black is resisting by the skin of his
Black’s only vulnerable point is f7 and this teeth on the queenside and no breakthrough is
allows White to create an attack against it. apparent there. In this position the principle of
37...¦d3! with the idea 38.¦a7 ¤d5! and two weaknesses comes in handy - by opening a
Black should hold. second front on the other side of the board White’s
superior mobility becomes a decisive factor.
38.¦a7! And now Black is in trouble...
42.g4! ¥e7 If 42...hxg4 43.fxg4 with the
38...¤c4?! Now Black cannot keep it threat of ¦f3, hitting f7, for example 43...
all together and his position falls apart. f6 44.g5 fxg5 45.hxg5 and again ¦f3 will
38...¢f8 39.¥d4 ¤fd7 was better, but even be devastating.
here after 40.¥b1! (40.¥xf7 ¢xf7 41.¥xe5
¢e6 actually improves Black’s chances in 43.gxh5 ¥xh4 43...gxh5 44.¤xe7 £xe7
spite of the pawn loss) 40...¦d2 41.¥c3 45.¥xb6 ¤xb6 46.¦d6 with a double
¦d1 42.¥f5 Black’s position is all tied up. attack on b6 and h6.
39.¥d4 ¤d6 40.¦d7 A wonderful 44.hxg6 fxg6 45.¦d6 Threatening ¦e6.

example of the dominance of the bishops, It’s impossible for Black to defend across
controlling everything from afar while the the whole board.
knights cannot find their footing.
45...¥f6 46.¦e6 £f8 47.¥b4 £h8
40...¤b5 If 40...¦c6 41.¥e5. XIIIIIIIIY
41.¦xf7+ ¢g8 42.¥xf6 ¦xa2 43.¦g7+ 9r+-+-+-wq0
¢f8 44.¦b7 Black will lose more pawns. 9+-+n+-mk-0
1–0
9-snN+Rvlp+0
9+P+-zp-+-0
Ding played another excellent game where he 9-vL-+P+-+0
demonstrated the power of the bishops. Against
his compatriot Yu Yangyi he nurtured this 9zp-+-+P+-0
advantage from move 6, when Black took on f3 9L+-wQ-+K+0
with his bishop, right through to move 51when
the final position speaks for itself.
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
April 2017
48.¤xe5 A simple tactic. The winner Ding Liren

48...¤xe5 48...¥xe5 49.¦e7+. scored one of the best
results of his career,
49.¦xf6 £h5 49...¢xf6 50.£d6+ ¢g7 if not the best. A full
51.£xe5+ ¢h7 52.£h2+ ¢g7 53.¥c3+
is a line that fully demonstrates the power point ahead of the
of the bishops. second placed Giri
and Svidler, he played
50.¥c3 ¦a7 50...¢xf6 51.£d6+.
really impressive
51.£f4 chess. He seemed to
1–0 be in control for the
whole tournament
Not all the games where Ding had the 54.£g8+ White is happy with a draw after
bishop pair had such a favourable outcome. defending for most of the game. He was
Against Giri he was in fact worse because probably unaware of the sudden chance he has.
his bishop on g2 was passive and out of the
game. But he does love bishops – against 54.¢h3! and suddenly Black’s king is in
Giri Ding sacrificed a pawn to activate the danger. 54...¤d3 (54...£d7+ 55.g4 only
passive bishop and thanks to its activity helps White) 55.£f7+ ¢h6 56.¥xd3
he was safe. Then something amusing £xd3 57.£xf6+ £g6 58.£f8+ £g7
and unexpected happened: after suffering 59.£d8! and the bad position of the ¢h6
for most of the game, in the very moment coupled with the mobility of white’s pawns
when he gave perpetual check in fact he gives White a decisive advantage here.
had a win!
54...¢h6 55.£f8+ ¢g6 56.£g8+ ¢h6
Liren Ding – Anish Giri 57.£f8+
½–½
Du Te Cup 2017 Shenzhen CHN (7)
XIIIIIIIIY It is rare indeed to see closed tournaments where
9-+-+-wQ-+0 none of the world’s top 10 players are present.
It gives a chance to the invited players to show
9+p+-+-+p0 what they are capable of and Ding took his
9-+p+-zpk+0 chance marvellously. Taking into consideration
9zp-sn-+-+-0 that he also had a successful showing at the
recent Sharjah Grand Prix, we should probably
9P+L+qzP-+0 count the young Chinese player as a serious
9+P+-+-zP-0 contender for a place in next year’s Candidates
tournament.
9-+-+-+-mK0
9+-+-+-+-0 SHENzHEN MASTERS TOuRNAMENT
xiiiiiiiiy Ding Liren 6.5/10 (+3 -0 =7)
53...£d4? 53...£e3 is the only move, but even Anish Giri 5.5/10 (+1 -0 =9)
here it is Black who needs to be careful 54.¢h3!
(54.£f7+ ¢f5 55.£xh7+ ¢g4 is the idea, Peter Svidler 5.5/10 (+2 -1 =7)
when White has nothing better than a perpetual) Yu Yangyi 4.5/10 (+0 -1 =9)
54...¢f5 55.¥g8! ¢e4 56.£xf6 £c1 57.¢g4 Pentala Harikrishna 4.5/10 (+2 -3 =5)
and White is better but obviously the position is
very difficult to play for both sides. Michael Adams 3.5/10 (+0 -3 =7)

04/137
Thethbrilliancy of the
135 Varsity Match
By: BCM editors
The first Oxford vs Cambridge Varsity Chess Match, 1873

On Saturday, 11th March 2017, the best teams of Cambridge and Oxford universities met
for the 135th time in the traditional Varsity chess match to decide - who is better.
The match was held at the Royal Automobile Club in Londonʼs Pall Mall area. Oxford
won the match by 4½−3½. The overall result is still in favour of Cambridge however,
having won 59 matches, lost 54 (including this one) and with 22 draws.
Although Howard Staunton suggested the match in 1853, it was not until 28th March 1873
(allegedly with the help of Steinitz) did the first official over−the−board Varsity match take
place. Since then it has been the oldest continuous fixture in the chess calendar, interrupted
only by the war years. The winning team is traditionally awarded a handsome gold cup
(originally presented in 1953) to hold for a year.
In 1978 a womanʼs board was introduced, to determine the results in the event of a drawn
match. However, since 1982 the matches comprise of 8 boards with at least one woman
player in each team, the board ranking being solely determined by playing strength.
Many of the great British players took part in the Varsity match: H. E. Atkins, William
Winter, Alan Phillips, Hugh Alexander, Raymond Keene, Jonathan Mestel, Bill Hartston
as well as BCMʼs Shaun Taulbut, who all played for Cambridge.
On the Oxford side there were strong British players like Jonathan Speelman, John Nunn,
Peter Lee among others.
The following game won the brilliancy prize at this year's Varsity Match (analysis by Shaun Taulbut).

April 2017
Joris Gerlagh – Dan Fernandez 10.¥f4 c5 A risky move as White is better

developed but Black judges this gives
135th Varsity Match 2017 London ENG (1.2 better chances than 10...¥d6 11.¤bd2 0–0
12.¦a1 ¤c6 when 13.¤b3 is unpleasant
1.d4 a6 Black plays a provocative move to for Black.
complicate the position and take the game
out of normal channels. 11.£b5+ ¤fd7 11...¤bd7 12.¤bd2 ¥e7
13.¦a1 0–0 14.¤b3 with a big advantage
2.g3 A clever move; the kingside fianchetto to White.
is directed against ...b5. 2.e4 b5 would be
more to Black’s liking. 12.¤e5 £b6 13.£xb6 ¤xb6 14.¤xf7
XIIIIIIIIY Also good is 14.dxc5 ¥xc5 15.¤d2 ¤c6
16.¤xc6 ¥xc6 17.¤b3 ¥e7 18.¦a1 with
9rsnlwqkvlntr0 strong play for White.
9+pzppzppzpp0
14...¢xf7 15.¥xb8 cxd4 15...¤c4 is
9p+-+-+-+0 worth consideration as the knight hampers
9+-+-+-+-0 White.
9-+-zP-+-+0 16.¥a7 ¥c5 After 16...¤c4 17.¥xd4 ¥e7
9+-+-+-zP-0 18.b3 ¤a3 19.¤xa3 bxa3 20.¦a1 ¦c8
9PzPP+PzP-zP0 21.¦a2 with a slight edge for White.
9tRNvLQmKLsNR0 17.¤d2 ¥b7 18.¤b3 ¦a8 19.¤xc5 ¦xa7
xiiiiiiiiy XIIIIIIIIY
2...d5 Black decides to block the action of
the White bishop but his queenside is now 9-+-+-+-+0
slightly porous. 9trl+-+kzpp0
3.¥g2 ¤f6 4.¤f3 b5 4...e6 5.00 c5 9-sn-+p+-+0
would be playable but Black wishes to 9+-sNp+-+-0
complicate the game and this leads to a 9-zp-zp-+-+0
plus for White.
9+-+-+-zP-0
5.0–0 e6 6.a4 This natural break takes 9-zPP+PzPLzP0
advantage of the exposed black queenside
pawns. 9+-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
6...¥b7 6...b4 7.¤e5 ¥b7 8.c4 bxc3 Black has some weak pawns but counterplay
9.¤xc3 also gives White an opening edge. down the a-file.
7.axb5 axb5 8.¦xa8 ¥xa8 9.£d3 20.f4 White aims to undermine d5 and play
White has a positional advantage as against the pawns on d4 and e6 and b4.
the b-pawn is slightly weak and not
easily defended unless Black plays 20...¤c4 On 20...¥c8 21.¤b3 ¦a2 22.¦b1
the horrible....c6 leaving the bishop ¤c4 23.¤xd4 ¦xb2 24.¦xb2 ¤xb2 25.e4
entombed. dxe4 26.¥xe4 with an edge for White.
9...b4 After 9...c6 10.¥g5 ¤bd7 11.¤bd2 21.f5 e5 This piece sacrifice is hard to meet
leaves White with the edge because of the over the board and leads to Black having
poor position of the Black queen bishop. good practical chances.

04/137
22.¤xb7 ¤e3 23.¤d6+ 23.¤d8+ ¢f6 26...¦c7 Black homes in on c2.

