The Torbay Congress started on Friday evening at the Toorak Hotel, Torquay and finishes tomorrow evening. Prizewinners will be listed here next week.

The World Championship is now well under way in Chennai, India, between the holder Vishy Anand and Norway’s Magnus Carlsen, but the first 2 games were fairly anodyne draws. The excitement will doubtless mount as time goes on.

The 14^th Beacon Seniors Congress finished last Friday with the winners being as follows:- (all scores out of 5).

Seniors Section: 1^st Jim Burnett (196 –  Doncaster) 4½. 2^nd= Ken Norman (189 – Wokingham) & Raymond Gamble (165 – Derby) both 4. Grading prizes U-155: Ivor Annetts (152 – Tiverton) 3½ & Brian Gosling (151 – Exmouth) both 3½. U-120: 1^st= Joseph Clapp (109 – Norton Radstock); Alan Fraser (102 – Beckenham) & Peter Carrick (91 – Bath) all 2½. Slow Starters: (0/2): 1^st= Ronnie Burton (Weymouth); Mike Kaye (Dorchester) & Hazel Welch (Seaton) all 2. Best over 75 yrs:  1^st Alan Sherriff (127 – Dartford) 2½.

“Junior” Section (50-somethings):

1^st= Simon Bartlett (174 – Newquay) & Alan Brown (186 – Northampton) both 3½. Grading Prize U-165: Dave Rogers (149 – Exmouth) 3.

The following game was played in the final round and lifted the winner into the prizelist.

White: I. S. Annetts. Black: P. Wood.

French Defence – Advance Variation  [C02].

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Nge7 6.Na3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Nf5 8.Nc2 Be7 9.Bd3 0–0 10.g4 The idea is to sacrifice this pawn for an attack. 10…Nh4 11.Nxh4 Bxh4 12.g5 Bxg5 13.Qh5 h6 13…g6 wins a piece. 14.Qxg5 14.Rg1 Bxc1 15.Rxc1 f5 16.Qxh6 White had actually seen all this before and had used less than 5 minutes with Black having used 45. 16…Qe7? In Sveshnikov v Farago, Hastings, 1984, Black played 16…Rf7 which computer analysis puts as approximately level, whereas the text move loses. 17.Ke2 As often in the French, Black’s QB & QR are untouched when needed. 17…Bd7 18.Rg3 White’s attack is overwhelming. 18…Be8 19.Rcg1 White is now all poised and ready for the “big push”. 19…g6 which takes us to this week’s position. Can you work out the winning sequence of moves that took White to ultimate victory?

In last week’s position, Dave Collier played 1.Re8+! and Black has to lose either his rook or queen.

White to play and win.

After 25 years of being held at Torquay’s Riviera Centre, circumstances forced a change of venue for this year, reverting to the Toorak Hotel, just over the road.

The Open Section was contested right up to the very last minute, with Alan Brusey and Steve Homer on top board, battling it out in a game of swinging fortunes in an otherwise empty room. In a complex endgame, it came down to Homer’s rook & knight facing a rook and 4 pawns. He managed to give up the knight for 3 pawns, but the 4th proved too much. In the end his flag fell in a lost position.

Alan Brusey thus won the Open and accepted the offer of a place in the 2014 British Championship in Wales.

The full list of prizewinners is as follows:-

The top 2 sections - Annetts V Wilby nearest.

Minor Section (l) & Intermediate

Bd. 1 in the Open - Brusey VS Homer. The game finished in an empty hall with a win for White, after many vicissitudes.

Stephens V Shaw - clubmates, but no other pairing options were available.

Thynne (r) got a winning position but failed to capitalise and Charlie Keen needed no encouragement to hit back and win.

The Torbay Congress finished on Sunday evening with an overall win by local player Alan Brusey, who accepted the offer of a place in next year’s British Championship. The other prizewinners were as follows (all points out of 5):-

Open Section: 1^st A. Brusey (Teignmouth). 4. 2^nd= J. Stephens (Exmouth) & S. Homer (Newton Abbot) both 3½. Grading prizes:

(U-186) B. Macreamoinn. (U-174) M. Shaw (Exmouth) & T. Slade (Barnstaple) both 3.

Major Section (U-170): 1^st= B. O’Gorman (DHSS); R. Greatorex (Llangollen) & D. Cordner (Cosham) all 4. Grading prizes (U-159): A. Dunn (Torquay) 3½. (U-149) C. Keen (Exeter) 3½.

Intermediate Section (U-140): 1^st T. V. Greenaway (Torquay)   4½. 2^nd= P. Brackner (Dorchester); M. Hill (Liskeard) & S. Woolgar (Hanham) all 3½. Grading prizes (U-130): K. Langmaid (Yate); R. Ludlow (Trowbridge) both 3½. (U-123) R. Whittington (Exeter) 3.

Minor Section (U-120): 1^st=                    C. Gardiner (Newmarket): W. Pope (Liskeard): P. McConnell (St. Albans) & D. Saint (Patchway) all 4.  Grading prizes (U-108): E. Kelly (Exeter).  (U-101) D. Healey (Watford) & C. Bennett (Portsmouth); J. Carr (Berkhemsted).

This game came from the final round.

White: J. Stephens (190). Black: M. Shaw (172).

