Down but not out
THIS YEAR'S 36-player, 11 round British Championship had an exciting finish. After three rounds, only Tony Miles and Jonathan Mestel, the eventual winner, had maximum points. In their clash in round four Mestel lost the exchange - but still won! Miles did not fall for "a cheapo" but was just outplayed, a rook for a knight up.
Mestel, J. - Miles, A. - Portsmouth 1976
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.Qe2 b5 6.Bb3 d6 7.a4 Rb8 8.axb5 axb5 9.Nc3 Be7 It is clear that Miles did not know the opening and he is forced to give up a pawn as (9...b4 10.Qc4! Qd7 11.Nd5 reduces him to immobility ) 10.Nxb5 O-O 11.Na7? Ra8! Ouch! Now White must lose the exchange because (11...Ra8 12.Nxc6 Rxa1 13.Nxd8 Rxc1+ 14.Qd1 Rxd1+ will leave him a piece down after 15.Kxd1 Rxd8 ) 12.Nxc6 Rxa1 13.O-O Qe8 14.Nb4 Be6 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.c3 Ra4 17.b3 Ra8 18.Nc2 Qc6 19.Ng5 Qd7 20.d4 h6 21.Nf3 exd4 22.Ncxd4 c5 23.Nb5 Ne8 24.Rd1 Nc7 25.Nxc7 Qxc7 26.Qc4 Qc8 27.Be3 Kh8 28.h3 e5 29.Nd2 Qa6 30.Qe6 Qe2 31.Rf1 Bg5 32.Bxg5 hxg5 33.Nf3 Rf6 34.Qg4 Raf8?
Moves are clickable
Better is 34...Rf4 with a draw in sight. White has been improving his position with each move and is now winning. 35.Nxe5! Qxg4 36.Nxg4 R6f7 37.e5! d5 Even though in time trouble Miles sees (37...dxe5 loses the exchange after 38.Nxe5 threatening forks on g6, or d7 depending on Black's move ) 38.Rd1 Rd8 39.e6! Rb7 On (39...Re7 White playes 40.Ne5! with more forks, this time on g6, f7 and c6 ) 40.Ne5 Re8? A blunder of course, but White is better anyway after (40...Kg8 41.Nf7 Rdb8 (41...Re8 42.Nd6 ) 42.Rxd5 Rxb3 43.Rxc5 ) 41.Nf7+ Kg8 42.Nd6 1-0
THE TWO GLADIATORS of English chess, Dave Rumens and Jonathan Speelman, have both been playing true to form; sacrificing material left, right and centre! Here Rumens produces another sparkling win, this time against the 1974 £1000 winner of the Cutty Sark Grand Prix, Gerald Bennett.
Rumens, D. - Bennett, G. - Portsmouth ch-BCF 1976
1.f4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.e3 Nc6 4.Be2 g6 5.O-O Bg7 6.d3 O-O 7.Qe1 b6 8.Qh4 Bb7 9.e4 d5 10.e5 Ne8 11.Nbd2 Nc7 12.f5 gxf5 13.Ng5 h6 14.Ndf3!? Hardly anyone who was watching the game believed Rumens had any real compensation for his piece. 14...e6 15.Qg3 hxg5 16.Bxg5 Qb8 17.h4 Ne8 18.Bf4 Nd4 19.Kf2! Nxe2 20.Kxe2 d4 21.h5 Bxf3+ 22.gxf3 Kh7 23.Rh1 Bh6 24.Bxh6 Rg8!? ( After 24...Kxh6 25.Rag1 Black must step carefully. For example: 25...Kh7? 26.h6! with the horrible threat of 26...-- 27.Qg7+!! ) 25.Bg5 f6 26.f4 fxg5 27.fxg5 Qc7 28.g6+ Kh8 29.Qf4 Qg7 30.Rag1 Rc8 31.h6!
Moves are clickable
The White pieces work very hard and are beautifully coordinated, every piece being used to its full capacity. 31...Qe7 32.g7+ Kh7 33.Rh5! Nf6 34.Rxf5!! Typical Rumens - refuses to regain his material and instead offers even more! 34...exf5 35.Qxf5+ Kxh6 36.Qg6# 1-0