24.¤c6 ¦a4 25.¦c1 ¢xf5 26.b3 is the correct
way to play winning the pawn on b4, eg: 27.¦a6+ 27.¤b6 ¢e5 28.¦a6 ¦xc2
26...¦a3 27.¥h3+ ¢f6 28.¤xb4 g5 29.¢f2 29.¤d7+ ¢xf5 30.¥h3+ ¢g5 31.¤f8
g4 30.¥g2 ¢e6 31.c4 White breaks free. ¦c1+ 32.¢f2 ¤d1+ 33.¢g2 ¤e3+
34.¢f2 is equal.
23...¢f6 24.¦c1 ¦d7 25.¤c8 e4
XIIIIIIIIY 27...¢g5 Black does not capture on f5
which would allow the bishop check on h3.
9-+N+-+-+0
9+-+r+-zpp0 28.¤d6 ¦xc2 29.h4+ 29.¢f2 d3 30.¤f7+
¢g4 31.¥f3+ ¢h3 32.¤g5+ ¢xh2
9-+-+-mk-+0 33.¤xe4 ¤d1+ 34.¢e1 ¤xb2 35.¤d2
9+-+p+P+-0 ¢xg3 36.¤f1+ ¢f4 with an edge for
9-zp-zpp+-+0 Black but now Black invades with his king.
9+-+-sn-zP-0 29...¢g4 30.¦a7 ¤xg2 31.¢xg2
9-zPP+P+LzP0 31.¦xg7+ ¢h3 wins.
9+-tR-+-mK-0 31...¦xe2+ 32.¢f1 ¦xb2 33.¦xg7+ ¢f3
xiiiiiiiiy 34.¢e1 b3 34...e3 is also an immediate
Black now has strong counterplay with his win.
dominant knight
26.¦a1 This allows the Black rook activity; 35.f6 ¦b1+ 36.¢d2 e3+ 37.¢d3 ¦d1#
best is 26.¤b6 ¦d6 (26...¦c7 27.¤xd5+ 0–1
¤xd5 28.¥xe4) 27.¤xd5+ ¦xd5 28.¥xe4
¦a5 when White has an edge.
Bd Oxford university Rating Nat 4½-3½ Cambridge university Rating Nat

1b David Pires Tavares 2389f POR ½-½ Ryan-Rhys Griffiths 2356f IRL
Martins (Worcester) (Wolfson)
2w Joris Gerlagh 2271 NED 0-1 Daniel Howard 2481m ENG
(University) Fernandez (Queens')
3b Benjamin Foo zhi 2271c SIN ½-½ Bram Van der Velden 2170c NED
Rong (Magdalen) (King's)
4w Henrique Rui Neves 2186 POR 1-0 Peter Andreev 1999 ENG
Aguiar (Balliol) (Trinity)
5b Aleksandar Monev 2224 BUL ½-½ Gustavo Leon Cazares 2059 MEX
(Keble) (Selwyn)
6w Jamie Horton (Christ 2180 ENG 1-0 Conor Murphy 2077 ENG
Church) (Christ's)
7b Robin De Vogelaere 1962 BEL dam Scibior
0-1 A(Trinity) 2229 POL
(Pembroke)
8w Alexandra Kozera 1872 POR 1-0 Danielle Ho En Huei 1974wf SIN
(Worcester) (Murray Edwards)
Av. Rating = 2169.8 4½-3½ Av. Rating = 2168.1

April 2017
QUOTES AND QUERIES

When falling into a trap
is not disastrous
by Alan Smith
6086 Falling into an opening trap need
not be disastrous as the following two
games show. In both cases White recoups
his losses with interest, thanks to some
careless defensive play.
Ilya Shumov - Carl Friedrich von Jaenisch

St Petersburg 1851
Carl Ferdinand von Jaenisch was a Finnish

and Russian chess player and theorist who
was among the top players in the world
in the 1840s and 1850s. However, in this
particular match he was outperformed by a
Russian Navy officer and chess master Ilya
Shumov.
Ilya Shumov
Source: Wikipedia
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.¤f3 e5 4.¤xe5?
XIIIIIIIIY This routine play is just what White needed,
9...£c7! 10.f4 d6 is much better.
9rsnlwqkvlntr0
9zpp+p+pzpp0 10.f4 ̔From this moment the assault is
admirably sustained ̕ - Staunton.
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-sN-+-0 10...£c5 11.e5 ¤d5
9-+-zpP+-+0 XIIIIIIIIY
9+-+-+-+-0 9rsnl+-trk+0
9PzPP+-zPPzP0 9zpp+p+pzpp0
9tRNvLQmKL+R0 9-+-+-+-+0
xiiiiiiiiy 9+-wqnzP-+-0
Staunton̕s comment is ̕By this hasty slip 9-+-zp-zP-+0
White loses a piece at the very outset of the
play, a loss, however which is hardly to be 9+-+L+-+-0
deplored, since it gives rise to an attack on 9P+PsN-+PzP0
his part more brilliant and spirited than we
often see in modern days̕ 9tR-+Q+RmK-0
4...£a5+ 5.b4 ¥xb4+ 6.¥d2 ¥xd2+ xiiiiiiiiy
7.¤xd2 £xe5 8.¥d3 ¤f6 9.0-0 0-0 12.¥xh7+! Throwing more wood on the fire.

04/137
12...¢xh7 13.£h5+ ¢g8 14.¤e4 £xc2 E. WALKER - Dr PHILSON

A resource, planning to meet 15.¤g5 with
15...£g6 Cheltenham 1872
15.¦ae1 ¤e3 ̕Though apparently a good 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.¤f3 e5 4.¤xe5?
move this is really a fatal error̕ Staunton 4.¥c4 or 4.c3 are safer.
XIIIIIIIIY 4.£a5+ 5.¥d2 £xe5 6.¥d3 ¤f6 7.f4
9rsnl+-trk+0 £e6? This is sloppy, 7...£c7 is much better.
9zpp+p+pzp-0 8.0-0 ¥c5 9.e5 ¤d5 10.f5 £e7
9-+-+-+-+0 XIIIIIIIIY
9+-+-zP-+Q0 9rsnl+k+-tr0
9-+-zpNzP-+0 9zpp+pwqpzpp0
9+-+-sn-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0
9P+q+-+PzP0 9+-vlnzPP+-0
9+-+-tRRmK-0 9-+-zp-+-+0
xiiiiiiiiy 9+-+L+-+-0
16.¦xe3! dxe3 17.£f5! A nasty surprise.
9PzPPvL-+PzP0
17...£e2? Staunton suggests 17...£xe4 or 9tRN+Q+RmK-0
17...d5 as better. 17...e2 is also good 18.¦e1
£xe4! 19.£xe4 d5. xiiiiiiiiy
Once again, Black allows White an attack
XIIIIIIIIY with tempo. It was time to bite the bullet
9rsnl+-trk+0 with 10...£xe5 11.¦e1 ¤e3
9zpp+p+pzp-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-zPQ+-0
9-+-+NzP-+0
9+-+-zp-+-0
9P+-+q+PzP0
9+-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
18.¤f6+! gxf6 19.exf6 £c2 An admission
of failure.
20.£xc2 d5 21.£d3 d4 22.£b5

¦fd8 23.¦f3 ¥f5 24.£xf5 ¤c6 25.£c5
1-0
Illustrated London News 13th September

1851
Two decades later...
Carl Friedrich von Jaenisch
...And a similar story occurred again. Source: Wikipedia

April 2017
11.f6 gxf6 12.exf6 £e5 13.¦f5 £e6 those between Liverpool and Manchester
14.£h5 ¤xf6 15.£g5 d6 16.¦xf6 £e7 which began in April 1855.
17.¤a3 ¥e6 18.b4 ¥b6 19.£g7 £f8?
19...¦f8 is better. The Manchester team of nine players
XIIIIIIIIY travelled on the oldest passenger railway
line and defeated their hosts +12 =1 -6.
9rsn-+kwq-tr0 Sigismund Cohen scored +2=1 on board 2
9zpp+-+pwQp0 versus G. Smith.
9-vl-zpltR-+0 Here is a game from that match, the earliest
9+-+-+-+-0 example of inter club chess!
9-zP-zp-+-+0 S. COHEN - G. SMITH
9sN-+L+-+-0
Manchester - Liverpool 1855
9P+PvL-+PzP0
9tR-+-+-mK-0 1.e4 e5 2.f4 ¥c5 3.¤f3 ¤c6 3...d6 is usual.
xiiiiiiiiy 4.c3 ¤f6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 6.e5 is superior.
20.¦xe6+! fxe6 21.£xb7 Black could
resign here.
6...¥b4+ 7.¥d2 ¥xd2+ Missing 7...¤xe4!
21...£e7 22.£xa8 0-0 23.£e4
¤d7 24.¦e1 e5 25.£d5+ ¢h8 26.¤c4 8.¤bxd2 d6 9.¥c4 0-0 10.0-0 ¥g4 Black
¥c7 27.¦f1 ¤f6 28.£c6 d5 29.¥g5 dxc4 should play ...d5 either here or at move 12.
30.¥xf6+ ¦xf6 31.¦xf6 cxd3 32.cxd3
¥b6 33.¦e6 11.£c2 ¥xf3 12.¤xf3 ¤e7 13.e5 ¤g4
1-0 14.¤g5 g6 15.£e2 ¤h6 16.¦f3
XIIIIIIIIY
Chess Player's Quarterly Chronicle 1872- 9r+-wq-trk+0
73 p.75-76
9zppzp-snp+p0
9-+-zp-+psn0
The lesson to be learned is simple:
Black may be a piece up, but this 9+-+-zP-sN-0
advantage is worth little until all of his 9-+LzP-zP-+0
pieces are in play. 9+-+-+R+-0
9PzP-+Q+PzP0
THE EARLIEST EXAMPLE OF 9tR-+-+-mK-0
INTER CLUB CHESS xiiiiiiiiy
Lowenthal advocated 16.¤e4 intending
¤f6+, but it is not clear what this achieves
6087 The first club matches were played after a timely ...¤g8.
by post by consulting teams. The first
match between club teams with one player 16...d5 17.¥d3 ¤hf5 18.¦h3 Offering a
per board was the meeting between Leeds pawn.
and Wakefield in 1843, which Wakefield
won +11 =1 -8.
The first regular series of club matches were