Alekhine’s Defence  [B03]

1.e4 Nf6 Alekhine’s idea was to lure White’s pawns forward before attacking them. 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6 5.f4 The 4 Pawns Attack – the most uncompromising line. 5…g6

6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 0–0 8.Nf3 Bf5 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Nc6 11.Qe2 e6 12.0–0 d5 13.b3 Ne7 14.Bf2 Qd7 15.c5 Nbc8 16.Qb5 Qxb5 17.Nxb5 a6 18.Nxc7 and the knight never shifts from c7. 18…Rb8 19.b4 Na7 20.b5 Rfc8 21.b6 Nac6 With all of Black’s pieces tied up, White can afford the luxury of a kingside attack. 22.g4 h5 23.h3 Bh6 24.Be3 Nb4 25.Ne1 Kh7 26.a3 Nbc6 27.Ra2 Na5 28.Raf2 Nc4 29.Bc1 Rg8 30.Nf3 Nc6 31.Rd1 Bf8 32.Ng5+ Kg7 33.f5 gxf5 34.gxf5 exf5 35.Rxf5 There is little Black can now do to stem White’s attack. 35…Nxd4 36.Rxf7+ Kh8 37.Rh7# 1–0

Last week’s game ended with the following sacrificial attack. 20.Rxg6+ Bxg6 21.Rxg6+ Kf7 22.Rf6+ Kg8 If 22…Ke8 23.Rxe6 23.Rxe6 Qh7 24.Qg5+ Kf7 25.Bxf5 Bringing a 3^rd piece into the attack. 25…Qg7 26.Qh5+ Kg8 27.Rg6 Rfe8 28.Rxg7+ Kxg7 29.Qh7+ Kf8 30.Bg6 Nd8 31.Qh8+ 1–0

This week’s position is a simple 2-mover.

White to play & mate in 2

Have just taken delivery of the latest edition of East Devon Connect, a 24 page magazine published by the EDDC, designed to put a positive slant on community life within their area, in the wake of rate-capping, spending cuts etc. Exmouth, as the largest town in Devon under DCC control, can usually guarantee a good deal of  coverage, but this issue has a one page feature on Seaton, under the heading “Regenerating Seaton”. Interestingly, half the page consists of the photograph below, featuring two unnamed chess players using some newly acquired boards on the sea-front. No reference is made to them in the text beneath, however, and it would be easy to assume these are just 2 unwary members of the public, nabbed by the photographer as they passed by. Those in the know, however, will recognise them as Ken Alexander and Hazel Welch, both long-time members of the Seaton Chess Club.

Anyway, it’s refreshing to see chess being featured as a focal point of urban regeneration. Well done, Seaton!

Hazel Welch and Ken Alexander lock horns in Jubilee Gardens.

Tour of Britain - start of Stage 6 in Sidmouth - is featured on the cover.

Devon beat Gloucestershire in their match in West Buckland at the weekend, but not by the margin that their overall superior strength might have suggested, the score being 9½-6½. Here are the details – Devon names first.

1.D. Mackle 0-1 J. Stewart.

2.K. W. Derrick 0-1 N. Hosken.

3.A. Boyne 1-0 D. Lambourne.

4.J. K. Stephens 0-1 J. Jenkins.

5.S. J. Homer 1-0 M. Ashworth.

6.D. Regis 0-1 P. J. Meade.

7.A. W. Brusey ½-½ P. Dodwell.

8.J. Underwood 1-0 G. Taylor.

9.M. Shaw ½-½ A. Walker.

10.B. W. R. Hewson ½-½ B. Whitelaw.

11. T. F. Thynne 1-0 P. Baker.

12.P. Brooks 1-0 J. Carterer.

13.G. Body ½-½ A. Richards.

14.W. Ingham 1-0 R. Ashworth.

15.N. Rahimili ½-½ I. Blencowe

16.S. Martin 1-0 P. Bending.

Former Gloucestershire Captain and Bristol League President, Ken Derrick, plays for Devon these days, but provided a bright spot for his former county.

White: N. Hosken (191). Black: K. W.   Derrick (206).

Dutch Defence – Leningrad System.

Notes by Ken Derrick.

1.d4 d6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.g3 f5 5.Bg2 Nf6 6.b3 0–0 7.Bb2 c6 8.0–0 Re8 9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Nbd2 e5 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.e4 Challenging Black’s “Dutch” f5 pawn. 12…Nc5 12…fxe4 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 Nc5 seems to be a playable alternative. 13.Rad1 Qc7 14.Nh4 Nfxe4 15.Nxe4 Nxe4 16.Bxe4 fxe4 17.Qxe4 Bh3 18.Rfe1 Rad8 19.Nf3 Bf5 20.Qe3 Rxd1 21.Rxd1 Bg4 22.Re1 e4 Black had planned 22…Bxf3 23.Qxf3 Qa5 with good counterplay, but couldn’t bring himself to swap off his good bishop. The text accepts the loss of the e-pawn in the hope of benefitting from the weak white squares around the king. 23.Bxg7 Qxg7 24.Nd2 Bf5 25.f3 Bringing further pressure against the isolated pawn. 25…Qb2 26.a4? 26.Nxe4 was better. 26…Rd8? Too hasty – missing the chance to justify his 22^nd move. If 26…Bh3! the e4 pawn cannot be taken. 27.Nxe4 Bxe4 28.Qxe4 Rf8 Black could not regain his pawn with 28…Qxb3 because he would lose his rook to 29.Qe6+ Kf8 (Or 29…Kh8 30.Qf6+) 30.Qe7+; 28…Rd2?? hands White a forced mate. 29.Qe3 Qf6 30.Kg2 Kg7 31.Qe5 Rf7 32.f4 Rd7 33.Kf3 Rd3+ 34.Re3 Rxe3+?? 35. Kxe3 1-0 Lack of time caused this oversight. The resulting K+P ending is an easy win for White.

Last week’s 2-mover was solved by 1.Ba7! threatening 2.RxR mate, and if 1…RxR then 2. PxR=Q mate.

In this position, White is 2 pieces down, but at least his forces are active. Can he force the issue before Black completes his piece development?

White to play and win quickly

The Newman Cup is Devon’s RapidPlay Tournament, held by Exmouth numerous times in recent years. Their defence started with a reverse at the hands of Tiverton last month, making their away match to Seaton a crucial one.

It is a commonplace that away matches to Seaton are held in the depths of winter, when the trip there has to be made during the rush hour, with a great wind blowing and rain thrashing down. Last night was no exception. Progress was slow and the venue was reached with only minutes to spare before the scheduled start of 7 p.m. However, on arrival, the venue was locked and the key-holder unobtainable as a group of chess-players and others huddled in the doorway. Eventually, she arrived and play started just a few minutes late.

