ChessMoves (Totally) Online... Editorial

John Emms ChessMoves Editor

Welcome to the first, fully online edition of the British Chess Federation's newsletter ChessMoves, brought to you by the new editorial team managed by British Chess Magazine.

This is a new departure for all concerned. Though ChessMoves has been partly available via the web for some time now, this is the first edition which has been entirely web-based and is not directly available in any other format. This does not mean an end to the paper-based version; from now on the web version will alternate with the paper version on a monthly basis. So direct members and subscribers will be receiving their July edition through the post as per normal; though it will be expanded to twelve pages from the eight-page newsletter they have received to date.

There are several reasons why the BCF decided to opt for this dual approach, of which we will quote just two. Firstly, the web can reach the parts other forms of publication cannot reach. At a stroke BCF news can reach a worldwide audience, and perhaps more significantly a general UK readership. Secondly, it gives the opportunity to make available games databases which have become such a popular feature on chess internet sites and which help to attract an audience.

To that end this edition is accompanied by a downloadable database of more than 1,800 games played in the UK in the past few months. We cannot promise that every edition will sport quite such a large database; but we have included the full season's 4NCL Division 1 games plus Rounds 1-10 of the Division 2 games. By the same token, paper magazines can achieve things that the web cannot; and all concerned are fully committed to developing and delivering a topical and relevant paper-based edition. For readers who like what they find here on the web, we recommend that you take out a subscription which you can find out about here.

Syringa Turvey Assistant Editor

The new editor of ChessMoves (both web and paper versions) is Grandmaster John Emms. His title tells you he is a very strong chess player, and in addition he is a highly regarded author of chess books and an experienced chess coach. Editing a chess newsletter and web site is a new departure for him, but I know he is eagerly looking forward to the challenge. Assisting him is Syringa Turvey, who has been making a name for herself in recent seasons as a dedicated, enterprising and highly successful team organiser with the Buckinghamshire county side and the Poisoned Pawns team in the 4NCL. Contact details for John and Syringa are listed at the bottom of this page; all feedback gratefully accepted!

Before closing, I would like to thank the retiring editor of ChessMoves, Stewart Reuben, for all his sterling work over the past few months and his great help and kindness in making the transition a smooth one. Editing the Federation's newsletter has been just one of the many ways in which Stewart has made his immense contribution to chess in the UK. Also, many thanks to Howard Curtis and his team at Coulsdon Chess Fellowship who have worked so hard to put the BCF's web site on the map and rendered us every assistance in the handover.

John Saunders, Editor-in-Chief
E-mail johnsaunders@bcmchess.co.uk

Slough Retain The 4NCL Title

The final weekend of the 4NCL season (29 April - 1 May) saw reigning champions Slough retain the championship they won in 1998/9 with one round to spare. This is their third championship in all, equalling the record set by Midland Monarchs.

The 4NCL has no difficulty in justifying its oft-quoted tag as 'Britain's premier chess league'. It no longer claims to live up to the original name of "Four Nations' Chess League" as no Scottish club has yet entered and an Irish side has long since dropped out - but the abbreviation '4NCL' is now its official name, and far more than four countries are represented across the thirty clubs in the two divisions. This season has been like an arms war, where first one team and then another has deployed a still more deadly weapon at every turn; winners of this particular battle were clearly Wood Green who managed to wheel out Nigel Short for the final weekend, and then even surpassed themselves by putting world number five Alexander Morozevich on top board.

Barbican captain Jonathan Rogers helped to make Wood Green blue.

But, as connoisseurs of cowboy films will know, it's not about who's got the biggest gun, more about who can get it out of the holster quickest. The last round was scheduled to be the shoot-out between rivals Slough and Wood Green; but before Round 11, the gods have placed Round 9 and Round 10. On the Saturday Wood Green faced Barbican 4NCL. Morozevich and Short were not keen to risk their ratings against sub-2500 opposition, so Wood Green made do with their other five grandmasters against Barbican's brace of IMs and assorted FMs. This seemed a reasonably safe strategy at the time; but things went from bad to worse for Wood Green as Baburin succumbed to a tactic and the lower half subsided. A 3½-4½ loss left them high and dry as Slough dispatched Wood Green 2 and then Barbican 4NCL in round 10 to clinch the title before round 11 got underway.

Having two divisions means that the last round drama is not all about the big battalions. There was an almighty scramble to avoid relegation with six teams still not safe as the last round started. The fates of lowest-placed Wood Green 2 and North West Eagles were soon sealed, but it was many hours before the identity of the team to descend with them was known. Bristol slipped to a loss against Silvine White Rose, but it transpired that they would be safe so long as The ADs did not score more than 5½ points against North West Eagles. The quaintly-named Antediluvians managed 3-1 in the first session, and needed the same again to stay up from the four remaining boards. Finally, with 1½/2 required, they could scarcely have chosen players with better 'pre-flood' credentials - two British Champions from the 1970s, Mestel and Bellin. The job was duly done, the Ark floated and Bristol it was that went down.

John Shaw of Poisoned Pawns scored 3/3 on the weekend.