04/137
XIIIIIIIIY He assumed White was winning and

quite ignored the resource Black
9r+-wq-trk+0 has at his disposal at move 37.
9zppzp-snp+p0
36...¢g7 37.¦xh5 ¦h8??
9-+-+-+p+0
9+-+pzPnsN-0 XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-zP-zP-+0 9-+-+-+-tr0
9+-+L+-+R0 9zpp+-+-mk-0
9PzP-+Q+PzP0 9-+-+-zp-+0
9tR-+-+-mK-0 9+-zPpsnPzpR0
xiiiiiiiiy 9-+-+-+-+0
18...h6 Lowenthal pointed out 18...¤xd4? 9+-+-+-zP-0
is met by 19.£f2 ¤ef5 20.¦xh7 f6 9PzP-+LmK-zP0
21.exf6 ¦xf6 22.g4 ¤e7 23.£h4 winning.
9+-+-+-+-0
19.¤f3 h5 20.£f2 ¢g7 21.¤g5 xiiiiiiiiy
£d7 22.¥e2 f6 23.e6!? I don̕t trust Capitulation, instead 37...d4! sets White
this, 23.exf6+ ¦xf6 24.g4 is better. serious problems. One sample line is
38.¥b5 ¦e7 39.¢e1 ¤d7+ 40.¢d2 ¤xc5
23...£d6 24.¤f3 £xe6 Taking the ̔f̕ pawn 41.b4 ¤e4+ 42.¢d3 ¤d6.
makes more sense, the e6 pawn is still
vulnerable, but White lacks counterplay 38.¦xh8 ¢xh8 39.¢e3 ¤c6 40.¥f3 ¤e7
along the e file. 41.g4 ¢g8 42.¢d4 ¢f7 43.¥xd5+ ¤xd5
44.¢xd5
25.¦e1 £e3 26.£xe3 ¤xe3 27.¥d3 ¤7f5 1-0
Lowenthal thought the other knight should The Era 5th May 1855
be placed here.
28.¤h4 ¤xh4 29.¦1xe3 g5 30.¦e7+ ¦f7 he friendly rivalry between the two clubs
31.¦xf7+ ¢xf7 32.f5 ¦e8 33.¢f2 c5 extended over a century and many strong
34.g3 ¤f3 35.dxc5 ¤e5 36.¥e2 players participated: Blackburne, Amos
Burn, Rev Owen, Victor Wahltuch, Rev
XIIIIIIIIY Palmer, Edmund Spencer, Gerald Abrahams,
9-+-+r+-+0 Andrew homas, William Fairhurst,
9zpp+-+k+-0 Reginald Broadbent , Alan Phillips to name
only the most distinguished…
9-+-+-zp-+0
9+-zPpsnPzpp0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-zPR0
9PzP-+LmK-zP0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
̕This part of the game is well played by
White̕, opined Lowenthal who seems to
have been annotating by result.

April 2017
4NCL weekends two and three analysis

Guildford and
Cheddleton
at the top!
By Tom Rendle
The Four Nations League - 4NCL is well underway with over 850 players registered to take
part and try and win the most prestigious team chess event held in the United Kingdom.
After 8 rounds of the 2016/17 4NCL season the Division 1 table has a familiar feel to
previous years − Guildford 1 are on top! This season, however, they are being matched by
Cheddleton, the only other team on a 100% record. This puts us on course for a good old
fashioned Championship decider between the two teams in the final round − such as we
used to see when Wood Green were in their prime. Meanwhile 3Cs are also having a fan−
tastic season and will be looking to secure a very creditable 3rd place at the final weekend.
In the Demotion Pool both Barbican 2 and Blackthorn Russia are already safe, with Ox−
ford 1 almost certain to stay with them. On the other hand Anglican Avengers will need
a miracle to recover as they have yet to secure a match point. Three of the remaining 4
teams will also be relegated with Celtic slight favourites to survive, especially if they win
against Anglican Avengers.
In this article we will examine the most important and exciting games from rounds 3−6 and
next time we will cover the rounds 7−11 as the season builds to its climax!
After 8 rounds of the 2016/17 4NCL season the
Division 1 table has a familiar feel to previous
years - Guildford 1 are on top! This season,
however, they are being matched by Cheddleton,
the only other team on a 100% record
Division 1a
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 GP Pts
1 Cheddleton 1 5½-7½ 6-2 5-3 7-1 7½-½ 8-½ 7½-½ 46½ 14
2 3Cs 1 2½-5½ 5½-2½4½-3½3½-4½6½-1½ 6-1½ 8-1 36½ 10
3 Guildford 2 2-6 2½-5½ 4½-3½5½-2½5½-2½ 7½-½ 8-0 35½ 10
4 Barbican 4NCL 1 3-5 3½-4½3½-4½ 5-3 6-1½ 6-1½ 5½-2½33½ 8
5 Blackthorne Russia 1-7 4½-3½2½-5½ 3-5 5-3 4½-3½5½-2½ 26 8
6 Celtic Tigers ½-7½ 1½-6½2½-5½1½-6½ 3-5 4½-3½2½-5½ 16 2
7 South Wales Dragons -½-8 1½-6 1½-7½1½-6½3½-4½3½-4½ 5½-1½15½ 2
8 Kings Head ½-7½ -1-8 0-8 2½-5½2½-5½5½-2½1½-5½ 11½ 2

04/137
Division 1b
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 GP Pts
1 Guildford 1 5-3 7-1 7½-½ 7½-½ 7-1 7½-½ 47½ 14
2 White Rose 1 3-5 5-3 4-4 7½-½ 7-1 7-1 5½-2½ 39 11
3 Wood Green HK 1-7 3-5 5-3 6-2 5½-2½ 6-2 7-1 33½ 10
4 Grantham Sharks 1 ½-7½ 4-4 3-5 5-3 4½-3½5½-2½ 5-3 27½ 9
5 Barbican 4NCL 2 ½-7½ ½-7½ 2-6 3-5 6-2 6-2 5½-2½23½ 6
6 Oxford 1 1-7 1-7 2½-5½3½-4½ 2-6 5½-2½6½-1½ 22 4
7 North East England ½-7½ 1-7 2-6 2½-5½ 2-6 2½-5½ 5½-2½ 16 2
8 Anglian Avengers 1 2-6 2½-5½ 1-7 3-5 2½-5½1½-6½2½-5½ 15 0
Championship
1 2 3 45 6 7 8 GP Pts
1 Guildford 1 5-3
7-1 6½-1½ 7½-½ 26 14
2 Cheddleton 1 5½-2½ 6-2 5-3 5½-2½ 22 10
3 3Cs 1 2½-5½ 4½-3½5½-2½4½-3½ 17 10
4 White Rose 1 3-5 5-3 4-4 4-4 16 8
5 Wood Green HK 1-7 3½-4½ 3-5 5-3 12½ 8
6 Guildford 2 1½-6½ 2-6 2½-5½ 4½-3½ 10½ 2
7 Barbican 4NCL 1 3-5 3½-4½ 4-4 3½-4½ 14 2
8 Grantham Sharks 1 ½-7½ 2½-5½ 4-4 3-5 10 2
POOL A
XIIIIIIIIY
In Pool A it’s Cheddleton leading the 9r+lwqk+-tr0
charge to the Championship as expected
with 6/6 match wins. After brushing 9+-zpnzppvlp0
aside 3Cs 5.52.5 in round 4 their closest 9-+-zp-+p+0
match to date was against Barbican 1.
Here we see a particularly aggressive 9zp-+nzP-sN-0
game from Simon ’GingerGM’ Williams 9Pzp-zP-zP-+0
against the usually solid Peter Sowray. 9+-+L+-+-0
Simon K Williams - Peter J Sowray 9-zPP+N+PzP0
4NCL Division 1a Northampton, ENG (6.14) 9tR-vLQ+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
1.d4 g6 2.e4 d6 3.¤c3 ¥g7 4.f4 a6 5.¤f3 11.f5!? also looks dangerous here for
b5 6.¥d3 ¤d7 7.a4 b4 8.¤e2 a5 8...c5 example 11...gxf5 12.¥xf5 dxe5 13.¤g5
should be more critical here. e6 14.¥e4 with a strong attack.
11...h6?! Far too provocative - there is
9.0–0 ¤gf6 10.e5 ¤d5 11.¤g5 no way this horse is turning back! 11...

April 2017
e6 was absolutely necessary when after to Stephen Gordon providing the only
12.c4 bxc3 13.bxc3 00 White retains a decisive result with a win over the up-and-
comfortable advantage but Black is still coming Alan Merry.
solid and in the game. Guildford 2 and Barbican 1 will join
12.¤e6! I don’t know how long it took for Cheddleton and 3Cs in the championship
Simon to play this sacrifice but I would pool. Guildford 2 have a very flexible team
imagine is wasn’t very long! as many of their players can play for the
12...fxe6 13.¥xg6+ ¢f8 14.¤g3 14.f5 first team as well. Yang-Fan Zhou is one
immediately was also very strong. who regularly switches in search of strong
14...¢g8 15.£h5 ¦h7! Peter finds the enough opposition for a potential GM
most stubborn defence but he’s already norm. Here he plays top board for the 2nd
in trouble. 15...£f8 also defends against team in helping them to an 80 whitewash
the threat of ¥f7+ but now 16.f5 ¤7f6 of Kings Head.
17.exf6 ¤xf6 18.£e2 and White has
regained material equality with an Yang-Fan Zhou – John C Pigott
overwhelming position.
16.¥xh7+ Kxh7 17.f5 ¤f8 18.£f7! 4NCL Division 1a Northampton, ENG (5.31)
9r+lwq-sn-+0 9-+-wq-trk+0
9+-zp-zpQvlk0 9+-snlvlpzp-0
9-+-zpp+-zp0 9-+nsNp+-zp0
9zp-+nzPP+-0 9+-zp-zP-+-0
9Pzp-zP-+-+0 9r+p+-+-zP0
9+-+-+-sN-0 9+-+-+NzP-0
9-zPP+-+PzP0 9-+-vLQzPL+0
9tR-vL-+RmK-0 9+-tRR+-mK-0
The attack just doesn’t stop! 18...¤d7 22.¦xc4 White has some pressure for
19.¥xh6! £g8 20.£g6+ ¢h8 21.fxe6 the pawn, especially with such a strong
¤f8 21...¥xe5 22.£xg8+ ¢xg8 23.dxe5 knight on d6 but Black should be holding
¤xe5 24.¦f8+ is also hopeless for Black. on for the moment. Unfortunately John
22.¥xg7+ £xg7 23.¦xf8+ £xf8 24.¦f1 chooses this moment to enter into some
Black’s king has no cover and with his complications that don’t quite work out
bishop and rook are taking no part in the in his favour...
defence Sowray decides it’s time to throw 22...¤xe5?! Removing the knight from
in the towel. d6 must have come as some relief but
1–0 White’s rook on d1 is now lining up
Black’s pieces on the open file. Safer
was 22...¦xc4 23.£xc4 ¤d5! 24.£xc5
With wins from Vladimir Hamitevici and £b8 and chances are about even - Black
Ezra Kirk, a fine win from Barbican’s is now threatening to take on e5 in
Alan Merry was only a consolation as relative safety.
Cheddleton ran out 53 victors. 3Cs are 23.¤xe5 ¥xd6 24.¥xh6! ¤d5 or
also having an impressive season, only 24...¥b5 25.£g4 £f6 26.¦xa4 ¥xe5
losing to Cheddleton. After defeating 27.¥g5 £g6 28.¦a7 and White is an
Guildord 2 surprisingly easily at the first exchange up with excellent winning
weekend they edged out Barbican 1 thanks chances. 25.¤xd7 £xd7 26.¥xg7!