Rd. 1 started well with Simon Blake winning quickly and Oliver Wensley getting a draw, but Chris Scott was overwhelmed by the very steady Steve Dean, and Meyrick Shaw’s position, playing a Closed Sicilian, ran short of time and came unstuck against Steve Martin. So Rd. 1 was lost 2.5 – 1.5.

Fortunately, in this competition there’s always a second bite of the cherry, which is where Exmouth often hit back after an early loss. So in this case, when Blake won again. Scott played quickly, leaving Dean to get behind on the clock and he cracked under the pressure. Shaw invited the Alekhine’s Defence, but Martin opted not to play 2.e5 but preferred 2.d3 and soon found himself on the back foot with his King’s position in a mess and pieces undeveloped. Shaw managed to maintain th einitiative and eventually got a 2nd queen, forcing resignation. the 3-0 lead ensured a won match, and it mattered not that Wensley ran out of time in a winning position.

Somerset have been in all-conquering form of recent years but on Saturday they were unable to overcome Cornwall, having to be satisfied with an 8-8 draw. The Cornish lost on the top 4 boards by 3-1 and the same on the bottom 4 boards, but remarkably  scored 6 of the 8 points available on boards 5 – 12, to level things up. The details were: (Somerset names first).

1. J. Rudd 1-0 M. Hassall.

2. P. Chaplin ½-½ J. Menadue.

3. D. Littlejohns 1-0 M. Csuri.

4. M. Richardt ½-½ S. Bartlett.

5. B. Morris 0-1 D. Saqui.

6. C. Purry ½-½ L. Retallick.

7. A. F. Footner 0-1 G. Healey.

8. D. Painter-Ko 0-1 T. Slade.

9. J. E. Fewkes 1-0 C. Sellwood.

10. G. N. Jepps 0-1 G. Trudeau.

11.A. Champion ½-½ J. Nicholas.

12.M. Baker 0-1 J. Wilman.

13.D. Freeman 1-0 R. Smith.

14.N. N. Senior ½-½ D. J. Jenkins.

15.R. Knight 1-0 M. Richards.

16.C. Strong ½-½ D. R. Jenkins.

Cornwall’s previous match, against Hampshire, resembled a comedy of errors. A combination of illness and misunderstandings led to them arriving without any chess clocks, and their opponents turned up so late they would have been defaulted had there been any clocks. Eventually, some clocks were acquired locally and after lengthy negotiations between the two captains a match was played over 12 boards, which Cornwall won 7-5. However, it took several weeks of protracted discussion between interested parties before the result was finally agreed.

The details were as follows (Cornwall names first):-

1. M. Hassall v D. Tunks (did not play).

2. J. Menadue 1-0 T. Davis.

3. R. Kneebone 0-1 D. Fowler.

4. S. Bartlett ½-½ G. Jones.

5. D. Saqui 1-0 C. Priest.

6. L. Retallick ½-½ A. Manning.

7. T. Slade ½-½ Miss G. Moore.

8. G. Healey 1-0 B. Kocan.

9. C. Sellwood ½-½ S. Le Fevre.

10.G. Trudeau 0-1 J. Young.

11. J. Nicholas 1-0 R. Ashmore.

12. R. Smith 1-0 J. Barnett.

13. D. Lucas 0-1 S. Murphy.

Cornwall’s website has been recently upgraded (cornwallchess.org.uk), and on it one can read, amongst other things, a fuller report on the match by their new match captain, Professor David Jenkins, together with his amusing and erudite Cornish chess adaptation of Henry V’s call to arms at the Battle of Agincourt, as imagined by Shakespeare. As Cornwall are doing so well lately, it must be working. Devon had better beware when they meet at Saltash in January.

In last week’s ending, White wins by force: i.e. 1.Rf8+ KxR. 2.Qf7 mate.

Here is a new 2-mover by David Howard of East Harptree.

White to mate in 2 moves

 The 5th London Chess Classic is on at Olympia all this week, with many of the world’s strongest players participating or simply hanging around, seeing who they can bump into.

Take Garry Kasparov, for instance, seen here left. He’s not here to play, but luckily he bumped into the Devon veteran player, Ivor Annetts of Tiverton, (seen here right) which gave Garry the chance to thank Ivor for all the help and encouragement he’d given him when young. He had to confess that without Ivor’s unfailing support and advice throughout the early years, he might not have gone on to win  all those World Championships. At least, that’s what Ivor tells me! You be the judge!

Kasparov meets Ivor The Terrible

The 5^th London Chess Classic has been running all this week and finishes tomorrow. The main event is the ‘Super Sixteen’ Rapidplay featuring the world’s elite and the Best of British. Local interest centres on Westcountryman Michael Adams who is joined by Nigel Short, David Howell, Gawain Jones, Luke McShane, Matthew Sadler and Jonathan Rowson, while the elite consists of  Fabiano Caruana, Boris Gelfand, Vladimir Kramnik, Peter Svidler, Boris Gelfand, Hikaru Nakamura, Judit Polgar and the recently defeated World Champion Vishy Anand. His victor, Magnus Carlsen, is resting after his exertions.

Bristol’s Winter Congress starts on Friday 17^th January 2014 at the Holiday Inn, with three sections catering for all levels of player. The Open for the strongest players, the Major for good club players graded under155 and the Minor for those under 125. Further details may be obtained from Graham Mill-Wilson on 0779-0167415 or e-mail tugmw@blueyonder.co.uk.

The following game from Cornwall’s recent win against Hampshire may be found on their upgraded website cornwallchess.org.uk.

White: Jeremy Menadue (Truro – 180). Black: Tim Davies (170).

 Nimzo-Indian Defence – 3 Knights Variation.

(Notes adapted from those by the winner).

