The Paignton Congress starts a week tomorrow with entries coming in all the time. Meanwhile, here’s a game from the 1996 event by then Paignton resident, Gary Lane, who won it that year. Here he faced a former joint-British Champion. Notes condensed from those originally kindly supplied by the winner.
White: Gary Lane. Black: Alan Phillips. Bishop’s Opening [C24]
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 A good way to avoid the Petroff which has the reputation for being a bit dull. 2…Nf6 3.d3 c6!? A line known as the Paulsen Defence after Louis Paulsen (1833 – 91), one of the world’s leading players in the 1860s. 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bb3 The bishop retreats which is part of the opening plan in this line so that …d7-d5 lacks bite because it won’t be attacking the bishop on c4. 5…0–0 6.0–0 d6 7.Re1 Na6 8.c3 A slow, gradual way to create a pawn centre with an eventual d4, and it also allows an escape square for the bishop to avoid an exchange of pieces. 8…Nc5 9.Bc2 Bg4 10.Nbd2.
The middlegame plan is to prevent any counterplay so that White can slowly build up his kingside pieces in preparation for an attack. 10…Ne6 11.h3 Bh5 12.Nf1 Ne8 13.Ng3 Bg6 Black should think about exchanging some pieces to avoid getting a cramped position. 14.d4 Bf6 15.Be3 catching up on development. 15…Qc7 16.a4 a5 17.Qe2 The queen moves to the 2nd rank in order to coordinate the rooks and keep an eye on the possibility of …b7-b5. 17…c5 18.d5! 18…Nf4?! 19.Qd2 Nh5 Black avoids losing a pawn but now the initiative allows White to step up the kingside pressure in an effort to make the most of the black pieces’ lack of harmony. 20.Nf5 Bd8 21.g4 Nhf6 22.Kh2 There is no rush as Black has no hint of counterplay, so there is time to reinforce against a possible later kingside attack. 22…Qd7 23.c4 23…h5!? Black was in no mood to sit and wait so tried to mix things up. 24.Rg1 hxg4 25.hxg4 Nh7 26.Rg3 26…Nef6 27.Rh1 Re8 28.Bh6! forcing home the advantage because acceptance of the sacrifice would lead directly to mate. 28…Nxe4 Desperation, but there’s nothing better. 29.Bxe4 gxh6 30.Qxh6 Bf6 31.Kg2 The king steps out of the way to unleash the rook on the h-file which is all part of the plan 31…Qd8 32.g5! Bh8 33.N3h4 White can now force checkmate. 1–0
Last week’s problem by Mansfield was solved by 1. Nd3! and there’s nothing Black can do to prevent 2.Qf5#.
The opening round of the British Problem Solving Championship closed at the end of July, and there were more correct solutions sent in by WMN readers than any other provincial daily, so congratulations to all those. By now they will have received the postal round comprising 8 more positions in various categories and of increasing difficulty. The best solvers of these will be invited to participate in the Final at Eton College next February.
Meanwhile, here is another 2-mover by Dave Howard, having its first showing worldwide.
White to Mate in 2