04/137
XIIIIIIIIY POOL B
9-+-+-trk+0 In Pool B defending champions Guildford
9+-+q+pvL-0 1 are making serene progress, crushing
most teams - they have three 7.5–0.5
9-+-vlp+-+0 victories but are yet to manage the full 8
9+-zpn+-+-0 this season - and only being tested at all
9r+R+-+-zP0 by White Rose in round 3. Paul Townsend
and Svetlana Sucikova pulled off surprise
9+-+-+-zP-0 victories for White Rose on the bottom
9-+-+QzPL+0 two boards (against Mark Hebden
and Sophie Milliet respectively) but
9+-+R+-mK-0 Guildford’s top 6 were just too powerful.
xiiiiiiiiy Peter Wells drew an interesting game
I suspect this final detail is what Black against Matthew Sadler on top board, but
missed. 26...¦xc4 26...¢xg7 27.£g4+ Robin Van Kampen was too strong for
wins the rook and the game. Colin McNab on board 2:
27.¥xf8 ¤c3 28.£xc4 ¤xd1 29.¥h6 The
final trick - Black cannot defend against Robin Van Kampen – Colin A McNab
mate on g7 and the knight on d1.
29...¥e5 30.£g4+ ¢h8 31.£h5 ¥d4 4NCL Division 1b Northampton, ENG (3.52)
32.¥d2+ ¢g8 33.£xd1 ¥g7 34.£c1 XIIIIIIIIY
1–0
Finally, Barbican 1 are set to push 9-+-+ktr-+0
Blackthorne Russia into the demotion 9zpp+-+p+-0
pool after beating them 5-3 in round
4 with wins from Brian Tarhon and
9-+rzpp+p+0
Alan Merry who is having an excellent 9+-wq-+-+-0
season. 9-+n+PzP-+0
9+-sNR+-+Q0
9PzPP+R+PzP0
9+K+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
24.¤d1 As we join the game we see
Robin a pawn up but under a bit of
pressure, however with control of the
centre he should be clearly better. Colin
decides to attack on the queenside before
White can fully coordinate.
24...¦b6 25.b3 ¤a3+ 26.¢c1 ¤b5
27.a4 £a3+ 28.¢b1 £xa4!? A very
inventive idea but unfortunately this
sacrifice falls just short of working, but
it was worth a try since other moves
offer little hope. For example, 28...¤c7
29.¤c3 £c5 30.¦ed2 ¦c6 31.¢b2 ¢e7
32.e5 d5 33.¤e4! and White is easily
winning (if now 33...dxe4? 34.¦d7+
¢e8 35.¦d8+ ¢e7 36.¦2d7#).

April 2017
29.bxa4 ¤c3+ 30.¢c1 ¤xe2+ 31.¢d2

¤xf4 32.£h4 ¤xd3 33.¢xd3 XIIIIIIIIY
XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-tr-snk+0
9-+-+ktr-+0 9zpl+-+p+p0
9zpp+-+p+-0 9-zpq+-+p+0
9-tr-zpp+p+0 9+-+pvL-+Q0
9+-+-+-+-0 9-+P+-+-+0
9P+-+P+-wQ0 9zP-+L+-+R0
9+-+K+-+-0 9-+-+-zPPzP0
9-+P+-+PzP0 9+-+-tR-mK-0
9+-+N+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy
xiiiiiiiiy 25...£h6 is not a move you want to play
The knight has hopped around taking against such a strong Grandmaster - it leads
what it could but when it finally falls to a clearly worse endgame - but given
White is still left with a queen and knight what happens in the game it was still a
for two rooks and a pawn. Possibly Black better chance. 26.£xh6 gxh6 27.¦g3+
still offer some resistance if it wasn’t for ¤g6 28.f4 dxc4 29.¥xc4 and Black has
the fact the rook on f8 is still a long way some chances still to hold on for a draw.
for the action - as it is White cleans up 26.£h6 f6 27.¥xg6! ¦d7 27...hxg6
fairly easily. gets mated by force after 28.£h8+ ¢f7
33...¦b1 34.¤c3 ¦f1 35.¢e2 ¦c1 29.¦h7+ ¤xh7 30.£xh7+ ¢f8 31.¥f4!
36.¢d2 ¦f1 37.¤b5 ¢d7 38.e5! ¦f5 38... g5 or else ¥h6 mates 32.¦e7 d4 33.£f7#.
dxe5 39.£c4 and Black loses the rook on 28.cxd5 £xd5 It’s hard not to feel a bit
f1 or gets mated. sorry for Black here - one move away from
39.£d4 ¦d8 40.£xd6+ ¢c8 41.¤xa7# giving mate on g2 but White’s attack is just
1–0 too powerful!
29.¥xh7+! ¦xh7 29...¤xh7 30.¦g3+
¢f7 31.¦g7+ ¢e8 32.¥c7+! with mate
For our next game we turn to Matthew soon to follow.
Sadler, an ever impressive figure on top 30.¦g3+ ¢f7 31.£xf6+ ¢e8 32.¥f4+
board for Guildford 1. Here we join him 32.¥b8+! ¢d7 33.£xf8 is also game over.
on the attack against the tricky Justin 32...¢d7 33.¦g7+ ¦xg7 34.£xg7+ ¢c6
Tan playing board 1 for Oxford. 35.£c7+ 35.a4! is my computer’s choice
- calm as ever, covering the king’s escape
Matthew D Sadler – Justin Tan square on b5 and threatening mate on c7.
Most humans however will settle for the
4NCL Division 1b Northampton, ENG (4.51) win of the queen!
35...¢b5 36.¦e5
1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 ¥b4 4.e3 0–0 1–0
5.¥d3 c5 6.¤f3 cxd4 7.exd4 d5 8.0–0
dxc4 9.¥xc4 b6 10.¦e1 ¥b7 11.¥d3
¤bd7 12.a3 ¥xc3 13.bxc3 £c7 14.c4
¦fe8 15.¤e5 ¤xe5 16.¦xe5 £c6 17.£f1 White Rose are ’best of the rest’ in Pool B,
¤d7 18.¦e3 £d6 19.¥b2 ¤f8 20.¦ae1 having lost to Guildford and won the others.
¦ed8 21.£e2 £f4 22.d5 exd5 23.¥e5 They inflicted a heavy 7.5–0.5 defeat on
£h6 24.¦h3 £c6 Barbican 2 with some attractive finishes in
25.£h5 g6? the following two games:
Richard J D Palliser - Giampaolo