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 The key moves of the Nimzo-Indian Defence, one of Black’s most dangerous replies. 4.Nf3 b6 Black switches to a Queen’s Indian system. 5.Bg5 Bb7 6.e3 0–0 7.Bd3 d6 8.0–0 Nbd7 9.Nd2 Bxc3 10.bxc3 c5 11.f4 Qc7 12.Rc1 Rfe8 13.Qe1 h6 14.Bh4 Rac8 White decides to change his plan of an attack down the f-file to one of a more general spatial advantage. 15.e4 e5 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.d5 Qd6 18.Rf3 Nh5 The idea is to get this knight to f5 via e3. 19.Nf1 Nf4 20.Bc2 Ba6 21.Ne3 g6 Denying f5 to the knight. 22.Rb1 Rf8 23.Kh1 Kh7 24.Qd2 g5? Vacating f5 and opening up the white-square diagonal. Better is 24…f6. 25.Bg3 White is now thinking about an attack based on the moves Nf5 – BxN – Rh3, bearing down on Black’s backward h-pawn. 25…Nf6? 26.Bxf4 Black finally cracks. exf4?? 27.e5+ winning the queen. 1–0. However, even if Black had played the alternative 26…gxf4 after 27.Rxf4 the pin prevents Black retaking Ng8 28.Nf5 etc. Black would still have struggled to save the game.

In last week’s column, the diagram was inadvertently repeated from the week before (in the paper) , but at least readers got the problem and the solution side by side.

Here is that promised new 2-mover by David Howard of East Harptree.

White to mate in 2

Last season, the Hampshire and Dorset teams didn’t get together because of a misunderstanding over the start time. This season they got it right and Dorset fell to their opponents by 5–11. Hants names first:-  1.D. Thompson 0-1 M. Littleton. 2.B. Cooke 1-0 G. Searing. 3.S. Smith 1-0 J. Cherryson. 4.C. Priest 1-0 D. Aldwinckle. 5.Miss G. Moore 1-0 J. Balem. 6.B. Kocan ½-½ P. Brackner. 7.S. LeFevre ½-½ I. Willis. 8.J. Young ½-½ P. Errington. 9.R. Devonport ½-½ P. Bland. 10.T. Chapman ½-½ P. Jackson. 11.J. Watts 0-1 F. Fallon. 12. R. Ashman 1-0 J. Kelly. 13.A. Syed 1-0 K. Spooner. 14.K. Steele ½-½ M. Rogan. 15.P. Gething 1-0 M. Kaye. 16.S. Murphy 1-0 Mrs. M. Cox.

NB: Marian Cox had only turned up with her husband, Reg, to watch the match, but as Dorset turned up a player short, she was asked to put in a guest appearance for them.

The premier tournament of the 5^th London Classic, the Super Sixteen Rapidplay Knockout was won by the American Hiraku Nakamura. The best British performance was by Michael Adams who reached the Semi-Final by beating Peter Svidler 2-0.

White: M. Adams. Black: P. Svidler.

Sicilian Defence – Najdorf Variation.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nf3 Qc7 8.a4 Be6 9.Be2 h6 10.0–0 Nbd7 11.h3 Be7 12.Nh2 0–0 13.Ng4 Qc6 14.Qd3 Rfc8 15.Rfd1 Adding pressure to the d-file. In this opening, Black usually hopes to get in …d4 thus freeing up his position. Here he fails to do so and pays the price. 15…Rab8 16.a5 Nc5 17.Nxf6+ Bxf6 Allowing White to win the d-pawn and control of the d-file. 18.Qxd6 Qxd6 19.Rxd6 Be7 20.Rd2 Bg5 21.Bxg5 hxg5 22.Bg4 b5 23.axb6 Rxb6 24.Nd5! The bishop is pinned. 24…Rb7 25.f3 Rcb8 26.b4 1-0. If 26…Bxd5 27.Rxd5 Ne6 28.Bxe6 fxe6 Black would have 2 sets of doubled pawns, which in a rook ending is not worth wasting energy on when there is a return game to be played soon after. Play might continue 29.Rd6 Rxb4 30.Raxa6 Rc4 31.Rxe6 g4 32.hxg4 Rxc2 33.Rxe5 Rbb2 34.Kh2 Rxg2+ 35.Kh3 and White is 2 pawns up.

The solution to last week’s world premier problem was 1.Nde6! Black’s tries are answered thus: 1…Nxc4 2.Qa8#; 1…Qxc4 2.Qd7# and either 1…Qxg5 or 1…Qxh1 are both answered by 2.Nc7#.

Anyone with more than a few spare minutes over Christmas may like to try this one by Devon’s own “Genius of the Two-Mover”, Comins Mansfield (1896 – 1984). He composed this one in 1930 as a 50^th birthday present to his mentor, the American philanthropist, Alain White. It was included in a collection of 185 problems from around the world published under the title Problems By My Friends.

White to mate in 2

In the recent London Chess Classic, Britain’s top professional, Adams, and top amateur player were both among our home contingent in the top event. When they met in this game, there was, in the main, little difference during the course of the game, but in the end it was the professional who edged home.

White: Luke McShane (268). Black:  Michael Adams (281).

Ruy Lopez – Close Defence  [C84]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 To take the pawn with 5…Nxe4 constitutes the Open Defence and invites White to attack the centre with 6.Re1 Nc5 7.Bxc6 dxc6 8.Nxe5 Be7 9.d4 etc. 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a4 exchanging pawns generally favours White, so 8…b4 9.c3 Rb8 10.Nbd2 0–0 11.Re1 Na5 12.Ba2 c5 13.Nc4 Nc6 14.Bg5 Be6 15.h3 h6 16.Bd2 Re8 17.Rc1 Bf8 18.Bb3 Re7 19.Be3 Reb7 Black’s forces are massing of the queenside, especially the down the b-file. 20.Bc2 bxc3 21.bxc3 Nxe4 22.Ncxe5 If 22.dxe4 Bxc4. 22…Nxe5 23.dxe4 Nc4 24.Bf4 Rb2 25.Qd3 g6 White was threatening e5 with a threat of mate. 26.Nd2 Nxd2 27.Bxd2 d5 28.Bf4 Rc8 29.exd5 Bf5 30.Qd1 Rxc2 31.Rxc2 Bxc2 32.Qxc2 Qxd5 After these exchanges the position looks exactly level. 33.Qe2 c4! Constricting White’s position somewhat. 34.Qg4 Qc6 35.Qd1 Re8 36.Be3 Bg7 37.Qc2 Rb8 38.a5 Rb3 Black is resuming control of the queenside. 39.Bd2 Rb5 40.Ra1 Qd5 41.Qa2 Rb3 42.Rc1 Rb5 43.Ra1 0–1 Black’s dominance is now winning. Play might have continued 43…Qd3 44.Rc1 Rd5 45.Be3 Bxc3 46.Qc2 Be5 47.g3 Qxc2 48.Rxc2 c3 etc.