04/137
Buchicchio 23.¦xf7+! An important mating pattern to

remember! 23.¦xf7+ ¦xf7 (or 23...¢h8
4NCL Division 1b Northampton, ENG (5.63) 24.£xg6 ¤f6 25.£g7#) 24.£xg6+ ¢h8
25.¤xf7#.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.¤f3 ¤f6 4.¤c3 a6 5.c5 1–0
¤bd7 6.¥f4 ¤h5 7.¥g5 h6 8.¥d2 ¤hf6
9.¥f4 ¤h5 10.¥e5 ¤xe5 11.¤xe5 ¤f6 12.e3
¥f5 13.¥d3 e6 14.0–0 ¥e7 15.¥xf5 exf5 Ashley Stewart – Sue Maroroa
16.£d3 g6 17.b4 £c7 18.f3 ¦d8 19.¦ad1 0–0
XIIIIIIIIY 4NCL Division 1b Northampton, ENG (5.66)
9-+-tr-trk+0 XIIIIIIIIY
9+pwq-vlp+-0 9-+-tr-trk+0
9p+p+-snpzp0 9+p+-snpvl-0
9+-zPpsNp+-0 9-+-zp-+pzp0
9-zP-zP-+-+0 9+Pzp-zpq+-0
9+-sNQzPP+-0 9-+P+N+n+0
9P+-+-+PzP0 9+QsNP+-zPl0
9+-+R+RmK-0 9-vL-+PzP-zP0
xiiiiiiiiy 9+R+-tR-mKL0
The opening hasn’t gone well for Black, but xiiiiiiiiy
his position looks solid enough for now - 20...£h5 Black is setting up a mating
however Richard opens the centre and soon attack on the kingside and although it’s
it’s all over... not yet clear what the immediate threat is
20.e4! If Black is given time to play ...¤d7 White needs to react quickly.
he is close to equalising but now White has a 21.¥f3?! With the knight pinned I suspect
dangerous initiative. White felt comfortable enough here but now
20...fxe4 21.fxe4 ¢g7?! A better try was the rest of the black army join in the attack.
21...dxe4 22.¤xe4 ¤xe4 23.£xe4 f5 21.f3! forces the knight back and gives the
24.£f4 ¥g5 25.£g3 £g7 when Black is white king some breathing room. 21...¤f6
still alive, albeit a pawn down after 26.h4. (21...¤e3 gets nowhere after 22.¥c1! ¤7f5
22.exd5 ¤xd5? 22...cxd5 23.¦de1 leaves 23.£a2 with ¥xe3 and £d2 to come).
Black in all sorts of trouble - for example 21...f5! 22.¤d2 f4 23.¤de4 fxg3
it’s not clear how he defends against the 24.hxg3? The most logical but this
simple ¦e3-g3 and there is no counterplay allows a wonderful finish 24.fxg3 ¤f5
at all here that I can see. looks unpleasant for White but there is no
XIIIIIIIIY immediate breakthrough.
9-+-tr-tr-+0 24...¥g2!! Quite a normal idea in these
positions, but the follow-up is still unusual.
9+pwq-vlpmk-0 24...¦xf3!! is another beautiful possibility
9p+p+-+pzp0 pointed out by Stockfish - this leads to
mate after 25.exf3 ¤h2! 26.¢xh2 ¥g4+
9+-zPnsN-+-0 27.¢g1 ¥xf3 and White cannot prevent
9-zP-zP-+-+0 mate on h1.
9+-sNQ+-+-0 25.¢xg2 £h2+ 26.¢f1 £h3+ 27.¢g1
£h2+ 28.¢f1 Ahsley repeats moves once
9P+-+-+PzP0 but she has no interest in the draw here.
9+-+R+RmK-0 28...¤f5! Amazingly there is no defence to
the threat of ...¤xf2 and ¤e3#.
xiiiiiiiiy
April 2017
29.¤d1 29.¥xg4 ¤e3#; 29.¦ec1 ¤d4 everything as after 29.¦f4 ¦g6+ 30.¢h1
30.£d1 ¦xf3 31.exf3 £h1#. White’s king is perfectly safe on h1.
29...¤xf2 30.¥c1 ¤xe4 31.¥f4 ¤exg3+ 29.¥g2 ¦h6 30.¥h1?! Not an obvious
A fantastic attacking finish from Sue. mistake but we shall see in a few moves that
0–1 the bishop is misplaced on the h-file. Another
move would give White a fighting chance, for
example 30.¦b1 ¦xh4 31.¥f1 ¦fh8 32.¦g2
The final two places in the Championship Pool and with ... g3 prevented for the time being it’s
will be filled by Wood Green and Grantham not so easy to see how Black breaks through.
Sharks. The latter struggled last season and Still, after 32...¢f7 White’s defensive task is
needed heroics at the final weekend to avoid unenviable to say the least!
relegation but wins against closest rivals 30...£xh4 31.¦g2 £g5 32.¦f4 ¦h3
Oxford and Barbican 2 were enough to see 33.£f2 ¦fh8 White is almost in Zugzwang
them safely progress this year. As a player for and his next move brings the game to an
the Sharks I don’t often get to feature games immediate conclusion.
from our matches, but I couldn’t resist giving 34.£e2?! 34.b5 was more stubborn but
the end to the following game. As we join it even here White is losing, for example 34...
Peter Roberson has built up a powerful attack a6 35.bxa6 bxa6 36.£e1 £h6 37.£d2 ¢f6
against the White king but there is still work 38.¢f1 (or 38.c6 g3!) 38...¥d7! 39.¢e1
to be done to breakthrough. ¦b8 and White’s position cannot take
being attacked from a second front.
James Moreby – Peter T Roberson XIIIIIIIIY
4NCL Division 1b Northampton, ENG (3.83) 9-+-+-+-tr0
1.c4 e5 2.g3 d6 3.¥g2 f5 4.¤c3 ¤f6 5.e3
9zpp+-+-mk-0
¥e7 6.¤ge2 0–0 7.0–0 c6 8.d4 ¤bd7 9-+-+l+-+0
9.b3 £e8 10.¥a3 e4 11.¤f4 ¤b6 12.f3 9+-zPp+pwq-0
g5 13.¤fe2 d5 14.¥xe7 £xe7 15.c5 exf3
16.¦xf3 ¤bd7 17.£d3 ¤e4 18.¤xe4 9-zP-zPptRp+0
dxe4 19.£c4+ ¢g7 20.¦f2 ¤f6 21.¥h3 9+-+-zP-+r0
¥e6 22.£c1 ¤d5 23.¤c3 ¦f6 24.¤xd5
cxd5 25.£d2 ¦af8 26.¦af1 h5
9P+-+Q+RzP0
XIIIIIIIIY 9+-+-+-mKL0
9-+-+-tr-+0 xiiiiiiiiy
34...g3! Now we see why the bishop is
9zpp+-wq-mk-0 misplaced on h1 - the h-pawn is pinned and
9-+-+ltr-+0 White’s fate is sealed.
9+-zPp+pzpp0 35.¦xg3 Allowing a queen sacrifice to end
the game. 35.¢f1 is also hopeless after
9-+-zPp+-+0 35...¦xh2 36.¦xh2 ¦xh2 37.¥g2 ¥d7
9+P+-zP-zPL0 35...£xg3+! 36.hxg3 ¦xh1+ 37.¢f2
¦8h2#
9P+-wQ-tR-zP0
0–1
9+-+-+RmK-0 With the season half complete there are
xiiiiiiiiy some interesting questions still remaining.
27.b4 White’s queenside counterplay is Can Cheddleton (or indeed anyone!) stop the
little more than a dream at this stage, but onward march of Guildford? Elsewhere there
anything is better than just sitting and are norms to be decided, relegation spots to be
waiting. avoided and lots of chess to be played in the
27...h4 28.gxh4 g4! 28...gxh4? would ruin final two weekends of the 2016/17 season!

04/137
Problem
World
by Christopher Jones
cjajones1@yahoo.co.uk
Grandmaster of Chess Composition
Solutions are given on page 254
1 2
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+Lsn-+-+0
9+-+-+-+R0
9-+-+-mkP+0
9+-+-+-+K0
9-+-zP-+-+0
9+p+-+n+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+l+0
9wq-+-zp-+-0
9-+-+r+-zp0
9+-+-+-+-0
9pvL-+N+QmK0
9sN-+kzP-+R0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-vL-+-+-0 9+-+-+-vl-0
3 4
Colin Russ (Folkestone) David Shire (Canterbury)
Mate in 2 Mate in 2
ORIGINAL ORIGINAL
9-+-+-+-+0 9-+l+-+-+0
9+-+p+-+-0 9+-zp-+-+-0
9-vL-zp-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0
9+p+-+-+p0 9+n+-+-+-0
9-zPpzPp+-+0 9-+k+-zPp+0
9mK-zP-zP-+P0 9+-+-+-zP-0
9-+-+-+-+0 9p+P+K+-+0
9mkl+R+-+-0 9tr-tr-+-vLL0
Paul Michelet (London) Michael McDowell (Westcliff on Sea)
Mate in 9 Helpmate in 3 - 2 solutions
ORIGINAL ORIGINAL

April 2017
BCM exclusive
How “a new game from America” is changing the
culture and life of young people in Africa
At the birth of a
Gambian
chess culture
by Zachary Snowdon Smith
04/137
The Gambia is no stranger to residents of the British Isles, as we were there as early
as 1588, paying the Portuguese for rights in the area. Then in 1660s, in pursuit of
economic and trade interests, we got hold of James Island where we build Fort James.
The territory was a source of many things for the British, but that did not include chess
players!
The Gambia is a relatively new country in the chess world. According to information
published by the English Chess Federation, Gambia ceased to be a member of FIDE 25
years ago. They rejoined at the 2012 FIDE Congress held in Turkey.
Upon receiving this piece about chess in this small country on the West African coast,
many of us at BCM wondered: “Do we remember ever seeing a Gambian player at a
chess event?” A quick look the latest FIDE rating list showed that Gambia has only four
rated players. The highest rated player is Ebrima Bah, a FIDE master with a rating of
2078 points. Further research has shown that this West African country, which gained
independence from Britain in 1965 and with a population 1.8 million, held its first (and
only, as far as we know) chess national championship in 2016. So, it seems that the
Gambian chess scene is in its infancy. However, as the following article shows, chess in
Gambia is gradually taking hold and gaining in popularity with the most dynamic and
talented part of any country’s population, its young people.
BCM Editors
West Africa has its own favourite board game and it’s called “Damm”. The game is actually
like checkers played on a 10x10 or 12x12 board. The pieces are generally rough-cut chunks
of wood. Most of the boards are blue-and-red colour. More recently, however, chess is
taking over from damm as the main game in town thanks to the work of chess enthusiasts
from the United States Peace Corps.
People in the West African village of Ballen have been playing damm for as long as the
village’s oldest residents can remember. The culture of damm is strongly masculine. Very
few women play it. In this fast-paced game you are expected to exchange taunts as you
play, and you don’t just place a piece onto the board: you slam it down.
Today, there’s a new game in Ballen, a town on the west coast of Gambia. It’s played on a
checkered board, like damm, but the pieces move differently. What’s more, players of this
game manoeuvre slowly and deliberately, and the streams of friendly insults only begin
after particular decisive moments. Unlike damm, this game is played by women as well.
The boy who brought this game to Ballen called it the ‘new game from America.’
The Gambia is an often-overlooked nation about half the size of Wales. I arrived here in
June 2015 as an education volunteer with the United States Peace Corps. After two months’
technical and language training, I arrived in the bush village of Kapa. My first ideas for
projects in Kapa were conventional: a reading club, music classes and so on. I had come
with a travel chess set in my pack, but it took almost a year for me to bring it out and ask
the other residents of my compound if they wanted to learn to play.
My 14-year-old host brother, Abdou Badjie, was the first to crack the secret of chess: that the
player who pauses before moving is more likely to make a winning move. ‘In this game, you

April 2017
have to think,’ he told the other children. Soon, the teenagers who wanted to beat Abdou began
to imitate his deliberate playing style, and the raucous damm culture became moderated a little.
After two months of constantly being passed around, half the pieces in my chess set had
lost their magnets, so I went to Banjul, the capital of Gambia, and bought Abdou his own
chess set. This set was crafted by a woodworker named Omar Jallow and the pieces were
in West African designs: knights were gazelles, rooks were huts and the bishops looked
distinctly un−clerical. Omar told me that he had been carving chess sets to sell to tourists
for eight years, but that he’d never known how to play the game himself.
The male teachers at Kapa Basic Cycle School were enthusiastic damm players, and
when one of them caught sight of Abdou playing chess, he was curious. I brought my
increasingly battered chess set to school, and it was soon being passed around. None of the
pieces had gone missing yet. I wondered how long my luck would hold out.
At the school, I saw a kind of village chess culture beginning to take shape. This wasn’t the
frantic, macho atmosphere of damm, but nor was it sterile and silent. There was still banter
across the board, mixed with the occasional laugh of triumph or exclamation of disbelief
that everything had somehow gone wrong.
‘Damm is a game, but this chess is like a real war!’ says Babucarr Mbaye, a teacher. ‘You
can’t make even one small mistake. Even a small move at the beginning can make a big
difference later.’
Gambian village culture is thoroughly conservative. Power still derives from the alkalo,
a hereditary village chief. Jobs are given out to friends and family as a matter of course.