Cornwall’s annual championship and congress will be held from Friday 31^st January – 2^nd February at their usual Stithians venue. The top section is the Emigrant Cup, the winner of which will become county champion, if eligible. The Falmouth Cup is for players graded U-145, while the Falmouth Cup is for relative beginners. Further details may be found on their new website, or contact the Organiser Robin Kneebone on 01872 858602, or e-mail: contact@cornwallchess.org.uk

In last week’s problem by Mansfield there were several quick mates but only one in 2 moves, and that was 1.Ba4! after which Black has four tries. i.e. 1…Qxd6 2.Bc6#; 1…Qxc4 2.Bb5#; 1…Qxa7 2.Qxa1# or 1…Kxa4 2.Qa2#.

This position is taken from a recently acquired book, 606 Puzzles for Chess Nuts, by Albertson and Wilson. Black has a winning advantage, but the position is very open, so how can he minimise all risk of allowing White any counterplay?

Black to simplify out to a win

Speculative sacrifices in the opening are best made in rapidplay games when there is far less time for the defender to work out whether it is safe to accept the proffered piece and to negotiate the many variations after doing so. Here is a recent example in which White accepts the risk and walks a tightrope, always seeking to exchange off pieces in order to draw the sting from the attack. As time runs out, Black finally justifies his earlier gamble.

White: S. Martin (Seaton – 162). Black: M. Shaw (Exmouth – 164).

Alekhine’s Defence – Maróczy Var. [B02]

1.e4 Nf6 inviting the e-pawn forward. 2.d3 Invitation declined, as recommended by the Hungarian GM Geza Maróczy (1870–1951). d5 3.Nd2 e5 4.g3 dxe4 5.dxe4 Bc5 6.h3 Black decides to give up his bishop for 2 pawns and a major reconstruction of White’s kingside position. 6…Bxf2+ 7.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 8.Kg2 Not 8.Nxe4?? Qxd1. 8…Qd4 Threatening Qf2# 9.Qe1 Bf5 10.Bd3 Nxd2 11.Qxd2 If 11.Bxd2 Qd5+ 12.Nf3 e4 13.g4 Bg6 14.Bc3 0–0 15.Be2 exf3+ 16.Bxf3 Qb5 17.a4. 11…Qd5+ 12.Kh2 e4 13.Be2 Qc5 Again threatening Qf2# 14.Bd1 Nc6 15.Qe3 Qc4 16.b3 Qe6 17.Bb2 0–0–0 18.Be2 Kb8 19.Bc4 Qd7 20.Bc3 h5 21.h4 f6 22.Kg2 22.Ne2 uniting the rooks might have been better. 22…Rhe8 23.Ne2 Bg4 24.Rad1 Bf3+ 25.Kh2 Qg4 26.Rxd8+ Rxd8 27.Re1 The last of White’s pieces to be developed, and he is still a piece up. How can Black retain the initiative? 27…Ne7 28.Nd4 Nf5 29.Nxf5 Qxf5 30.Be2 g5 31.Bxf3 exf3 32.hxg5 Qxc2+! with several mating threats. 33.Re2 fxe2 34.Kh3 Qf5+ 35.Kg2 Qf1+ 36.Kh2 fxg5 37.Qxg5 Rf8 38.Bd4 e1Q 39.Bxa7+ A final cast of the dice. 39…Kxa7 40.Qc5+ Kb8 41.Qxf8+ Qxf8 42.Kg2 Qef1+ 0–1

The loser was at school with the late, great Tony Miles, Britain’s first GrandMaster.

Bristol’s Winter Congress starts a week on Friday, the 17^th January at the Holiday Inn. Details may be obtained from Graham Mill-Wilson on 0779 0167415 or e-mail tugmw@blueyonder.co.uk.

In last week’s position, Black’s aim is to eliminate any chance of counterplay by exchanging queens: e.g. 1…Qf3+. 2.Ke5 Qf6+. 3.Ke4 or Kc4 then Qe6+ forces off the queens and Black’s pawns should romp home.

counterplay?

If you have any time or mental energy left before Twelfth Night tomorrow, here is another hitherto unpublished 2-mover by Dave Howard.

White to mate in 2.

The 89^th Hastings Congress finished on Sunday when 7 players tied on 6½/9 with Mikheil Mchedlishvili (Georgia) taking first place on tie-break from Khenkin (Germany), Qun Ma (China), Mark Hebden (England), Vakhidov (Uzbekistan), Sarkar (USA) and Radovanovic (Serbia). A further 11 players from all round the world came just a half point behind. Here is Hebden’s last round win.

White: M. Hebden (2560). Black: Jens Kipper (Germany – 2378).

Queen’s Gambit [D30].

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 d5 4.Bg5 Bb4+ 5.Nc3 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.Qb3 c5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.e3 0–0 10.dxc5 Bxc3+ 11.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 12.bxc3 Grandmasters often like to make early exchanges against lower-graded players, aiming to keep things simple in the expectation that their superior endgame technique will carry them through. However, in this case, White has landed himself with doubled pawns, usually deemed a weakenss. 12…Be6 13.Nd4 Rc8 14.Rb1 Nd7 15.c4 Nxc5 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.cxd5 exd5 The doubled pawns have been eliminated and it is Black that has a weak isolated pawn in the centre. 18.Be2 Ne4 19.Bf3 Rc2 20.0–0 Rxa2 21.Rxb7 Rc8 22.Rd7 Rc5 White has a 4-2 pawn majority on the kingside, and he must activate this advantage before the a-pawn becomes a threat. 23.h4 Nf6 24.Rb7 Rcc2 25.h5 Kf8 26.g3 Kg8 27.Kg2 a5 28.Ra7 Rd2 29.g4 a4 30.Kg3 Ne4+ 31.Bxe4 dxe4 32.Re7 a3 33.Rxe4 Rab2 34.Ra4 a2 35.f3 Kf7 36.Kf4 Rdc2 37.Rd1 Ke7 38.Ra7+ Ke6 39.Rd4 1-0 White will eventually play Rda4 which will cover the queening threat, leaving him able to mobilise his own pawns.