04/137
Boys and girls rarely work or play together. Men might play damm or football; girls play
lampant, a game that could be very approximately described as cricket using a shoe rather
than a ball. Girls are expected to spend their time outside of school cooking, washing
clothes and running errands.
The ‘new game from America’ helped open the tiniest seam in this wall between the
genders. Abdou accepted challenges from the girls in our compound, and no one seemed
to think it was unusual. It appeared that the assumptions about damm and gender had not
carried over to chess. Abdou’s female cousin, 14−year−old Hawa Jarju, played against male
teachers at school and sometimes won.
One night in my hut I watched as 7−year−old Babucarr Tamba checkmated his 17−year−old
cousin Muhammed. Muhammed asked me how Babucarr had tricked him. Babucarr’s
‘trick’ was, simply, the fact that he had practiced more. These boards with their 32 figures
were, in subtle ways, inverting traditional hierarchies of gender, age and status.
I have mostly been an observer of this process and not an instigator. When Abdou
introduced chess to Ballen I knew that I needed more equipment − our two sets were not
enough to share between two villages. I applied for and received a $2,700 grant from Let
Girls Learn, an initiative of the US State Department. With that money we were able to
buy enough sets to supply dozens of villages. Other Peace Corps volunteers in Gambia
have also used these supplies to start their own village chess clubs.
In Kapa and Ballen, at least, there is now a distinct way of going about chess−playing.
Quiet, but never silent, many games are crowded by onlookers who hunch and follow
each move. Village life is highly communal, and Western assumptions about privacy and

April 2017
personal space are not recognized. Therefore, most players don’t mind having observers
leaning so close around them that they almost block view of the board. Gambian chess is
a young person’s game, and it gives girls a way to assert themselves.
“If two women are playing damm, the men will always make a comment like − it’s a good
thing a woman is playing against a woman, because they’re not on my level,” said Kristen
Foos, a Peace Corps volunteer.
Over the past month, Kristen has introduced chess to her 14−year−old host sister, Amie
Mendy. Amie’s progress has been slow but steady, and she has never been discouraged by
losing, Kristen says.
“I’ve seen her gaining confidence,’ said Kristen. ‘There was a moment when we were
sitting and playing, and one of the men who was brewing attaya [tea] nearby said “You
can’t play against me. You’re not on my level”. He had never played chess before, so Amie
beat him and got to laugh about it: “Now what level am I on?” she asked…
As I write this article − at the Peace Corps’ Banjul office, one of a handful of places in
Gambia with reliable Internet − I’m preparing for what will be Gambia’s first youth chess
tournament. Peace Corps volunteers will assemble 20 young Gambians from all regions of
the country to compete with one another and make new connections over three days. The
encouragement we have received from figures like Nazi Paikidze, the 2016 US Women’s
Chess Champion, make us optimistic that we will be able to raise money for the equipment
and venue. Twenty competitors will make a small tournament, and the prizes are modest.
But, as a teacher told me, even a small move at the beginning can make a big difference later.
Zachary Snowdon Smith,

Member of the United States Peace Corps posted in Gambia, West Africa

04/137
Endgame Studies The answers are given on page 255
by Ian Watson ian@irwatson.demon.co.uk
1 XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+L+N+0
9+-+-+-sn-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-zp-0
9-+-+-+kzP0
9+-+-+-+-0
2 XIIIIIIIIY
9-sN-+-+-+0
9mk-sn-+-sn-0
9-+R+-+-+0
9wqL+-+-+-0
9P+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-mK-+0 9KtR-+-+-zp0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0
H Aloni Y Hoch
Sahs 1960 WCCT 1972
3 4
win Win
9-+-vL-+-+0 9-+-+-+k+0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-+r+q0
9-+-+-+P+0 9-+l+R+-+0
9+-tr-+-+-0 9+-+-+-zP-0
9-+-+P+k+0 9-+-+-+K+0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+Q+-+-+-0
9-zp-+-+-mK0 9-+p+-+-+0
9+-+-sN-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0
J Roche O Pervakov
Phenix 1988 Moscow Ty 1992
win draw

April 2017
Spring study
solving test
These four studies were set to solvers first one quickly to save up time for the
in the Finnish and Dutch Open Solving others. You should use a chess set to help
Championships in February and March this you - the competitors are also allowed to
year. Your task is, of course, to beat those use sets.
solvers!
As usual, there are five points for each
There are national solving championships study, and with the solutions I̕ll show you
in many countries, and they are often how the points were allocated. You need
Opens, meaning that foreign solvers can to find the composer̕s main line; you can
take part (although of course they don̕t also write down sidelines if you̕re not sure
become the national champion even if what the main line is, but only the main line
they win). The Finnish event was won by moves earn points. So, look for the most
the Russian junior Aleksey Popov, but the artistic, elegant line.
Dutch event was won by the French senior
Michel Caillaud - at solving, you don̕t The first two are from the Finnish event;
have to be young to do well! Most of the Popov got the full five points for both of
compositions that the competitors have to them. The Aloni is quite easy and all of the
solve in these events are problems, such as top twelve competitors in the event got it
mates in 2 or more, but each event includes right. Only two, however, got full points
endgame studies and I̕ve picked these out on the Hoch. In the Dutch event, Solving
for you. Grandmaster Caillaud got full marks on the
Roche, and no other competitor did. Indeed,
Solving in these events is against the clock, Caillaud correctly solved every one of the
so to compare yourself with the competitors, compositions in the event (twelve of them)
give yourself a total of one hour for these except for the Pervakov study. None of the
studies. The four are arranged in ascending competitors got more than two points on it.
order of difficulty, so you̕ll need to do the Can you do better?
CHESSBOARD THuNDERBOLTS
by Colin Russ
You’ve been there. The game is flowing ado. Or could there be a perpetual check
along, gently and agreeably. The old− there or some other pleasant swindle? No.
fashioned analogical clock’s tick is not You must offer your hand and put the best
threatening but soporific. You see nothing in face on it all, trying to appear a good loser,
the position. Perhaps offer a draw? Do you even if you are livid. However, you do not
do that before or after moving? Annoying tip your king: that would be going too far.
»
that you can never remember. Then the
opponent moves and gazes at you. Slap,
bang, wallop! A thunderbolt! Horrified,
you realise that you must resign without

04/137
XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY

9-+-+rsnk+0 9-+-tr-+-mk0 9-+r+-+k+0
9+-wqn+-zp-0 9+p+-+-zp-0 9zpl+pwq-zpp0
9p+-+l+-zp0 9-+-+-+-zp0 9-zp-+p+r+0
9+pzp-sN-+-0 9zpKzP-sn-+-0 9+-+-+psn-0
9-+P+-+-+0 9P+-+L+-+0 9-zPPzP-+-+0
9+-+-zP-wQ-0 9+QzPR+P+-0 9zP-+-+-+-0
9PvL-+-+PzP0 9-zP-+q+-zP0 9-+Q+-zPPzP0
9+L+-+RmK-0 9+-+-+-+-0 9tR-+RvLL+K0
xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy
1) Keres - Spassky 2) Tichy – Schöneberg 3) Winter - Colle
Gothenburg 1955 Prague 1981 Scarborough 1930
White to play White to play Black to play

9-+-+-+k+0 9-+-+r+k+0 9rsn-wq-tr-mk0
9+-+q+-zpp0 9+pwq-+p+-0 9zp-+psNpzpp0
9p+-vlp+-+0 9p+-zp-zP-+0 9lzp-wQ-+-+0
9+-+p+r+-0 9+-zpP+Lzp-0 9+-zp-zPN+-0
9-zp-zPp+-+0 9-+P+-tR-zp0 9-+L+-+-+0
9+-+lwQ-zPP0 9zP-+-+-+P0 9zP-tR-+-+-0
9PzP-vL-trL+0 9-zP-wQr+PmK0 9-+-+-zPPzP0
9+N+-tR-tRK0 9+-tR-+-+-0 9+-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy Xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy
4) Sämisch - Nimzovich 5) Cuellar - Reshevsky 6) Alekhine - Supico
Copenhagen 1923 Sousse 1967 Blindfold Simul, Lisbon 1941
Black to play White to play White to play

9k+q+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+ktr-+0
9zp-+-+p+-0 9+p+-+-mk-0 9+p+-vl-wQp0
9P+-+l+p+0 9p+-zp-+-tr0 9p+n+-+-+0
9+-+pwQ-+p0 9+-+-+pzp-0 9+-+-zp-vL-0
9-+-+-+-+0 9-zPPzPp+l+0 9-+p+N+q+0
9+-+-+-+P0 9+-+-zP-zP-0 9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-zPP+0 9q+-sN-wQ-+0 9PzPP+-+PzP0
9+R+-+-mK-0 9+-+-tR-mK-0 9+-+R+-mK-0
Xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy
7) Pillsbury - Wolf 8) Lorenzana - Onischuk 9) Walther - Bhend
Blindfold Simul, Vienna 1902 Toluca 2009 Zürich 1964
White to play Black to play White to play
The answers are given on page 255
April 2017
The sky is the limit
Siurce: US Chess Championship Oicial

Wesley So becomes
new US chess champion!
By Milan Dinic
The 23−year−old GM Wesley So made another As the champion, So also got to take home
astonishing step in his - so far brilliant and $50.000 in prize money.
outstanding - career, by adding the title of US
Chess Champion to his accomplishments. In a recent interview for BCM, when asked
about who does he sees the next world
After 11 rounds So ended up tied with champion, Wesley So had this to say: “I
Alexander Onischuk with 7 points. The have no idea. Life is strange and weird
championship was decided in a rapid playoff things happen all the time. Better just to
and So defeated Onischuk 1.5 0 0.5 in St. live the part you’re in, instead of wondering
Louis, Missouri. about parts of it you may never reach.
Se dominated the first rapid game. Playing Asked if he is ready to take on Carlsen, So
with white pieces and having better time replied: “I never feel ready to take on anyone.
control, So was victorious after 31 moves. I go into each game just hoping for the best
He forced a draw in the second game, no matter who I’m playing! Sometimes lower
sealing his title. rated players can pull unpleasant surprises.
Sometimes higher rated players aren’t in
After the victory, So had this to say for the form. Anything can happen on any day.”
Star Tribune: “I really wanted to win this
one this year… because it’s the strongest It seems that Monday, 10th April 2017, was a
national competition in the world. All the great day for So, with the promise of many more
great players have won this one”. to come.

04/137
Wesley So – Alexander Onischuk 11...¥g6 12.£xb7 ¤d4 13.¤xd4 ¥xd4

14.d3 ¤c5 15.£b5 ¦b8 16.£c4 ¤e6
First game of the playof 17.f4 ¥xb2 18.¦b1 £d4 19.¦xb2 ¦xb2
20.¥g4 ¦b4?
1.c4 e6 2.¤c3 ¤f6 3.e4 d5 4.cxd5 exd5
5.e5 ¤e4 6.¤f3 ¥f5 7.¥e2 ¥e7 8.0–0 0–0
9.£b3 ¤c6 10.¤xd5 ¥c5 XIIIIIIIIY
XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-trk+0
9r+-wq-trk+0 9zp-zp-+pzpp0
9zppzp-+pzpp0 9-+-+n+l+0
9-+n+-+-+0 9+-+-zP-+-0
9+-vlNzPl+-0 9-trQwq-zPL+0
9-+-+n+-+0 9+-+PsN-+-0
9+Q+-+N+-0 9P+-+-+PzP0
9PzP-zPLzPPzP0 9+-vL-+RmK-0
9tR-vL-+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy
21.£xd4 ¦xd4 22.f5 ¤f4 23.¤c2 ¦a4
xiiiiiiiiy 24.¥xf4 h5 25.¥d1 ¥h7 26.¤e3 ¦xa2
11.¤e3! The computer says that White has 27.e6 fxe6 28.¥b3 ¦e2 29.fxe6 ¦e8
a stable advantage in this position. 30.e7+ ¢h8 31.¥g5
1-0
In his own words: How Wesley So described his victory
(The full analysis of the US Chess Championship will be available in BCM’s May issue)

April 2017
Openings
for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro, ptamburro@aol.com
When we talked about the Janowski-Lasker XIIIIIIIIY

game in the previous issue, we discussed 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0
how the opening moves were connected to 9zppzp-zpp+p0
a middle game plan. The moves going from
one to another were founded in a central 9-+-+-snp+0
theme, not in memorization of moves. 9+-+p+-+-0
Games with thematic ideas can help you 9-+-zP-+-+0
in all sorts of openings. One of the most 9+-+LzP-+-0
memorable games in my chess studies 9PzPPsN-zPPzP0
appeared in a 1963 Chess Review. I was
fascinated by Benko’s idea of meeting 9tR-vLQmK-sNR0
the Stonewall Attack, which had quite The xiiiiiiiiy
knight move is virtually mandatory
a heyday in American Swiss System to prevent Black from challenging the e4
tournaments in the 60s through the 80s. square control by occupying that spot. For
We had the obligatory specialty opening example, 4.f4 ¥g7 (You can probably get
book on it. Some players just thought of away with an immediate 4...¤e4 ) 5.¤f3
it as the Dutch with an extra move. Most 0–0 6.0–0 c5 7.c3 £c7 8.b3 ¤e4.
club players liked it because you could
almost play automatically for ten or 4...¥g7 5.f4 ¤bd7 6.¤gf3 c5 7.c3 When I
fifteen moves. came back to this position after having played
through the game, I realized that Benko’s idea
Benko’s game demonstrated two important could have appeared earlier if 7.0–0 c4 8.¥e2
ideas on meeting the Stonewall. One was £c7 9.¤e5 0–0 10.a4 ¤e8 11.¤b1 ¤df6
actually in the notes as you began to study 12.¤c3 ¤d6 and the two knights, having
the game and realized what was behind been repositioned, have a lock on e4.
Benko’s knight maneuver. The other was
the idea of enforcing e5 and seizing the 7...0–0 8.0–0
initiative. XIIIIIIIIY
I found the ideas very useful, and they
9r+lwq-trk+0
helped me win a last round game and prize 9zpp+nzppvlp0
at the U.S. Open in 1994 against a London 9-+-+-snp+0
System. Let’s hope these ideas will prove
helpful to you as well. 9+-zpp+-+-0
9-+-zP-zP-+0
Vitaley Radaikin – Pal Benko 9+-zPLzPN+-0
South California Open, 1963 9PzP-sN-+PzP0
1.d4 ¤f6 2.e3 g6 3.¥d3 d5 4.¤d2! 9tR-vLQ+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
04/137
This position is akin to the All-Purpose of ¤f6-e8-d6 with a lock on e4 is the idea,
Defence position we talked about in a although in the game Benko shows an equally
previous column (The Janowski - Lasker critical thought.
game, analysed in the previous issue of BCM
- note by the editor). Most players know to 8...¤e8 9.¤e5 White can try two queen
get to this position, but haven’t a clear plan moves: 9.£e2 cxd4 (9...¤d6 10.e4 cxd4 11.e5
what to do next. Before this game, I usually dxc3 12.bxc3 (12.exd6 £b6+ 13.Kh1 cxb2)
went with 8...b6 with the idea of ¥b7, 12...¤e8 13.¥a3 (13.e6 £b6+) 13...¤b6)
which is OK, but not nearly as sharp as what 10.exd4 ¤d6 11.¤e5 ¤f6 12.g4 ¤fe4
Benko does. He’s going to retreat his knight 13.¤xe4 dxe4 14.¥xe4 ¤xe4 15.£xe4 f6
to e8. The game doesn’t show the idea, but 16.¤c4 f5! 17.gxf5 ¥xf5 18.£e3 (18.£xb7
it became really clear as I studied it. He’s ¥d3) 18...b5 19.¤e5 ¦c8 20.b3 ¥xe5 21.fxe5
switching the knights on f6! The knight path a5 22.¦f4 £d7 (22...e6) or he can go ‟Dutch”
Who is Pal Benko

Born in France (1928) Pal Benko was raised in Hungary and earned the title of
Hungarian Chess Champions at the age of 20. Fleeing prosecution by the Soviets after
being suspected of spying, he defected to the United States following the 1957 World
Student Team Championship which was held in Iceland.
In 1958 Benko was awarded the grandmaster title. He was a two-time candidate for the
World Championship, taking part in two interzonal tournaments: In Yugoslavia in 1959
he finished eighth, and sixth in Stockholm in 1962. Benko won eight US Open titles,
and compiled an outstanding record in chess Olympiads both as a player and as a team
captain.
In 1970, he turned down a chance to compete for a third World Championship when he
gave up his spot at that year’s Interzonal tournament to Bobby Fischer, who went on to
win the World Championship in 1972.
The Benko Gambit and Benko’s Opening, both of which he pioneered, are named
for him, though he is also considered
an authority on the endgame and
a composer of chess problems and
endgame studies.
He has contributed to several respectful
chess magazines and has also written
books on chess.
Benko defeated four players who

held the World Champion title at
some time. They are Bobby Fischer,
Mikhail Tal, Tigran Petrosian, and
Vassily Smyslov. His score against
Fischer was three wins, eight losses
and seven draws.
Pal Benko
Source: Wikipedia

April 2017
with 9.£e1 ¤d6 10.£h4 (10.b3 cxd4 11.exd4 Benko’s game

¤f6) 10...c4 11.¥c2 ¤f6, but the double knight
switch handles both of those possibilities.
demonstrated two
important ideas on
9...£c7 10.£f3 e6 11.£h3 Another square meeting the Stonewall.
would have been less bad, but the resulting One is connected to
position would still not be good: 11.£g3
¤d6 12.¤df3 f6 13.¤g4 c4 ( or 13...¤b6; the knight maneuver.
13...f5; 13...a5). The other was the idea
11...¤xe5 And, yes, it’s possible to play
of enforcing e5 and
the idea 11...¤d6 12.¤df3 ¤f6, but it’s a seizing the initiative
Swiss and Benko is in a hurry to get a little 14...e5!
relaxation before the next round. XIIIIIIIIY
12.fxe5 9r+l+-trk+0
XIIIIIIIIY 9zppwq-+-vlp0
9r+l+ntrk+0 9-+-+-snp+0
9zppwq-+pvlp0 9+-zppzp-+-0
9-+-+p+p+0 9-+-zP-+-wQ0
9+-zppzP-+-0 9+-zPLzP-+-0
9-+-zP-+-+0 9PzP-sN-+PzP0
9+-zPLzP-+Q0 9tR-vL-+RmK-0
9PzP-sN-+PzP0 xiiiiiiiiy
The “refutation position” of this game.
9tR-vL-+RmK-0 Black’s strategy reaches fruition with
xiiiiiiiiy e5. That Stonewall pawn on e3 no longer
White now has a semi-open file for the rook holds any promise, as the game ably
and hopes to get e4 in along with ¤xe4 demonstrates.
and ¥h6 followed by ¤g5, the very kind
of idea that made the Stonewall so popular. 15.e4 Taking results in an equally dismal
However, Black is ready to undermine all fate for that wretched e3 pawn: 15.dxe5
that by hitting back at the center, the classical £xe5 16.¤f3 £d6.
response to a kingside attack. Also note the
indirect attack on the queen. 15...c4 16.dxe5 ¤g4 17.¦xf8+ Chasing
the knight also brings the queen out with a
12...f6! 13.exf6 A longer game would result flourish: 17.h3 £c5+.
from 13.¥b5 ¥d7 14.¥xd7 £xd7 15.dxc5
fxe5 16.¦xf8+ ¥xf8 17.b4 b6 18.¥b2 (18. 17...¥xf8 18.¥b1 £c5+ 19.¢f1 ¤e3+
cxb6 axb6) 18...bxc5, but the result would 20.¢e2 d4 21.¤f3 d3+ 22.¢d2 ¤xg2
be the same. 0–1
13...¤xf6 Also possible right away was 13...e5. Thus, one of the world’s top grandmasters
at that time gave us two excellent ideas to
14.£h4 Offering a queen exchange was remember rather than a host of variations.
possible:14.£g3 £xg3 15.hxg3 b6 16.e4
cxd4 17.cxd4 dxe4 18.¤xe4 ¤g4, but, again Next time, we’ll look at how it turned out
Black is better. The d-pawn is doomed. against the London System.