Dave Howard’s latest problem was solved by 1.Kd7! and Black’s tries are answered thus:- 1…Ke5 2.Nd3#; 1… dxe3 2.Bh2# or 1…c1=Q 2.Qh2#.

There has been quite a lot of chess coverage on Radio 4 over the holiday period, including a drama based on the early lives of the Hungarian Polgár sisters who were taught at home by their idealistic father, Lázló, mainly to excel at chess. To this end, from his personal library of over 5,000 chess books, he collected thousands of problems that were suitable for his young daughters to solve, as the positions were relatively simple yet elegant. These were eventually published in a massive book entitled Chess Training in 5333+1 Positions, (Könemann 1994  1104pp) a resource I have drawn on several times for this column. Here is another 2-mover from his archive, one of a number composed by his fellow Hungarian, Ernö Szentgyörgyi.

White to mate in 2

Ian Ponter, who died in December at the age of 41, was a well-known figure in the Bristol League and westcountry congresses. He was a strong club player who relished complex positions, which may have led him to lose a number of games against the strongest opposition, but gave him a number of scalps. Typical is this 2004 game in which he beats a fellow Bristolian and future West of England Champion.

 White: Paul Helbig (2040). Black: Ian Ponter. (1920).

King’s Gambit Accepted – Berlin Defence. [C39]

1.e4 e5 2.f4 White gambits a pawn in the hope of getting more activity for his pieces. 2…exf4 Ponter accepts the challenge. 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 Nf6 Constituting the Berlin Defence.  6.d4 d6 7.Nd3 Nc6 If 7…Nxe4 8.Qe2 Qe7 9.Bxf4. 8.d5 Ne5 9.Bxf4 Nxd3+ 10.Qxd3 Qe7 11.Nc3 Bg7 12.0–0–0 Nh5 13.Qb5+ Bd7 If 13…c6? 14.dxc6 0-0 15.Bxd6 winning material – or 14…bxc6 15.Qxc6+ Bd7 16.Qxa8+. 14.Qxb7 0–0 15.Bg5 f6 16.Bd2 Ng3 17.Rg1 f5 18.Bg5 Qe5 Getting a grip on the long diagonal. 19.Qxc7 Rf7 20.Qb7 Rc8 21.Bb5 With Black’s pieces now focussed on the enemy king, it’s time to attack.  21…Rxc3! 22.Bxd7 Ne2+ 23.Kb1 Rc7 24.Qb8+ Of course not 24.Qxc7?? Qxb2#. 24…Rf8 25.Be6+ Kh8 26.Qb4 Rc4 The rook can harry the queen with impunity as Black dominates the black square diagonal, threatening mate. 27.Qb7 Qxe4 28.Rge1 Rxc2 29.Ka1 Rxb2 0–1

Ian was a member of the Downend Club, where their annual Christmas “Buzzer” Tournament was held again recently. Clear 1^st was Ben Edgell with a maximum 10pts, followed by Nigel Hosken and Peter Chaplin on 8. The Best Junior prize was won by M. Wilson.

The Bristol Winter Congress is taking place this weekend at the Holiday Inn. Of the 20+ players in the Open Section, the clear favourites must be David Buckley (Bath) and Chris Beaumont (Clifton) both graded 221. All entries in the three sections are listed on the League’s chessit website.

The 39^th East Devon Congress takes place at Exeter’s Corn Exchange during the weekend commencing Friday 28^th February. Entry forms are now available and should be returned to John Stephens, who may also be contacted on 07891-648689 or e-mail – johnkfstephens@gmail.com.

The solution to last week’s problem was 1.Bg3! Kxe3 (forced) 2. Qd3#. Here is another 2-mover by the same composer from the same book.

White to mate in 2

Devon took note of Cornwall’s good results this season and fielded a strong team in their match at Ashtorre Rock, Saltash at the weekend, eventually running out 11½ – 4½ winners, a score that rather belies the closeness of the contest. Cornish names first in each pairing:-

1.M. Hassall 0-1 D. Mackle. 2.J. Menadue ½-½ A. Boyne. 3.R. Kneebone ½-½ J. Stephens. 4.S. Bartlett 0-1 T. Paulden. 5.D. Saqui 0-1 P. Sivrev. 6.L. Retallick 0-1 D. Regis. 7.G. Healey 0-1 A. Brusey. 8.T. Slade 1-0 J. Fraser. 9.C. Sellwood 1-0 J. Underwood. 10.G. Trudeau 1-0 M. Shaw. 11.J. Hooker 0-1 B. Hewson. 12.J. Nicholas ½-½ T. Thynne. 13.J. Wilman 0-1 P. Brooks. 14.M. Hill 0-1 W. Ingham. 15.B. Parkin 0-1 N. Rahimili. 16.D. R. Jenkins 0-1 M. Stinton-Brownbridge.

This game from Board 4 demonstrates (a) the importance of acting quickly against the enemy king and (b) the power of the check.

White: S. Bartlett (174). Black: T. J. Paulden (186).

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 a6 4.f4 d5 5.e5 h5 6.Bd3 Nh6 7.Qf3 c6 8.Nge2 Bg4 9.Qf2 e6 10.Be3 Nd7 11.0–0–0 White chooses to castle long, so Black responds immediately. 11…Qa5 12.h3 Bxe2 13.Bxe2 b5 14.a3 b4 15.Nb1 bxa3 16.Nxa3 Bf8 17.Bd2 Qb6 18.Nb1 Nf5 19.Bc3 c5 20.g4 hxg4 21.hxg4 Rxh1 22.Rxh1 Nxd4 winning a pawn 23.Bxd4 cxd4 24.Nd2 Rb8 25.b3 Ba3+ 26.Kd1? d3 White must do something about his undefended queen, allowing PxB+ next move. 0–1

The solution to last week’s problem was 1.Ke2! forcing 1…Ke3 and then 2.R1c4 mate.

An inter-area match between the Torbay-based South Devon team and Plymouth-based West at the Plymouth Chess Club finished in a win for the hosts, by 6½ – 5½.

This position appears in Grandmaster Glenn Flear’s latest book, Tactimania, (Quality Chess 2011) in which he gives hundreds of instructive positions from his own games. It’s taken from a 1986 game in France against Trefor Thynne, not J. Thynne as given in the book. The whole game was as follows:

White: G. C. Flear. Black: T. F. Thynne.  1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0–0 6.0–0 dxc4 7.Qc2 Nbd7 8.Qxc4 c6 9.Rd1 Nb6 10.Qc2 Bd7 11.Ne5 Rc8 12.Nd3 Nbd5 13.a3 Be8 14.e4 Nc7 15.Nc3 Na6 16.b4 Nh5 17.e5 g6 18.Ne4 Kh8 19.Ndc5 Nxc5 20.dxc5 Qc7 21.Nd6 Rb8 22.Bh6 Rg8 23.g4 Ng7 24.Qc3 b6 25.Rac1 b5 26.Rc2 Ra8 27.Rcd2 Rd8 28.Qf3 Bxd6 29.Rxd6 Ra8 30.Qf6 a5 31.Rd8 Rc8. From this position, how did White now force a win, with a possible mate in 4?

White to play and win

The Bristol League held another successful Winter Congress at the Holiday Inn last weekend. The prizewinners included the following:

Open: 1^st C. Beaumont (Clifton). 2^nd= D. Buckley (Bath); M. Harris (Horfield); G. Morris (Clifton); M. Payne & D. Graham (both Worthing). Grading prizes: U-188: S. Piper (Salisbury). U-178: J. Turner (Cwmbran). U-167: M. Jiminez (Clifton).

Major: 1^st G. Harvey (S. Bristol). 2^nd= R. Lowery (Patchway) & R. Harron (Bristol). Grading prizes: U-148: A. Rossiter (Cabot). U-141: N. Derrick (Cabot). U-130: P. Chatterjee (Clifton).

Minor: 1^st D. Rowan. 2^nd= R. Porter & J. Walpole (both University); P. Jackson. Grading prizes: U-120: D. McGeeney (Cabot). U-114: A. Fraser. U-104: A. Telang (Clifton). U-91: H. Aubin-Parvu.

This was the Open winner’s 1^st game.

White: C. Beaumont (221). Black: M. Kascak (c. 180).

Queen’s Indian Defence [E18]

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0–0 Be7 6.Nc3 c5 7.d4 d6 8.d5 Immediately staking a claim to the centre. 8…exd5 9.cxd5 0–0 10.e4 Re8 11.e5 Ng4 12.Bf4 dxe5 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 Having got the passed pawn, the stronger player is happy to keep making equal exchanges in order to keep it simple… 14.Bxe5 Bd6 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.Qa4 Qd7 … up to a point. 17.Qh4 Na6 18.Rad1 Nb4 19.a3 Na6 20.Qf4 Nc7 21.h4 Rad8 22.Kh2 The trap is set. 22…Nb5 23.Bh3 1-0 Winning a piece by forcing the queen away from the defence of her knight.

In last week’s position Flear finished neatly with 1.Rxc8 Qxc8 2.Rd8 Qc7 3.Rxe8! and Black resigned because QxN mate is inevitable.

In his book, Tactimania, Flear doesn’t only give his wins. He loses this one against his fellow GM from Leicester, Mark Hebden. Flear threatens to win the exchange and a pawn, so how did White deal with that and force a win in the space of 6 moves?

White to play and win

Having been the first of the 5 teams involved to have a bye, Exmouth’s first match in the Bremridge Cup (Div. 1) did not come till after Christmas, when they hosted Tiverton. The whole story was one of near disaster from beginning to end. The Tiverton team was already weakened when their Bd. 1 player, Dave Littlejohns, suddenly discovered there were no trains between Taunton and Exeter that day due to major works on the track and he wouldn’t be able to make alternative arrangements. Brian Hewson phoned back to offer a lift, but there was no reply from the land line and he had no mobile number. In the end he went to the house in the hope that Littlejohns would be there, which he was, and the pair arrived in Exmouth shortly before the 2.30 start, with jangling nerves.

Meanwhile, Bob Jones, ever-cautious, had arrived at the club room an hour early, only to find the usual playing room had been double-booked and a full scale lecture was going on. After going into panic mode for 5 minutes, he worked out that the match could be held in the day-room using arm chairs to sit in, with extra cushions if needed. It was a little cramped for space but was workable. Once play started it was utterly quiet and neither group impinged on the other.

As they were considerably under-full strength themselves Exmouth were surprised to find themselves the stronger on paper by 45 grading points. First game to finish was Underwood-Bartlett, when White miscalulated a long series of exchanges to find himself a piece down with no compensation or counter-play. On Bd. 4, Club President, Mark Abbott, found himself with the only queen and attacking opportunities, but failed to make the best of it and was forced to trade the queen back. He ended up with R vs R+B but with a pair of united central pawns keen to queen, and he managed to win when one of them could not be stopped. Score level at 1-1. Then Shaw sacrificed a pawn in the opening and offered a second, which was declined. Eventually his opponent’s gifted pawn proved the deciding factor in a tight endgame. 2-1 to the visitors. Chris Scott, playing his first game in the Bremridge, sneaked home in another tight ending. His bishop, the only piece on the board, managed to hold back a pawn storm, first blocking them, allowing the king to gobble them up. 2-2.