04/137
Solutions to Problems (See page 240)
Bishop -v- Knight duel

In Colin Russ̕ 2-mover, it appears that it will soundness. The a4 pawn is added because
be the bishop at c1 that will make the key without it 1...£xa3 would be so obviously
move, as it is not performing any essential strong a defence that it would lead the
guard duties in the diagram position. It is, solver all too easily to the correct key move.
however, restraining the knight at f3, which
has to guard against 2.¥g5#. When we try Zigzagging round the houses
to activate the bishop the knight comes to In last month̕s characteristic Michelet
life – 1.¥a3? fails to 1...¤xd4! The canny moremover we saw a white bishop having to
waiting move 1.¥e3 fails to 1...b2! This go round the houses in order to reach a position
suggests the cannier key move – 1.¥b2! in which mate was forced. This month we see
Now 1...¤xd4 is met by 2.¥xd4, 1...¤e5 more specifically a zigzag manoeuvre. What
by 2.dxe5 and other moves by the knight we need to do is to set up a battery on the
by 2.d5. back rank, with the white rook sliding over
to h1 and the white bishop slotting into g1,
Captures of the wP unpinning the black bishop, whereupon the
In David Shire̕s 2-mover, attention focuses zigzags can begin. But care must be taken in
on the e3P. This performs the valuable setting this up. Black has to be able to make
function of guarding d4, but is vulnerable to his two available pawn moves. Not 1.¥d8?
capture. Rather as with the need to control d5! 2.¦h1 d6! Instead play 1.¥c7! Now if
the black knight in the previous problem, we 1...d5 2.¥h2 and if 1...h4 2.¦h1; either way,
find that we needn̕t worry about captures of we get to set up our battery, and then the
the e3 pawn in the diagram position but that manoeuvre B>f2>e1>d2>c1>b2 allows of
when we make a move that threatens mate – no defence.
the set defences to captures of the e3 pawn
no longer work and different remedies are Back (again) to helpmates
required. Thus, in the diagram 1...£xe3 As I said in March, “we couldn̕t go a month
and 1... ¥xe3 would be met respectively without at least one of these un-game-
by 2.¤c5 and 2.¤f2. (Each of these black like problems in which White and Black
pieces, pinned, interferes with the other – collaborate to reach a position in which Black
Leibovici interferences to problemists.) But is mated”! I hope you have enjoyed looking
when we play 1.¤g3!, threatening 2.£e2, for the 2 solutions to Michael McDowell̕s
those responses no longer work, as the 3-mover. Don̕t be disheartened if you̕ve failed
piece capturing at e3 is no longer pinned. to find them. Even after you hit upon the idea
White̕s choice of responses to captures of of using the white king as a shield against
the e3 pawn is then determined by the need the white bishops to mobilize his royal
to maintain a guard on d4. Thus 1...£xe3 counterpart it is still not at all easy to see how
and 1...¥xe3 both fail to 2.£c4; 1...¦xe3 this will work. But there is great pleasure to
fails to 2.£d1; and finally if 1...¢xe3 we be had from inspecting the two, well-matched
have 2.¤h1! (and not ¤e4?, which would solutions, in which two completely different
allow 2...¢d4). Notice also some byplay sets of royal batteries lead to wide-apart
– 1...£d4 2.£xd4 and 1...¦e4 2.£xe4. mates: (Black plays first) 1.¥f5 ¢f2 2.¢d4
It all works very neatly, with very few ¢g2+ 3.¢e4 ¢h2; and 1.¥d7 ¢e3 2.¢c5
pieces added to the board only to achieve ¢e4+ 3.¢c6 ¢e5.

April 2017
Endgame Studies (See page 246)

The moves in bold are what you had to 1...b1£ 2.£g8+ ¢f4 3.£f8+. In the main
give. You get each point if you have given line, 5...£e5+ 6.¥f4+ ¢xf4 7.¤d3+.
everything up to there correctly. Pervakov
Aloni 1.g6 ¦f4+ 2.¢xf4 £h2+ 3.¢f5 (2 points)
1.h5 (1 point) ¤xh5 2.¤h6+ ¢h4 3.¤f5+ ¥d7 4.¢g5 (+1=3) c1£+ 5.¦e3+ ¢h8
¢g4 4.¤e3+ ¢h4 5.¤g2+ ¢g4 6.¥d7 6.g7+ (+1=4) ¢xg7 7.£f7+ (+1=5) ¢xf7
mate (+4 =5). 1...¤xe8 2.h6 ¤d6 3.h7 stalemate.
¤f7 4.¤h6+. 1...c1£ 2.£b8+ ¢g7 3.£e5+.
Hoch In the main line, 2...£h4+ 3.¢f5 £f2+
1.¦a6+ (1 point) ¤xa6 2.¤c6+ ¢b6 3.¤xa5 4.¢e5 £e2+ 5.¢d4 £d2+ 6 ¢e5.
h1£ 4.¥c6+ (+1=2) ¤b4+ 5.¦xb4+ Also in the main line, 3.¢g5? c1£+ 4.¦e3+
(+1=3) ¢xa5 6.¦b5+ ¢xa4 7.¥d7 (+1=4) ¢h8, or 3.¢g4? £g2+ 4.¢h4 (4.¢f5 £f1+
£h3 8.¦f5+ ¢b4 9.¦f4+ (+1=5). 5.¢e5 £b5+) £f2+ 5.¢g5 c1£+ 6.¦e3+
4...¢xa5 5.¥xh1 ¢xa4 6.¥c6+ ¢a5 ¢g7.
7.¦b5+ ¢a4 8.¦g5+. Finally, in the main line, 4.£c4? £h3+ 5.¢g5
Roche £xe6 6.£xc2 £e5+, or 4.¢f6? £h4+
1.g7 ¦h5+ 2.¢g2 (1 point) ¦g5 3.¥xg5 5.¢e5 £e1+ 6.¢d4 £d2+ 7.¢e5 £e2+.
b1£ 4.g8£ £xe4+ 5.¢h2 (+1=2) £g6 If you found your way through all those lines,
6.£d5 (+1=3) £h5+ 7.¢g1 (+1=4) you beat that superb solver Michel Caillaud,
£xg5 8.£f3+ ¢h4+ 9.¤g2+ (+1=5). so well done!
Solutions to PUZZLES (See page 248)

1) Keres - Spassky 1-0 1...¦xd2 2.¦xe8 mate. 1...¦8xe4 2.£xg5+
1 £xg7+! 1-0 1...¢xg7 2.¤xd7+ ¢g8 ¢f8 3.£g7+, £h6+ and 4.£ mates. Nice that
3.¤f6+ ¢g7,h8 (3...¢f7 4.¤d5+) 4.¤g4+ the bishop can pick up d7 at the end.
and mates. Keres the celebrated swashbuckler! 6) Alekhine - Supico
2) Tichy – Schöneberg 1.£g6! (threat 2.£xg7 mate) 1-0 1...fxg6
1.£c2! 1-0 1...£f1 2.£f2 or £g2 and 2.¤xg6+ hxg6 3.¦h3+ mates. 1...hxg6 2.¦h3
Black must unpin the mating rook or lose mate. 1...¦g8 2.£xh7+ ¢xh7 3.¦h3 mate. The
his queen - or both! constellation of White’s double queen sacrifice
3) Winter - Colle recalls that of Marshall’s legendary (triple!)
1...¤f3! 0-1 2.gxf3 £g5 and mates. “White royal offer against Levitzky (Breslau 1912).
is pathetically helpless” says Reinfeld who 7) Pillsbury - Wolf
gives 2.d5 say, neutralising Black’s bishop, 1.£d6! (threat 2.¦b8+ £xb8 3.£c6+)
2...£h4 3.h3 £xh3+! 4.gxh3 ¦g1 mate. We 1-0 1...¥d7 2.¦b8+ £xb8 3.£xd5+, etc.
add (1) 2.¥e2 £g5 3.¥xf3 (3.g3 ¤xe1+) Smooth play by a specialist in blindfold
3...¥xf3 and mates. (2) 2.£c1 £h4 3.gxf3 simultaneous effort.
¥xf3+ 4.¥g2 ¦xg2 and mates. 8) Lorenzana - Onischuk
4) Sämisch - Nimzovich 1...¥f3 (threat 2...¦h1 mate) 0-1 2.¤xf3
1...h6! (threat 2...¦2,¦5f3) 0-1 No move ¦h1+ 3.¢g2 exf3+ 4.¢xf3 g4+ 5.¢g2
saves Black: if 2.¦d1 ¦e2 or 2.¥c1 ¥xb1. ¦h2+. The black rook is constantly on offer!
Nimzovich wrote apologetically to Sämisch 9) Walther - Bhend
about publishing their encounter, saying that 1.¦d8+! 1-0 1...¥xd8 2.¤d6 mate. 1...¤xd8
it had become known in Denmark, the venue, 2.£xe7 mate.1...¢xd8 2.¥xe7+ and 3.£xg4(+).
as the immortal Zugzwang game. Black’s That is one way of countering a mating threat
seemingly innocuous first move plugs g5. (1...£xd1 mate). The interrelationship of the
5) Cuellar - Reshevsky three prospective sacrificial variations is designed
1.¦e4! (threat 2. £xg5+ and 3.£g7+ mating) to please the problemist.

Sam Shankland • IrIna kruSh • Jeffery XIong • VaSSIly IVanchuk • BorIS gulko
Joel BenJamIn • mackenzIe molner • Baadur JoBaVa • andreI VolokItIn • daVId Smerdon
erIc hanSen • Pentala harIkrIShna • PIotr murdzIa • VladImIr georgIeV • IVan SokoloV
mIkhael mchedlIShVIlI • maurIcIo floreS rIoS • carSten hanSen • Jon edwardS • danny renSch

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Volume 137

INTERVIEW: GM RAY KEENE

Wesley So stuns America and becomes the new US chess champion!

GM Bassem Amin, Chess Olympiad 2016

A ine old gentleman, the granddaddy

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BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 195

Chairman Shaun Taulbut

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41st Blackpool Chess Conference

The annual Blackpool Open tournament Alan B Merry – Peter Wells

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21.¤d4 21.a6 is critical when White has

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 199

21...¤a6 Black blocks the dangerous pawn, 33...g5 34.¥f3

31.h4 After 31.¤xd8 ¥e5 32.¦f3 £xd8

31...£h5 32.¤xd8 ¥e5 33.¢h3 After

200 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

BCM Interview: GM Raymond Keene

We need a champion who can take on the computers

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Lennox Lewis would Being an Englishman that meant to have the

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already risen stars and are very good. There

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was the art which manifested the science and

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BCM: Does that mean that in the long

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First among equals:

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14...bxc4 15.¤xc4 ¢h8 16.d4 Getting rid

16...¥b4 17.¦e4 ¤de7 17...f5 18.¥g5

208 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

XIIIIIIIIY White also had a more prosaic win after

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 209

210 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

The tournament had an abundance of young

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 213

Six points wasn’t enough: The youngest IM in history (only 11):

214 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

after 36.¥xa7 g5 37.hxg5 ¦g8! 38.¦d7+ 48...g3? 48...h5! transposes to 47...h5.

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 215

Shenzhen Masters 2017

Ding Liren’s triumph

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A tournament of 37.e6 £d4+ 38.¢f3 £xa4 39.exf7+ ¢f8

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 217

17...¥xf5 18.exf5 ¦d5 19.£e2 c6 20.£e3

20...£d6 21.¤d2 ¦e8 22.h3 If 22.¤b3

218 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

37.dxc4 ¢h7 The funny thing is that Black

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 219

43...¢f7 44.¦a7+ 31.£xb5

220 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE

is a perpetual) 41...£xf1 42.¥xc7 £f2+ Peter Svidler - Liren Ding

15.¥h4 ¤xd5 16.¥xd8 ¤f4 17.£d2

Black has a wonderful (and only) defence

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 221