Brian Gosling had struggled on for some time a piece down, and was able to make threats with his active queen, but eventually had to concede the game to Keith Atkins. This left the Bd. 1 game to decide things. Reaching the late endgame with a blocked position, Littlejohns found his pieces hemmed in to one corner, and Stephens was able to get a rook to invade the position, get behind the white pawns and start picking them off. Stephens had only seconds left but played at lightning speed to move his king and pawns forward. His win brought the score to  3-3 with no drawn games.

Having lost at home to Tiverton in Rd. 1, a trip to Newton Abbot for our 2nd match on Feb 1st 2014, was not a prospect to be relished. With a grading ceiling of 639 both teams had opted to keep as close as possible to the average of 160 per player, rather than playing a 190+ player on Bd. 1 in the hope of a sure win, while hoping the 120+ on Bd. 4 might be able to scrape a result.

The first game to finish by a considerable margin was that involving the Ajerbaizani ex-pat, Rahimili, who seems to share with Jack Rudd the inability to play at a speed less than that of an express train throughout any game. His game lasted a little less than half of the allocated 4 hours, most of which ws taken up by his opponent. Scott blundered a piece away entering the endgame, yet within a few moves, Rahimili had blundered not only a piece back but most of his pawns as well, with no counterplay.

Brian Gosling won the exchange and maintained a strong grip on the position, managing to win further material and the game. 2-0 up but the other two faced strong opposition. Shaw blundered a piece in the endgame but hung on to see how his neighbour would fare in a very tight N+P endgame. When Wensley offered and got  a draw when 2 pawns up, Shaw resigned immediately, as the match was won.

General view of the match - Taylor-Gosling nearest.

General view of ther match - Scott-Rahimili nearest.

Bd. 1 Shaw vs Fraser.

Bd. 2 - Brooks vs Wensley

Bd. 4 Taylor-Gosling

Jim O’Grady, who passed away shortly before Christmas at the age of 74, had been a member of both Exmouth and Newton Abbot Chess Clubs.

He was of working class Liverpool Irish origins, and on leaving school without any qualifications, started work as a bus conductor. At some point he decided to rejoin the educational trail, determined to do better the second time around. Starting from scratch, he eventually graduated and became a teacher. Continuing this upward path through the educational hierarchy he finished up as the Head of a large comprehensive school in Birmingham, a big enough challenge for anyone.

Jim on graduation

For health reasons he was forced to retire early, and moved to Exmouth where he was a member of the Chess Club for about 2 years. However, for family reasons he had to relocate  to South Wales for a number of years. He then returned to Devon, settling in Ipplepen and joining the Newton Abbot Club.

He took his chess very seriously, playing with a modest grade over the board ( c. 130 at his best) , but at a much higher level in correspondence play – at near Master level he claimed, though this was possibly as much to do with the excellence of his computer program as his innate skill.

A requiem Mass was held on 8th January at St. Joseph’s Church, Newton Abbot, with a number of his fellow chess club members in attendance, and  Trefor Thynne representing the DCCA.

The annual Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival has become increasingly popular in recent years, reflected in the entry total of 429 at this week’s event. The top section alone, the Masters, has 150 participants, among them 26 Grandmasters of whom Michael Adams is the highest rated. Here is his Round 2 win against a fellow GM.

White: M. Adams (2754). Black: Al-Sayed Mohammed (2476).

Sicilian Defence – Najdorf Variation [B90]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Nbd7 7.Be2 e6 8.g4 White goes for a thematic quick kingside attack, aiming to castle queenside and throw everything available down the kingside. 8…h6 9.f4 g5 10.f5 Ne5 11.h3 b5 Black aims to do likewise but on the opposite wing – it’s a question of who can break through first. 12.a3 Qe7 13.fxe6 fxe6 14.Nf3 Nfd7 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.Qd2 Bb7 17.0–0–0 Rd8 18.Kb1 Bg7 19.Rhf1 Grabbing the open file and preventing immediate castling. 19…Nf7 20.Bd4 0–0 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Qd4+ Ne5 23.Rxf8 Qxf8 If 23…Rxf8 White wins a pawn and can take control of the d-file with 24.Qxd6 Qxd6 25.Rxd6. 24.a4 bxa4 25.Nxa4 Kg8 26.Nb6 Qg7 27.Nc4 attacking d6. 27…Nf7 28.Qe3 Bc6 29.e5 d5 If 29…dxe5 30.Rxd8+ Nxd8 31.Nxe5 Bb7 32.Bc4. 30.Qb6 Rc8 An alternative was 30…dxc4 31.Rxd8+ Nxd8 32.Qxd8+ Qf8 33.Qxf8+ Kxf8 but White wins a pawn after 34.Bxc4 Bb7 but not 35.Bxe6 Bg2 36.Bf5 Bxh3 37.e6 h5 38.Kc1 and the king must come over to cover any danger. 31.Qxa6 Rc7 32.Qb6 Nxe5 33.Qb8+! Kh7 34.Nxe5 Qxe5 The rook is now pinned and the queen cannot leave its defence. 35.Rf1 With the threat of winning rook or queen after Rf7+ 1–0.

The event finished on Thursday and with 2 rounds to go the clear leader was the Ukrainian Vassily Ivanchuk with Adams among a whole raft of players in equal 2^nd place on 6 points.

This afternoon sees the next round of the Inter-County championship with Devon facing Hampshire at a new venue in Ilchester.

Meanwhile, also today, not content with trying to be Cornwall’s youngest champion for many years, 13 yr. old Theo Slade is taking on up to 12 players at once in Truro’s Lemon Street Market, between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Just turn up to play or watch (£5 to challenge Theo.

In last week’s position, Hebden won with an exchange sacrifice 1.Rxc5 Qxc5 2.Rc1 Qb6 3.Qf4 threatening Qf6. 3…f5 4.exf6 0-0 5.Qd6 Qd4 6.Qxe6 Kh8 7.Qe7 Qa7 8.Rxc6 1-0

In this game from last year, Black, a rook down, might have been considering resigning before discovering a neat resource. How did Black force a win in 3 moves?

Black to play and win