Division Two saw a lively battle for the three promotion places. This division is also seeing an influx of professionals as clubs aspire to the prestigious first division. Poisoned Pawns signed up GM Bogdan Lalic and IM John Shaw for their promotion campaign. This policy paid off handsomely as they had much the better of a 4-4 draw with undefeated league leaders South Wales Dragons. The Welsh side won against Perceptron Youth on the Sunday to find that they had already won the championship as Poisoned Pawns had gone on to defeat their closest rivals, Barbican 4NCL second team. On the final day Barbican 4NCL 2 came back to win and gain promotion to the first division, while Poisoned Pawns' 4-4 draw with Bigwood 2 was just good enough to stave off their opponent's challenge for the third promotion spot. Leaving aside the distribution of the silverware for a moment: further down the division, the future of British chess was being forged. Division Two now sports a host of junior teams who are acquiring vital experience of competition against 2000-2300 rated players, as well as rubbing shoulders with and receiving coaching from the many professional players present. Any Olympiad medals England wins in the 2020s will deserve to have "made in Birmingham" stamped on them.

But what of that show-down that never was - Slough versus Wood Green? Though the championship was no longer at stake, this was all about pride and prestige, and a fitting climax to a rivalry that had grown as the season unfolded, though a healthy rivalry that was much to the benefit of British chess. Slough's team manager Nigel Johnson and team captain Tony Miles cared enough to import the final 'wild card' of the season - Zoltan Almasi - to face the world number five. On board two a world championship finalist - Nigel Short - played a former world number five - Mikhail Gurevich... and so on down the teams, with six grandmasters and two IMs apiece. This was almost certainly the strongest domestic league match ever played in the UK. In the end honour was satisfied with a 4-4 draw, as Slough's Matthew Turner outfoxed Wood Green's Paul Littlewood in a long endgame to win and, in the process, achieve a GM norm. Slough's 100% record had finally been dented, though they remained unbeaten. As Nigel Johnson remarked, "this was the icing on the cake, though not quite chocolate icing."

In March 1990, Glenn Flear wrote an article in BCM with his vision of "British Chess Into The Nineties." His idea? A National League. He outlined a "... First Division of twelve teams, essentially super-clubs from all over the country... these could be existing clubs or new, almost regional, all-star teams... a method of promotion and relegation to add spice to the competition... the competition between clubs to qualify for the prestigious First Division and for First Division Clubs to (a) remain there and (b) win the championship would of itself promote a climate where professionalism would flourish. Money would come into the game and so the league would be a very positive step in the nineties to develop our national talents." In retrospect this must rank as one of the most prescient, thoughtful and influential articles ever written about British chess. Well done, Glenn!

4NCL Crosstables may be found in the Results Supplement

Slough's superstars share the limelight with their second team. Left to Right (standing): Nigel Johnson (team manager), Majid Mashayekh, Mario Houska, Ameet Ghasi, Robert Richmond, Graeme Buckley, Matthew Turner, Tony Miles (captain), Mikhail Gurevich, Malcolm Armstrong (totally obscured), Zoltan Almasi (partially obscured), Roger de Coverly, Lubomir Ftacnik, Kevin Spraggett. Left to right (sitting): Jovanka Houska, Colin McNab, Peter Wells, Susan Lalic

Annotations by GM John Emms

Alexander Morozevich - Jonathan Rowson
4NCL Round 10, 30 April 2000

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 d4 cxd4 5 Nxd4 a6 6 Be3 e6 7 f3 Be7 8 Qd2 0-0 9 0-0-0 Nc6 10 g4 Nxd4 11 Qxd4!?
Not as common as 11 Bxd4, but in Rowson's opinion just as dangerous. In some lines White's attack on the d6-pawn becomes important.
11...b5 12 h4!?
The idea of 12 g5 Nd7 and only then 13 h4 is more usual, but Morozevich tries a different approach. Now 12...Nd7 13 h5!? is White's idea, when h5-h6 is an annoying threat. Of course Black can prevent this by playing ...h7-h6 himself, but then Black's kingside would be compromised and White could revert back to the plan of forcing g4-g5.
12...e5?!
With this move Rowson was attempting to punish White for delaying the g4-g5 advance. He admitted later, however, that despite his logical follow-up, this plan simply doesn't work for Black.
13 Qd2 b4 14 Na4!
This is a deceptively good move, as it holds up any black counterplay on the queenside. Black's idea works well after the natural looking 14 Ne2. Rowson gives the line 14...Qa5 15 Kb1 Be6 16 Nc1 d5 17 g5 d4! when Black has nothing to complain about.
White's knight can become vulnerable on a4, but on this occasion Black does not have enough time to exploit this factor.
14...Rb8 15 g5

15...Nd7?
After this move, Black may well be lost. Rowson suggests 15...Nh5!? as an improvement, adding that after 16 Bc4 Be6 17 Bb3 Black has no counterplay, but at least White has no clear way forward.
16 b3 Bb7 17 h5
Now the attack plays itself. White is simply planning g5-g6.
17...f5 18 Bc4+ Kh8 19 g6
Now Black's position has definitely gone. White threatens the killing h5-h6. Black prevents this with his next move, but the attack rolls on.
19...h6 20 Bxh6!
Naturally.
20...fxe4 21 Rdg1 e3
Or 21...exf3 22 Bxg7+! Kxg7 23 h6+ Kh8 24 g7+ and White wins.
22 Qxe3 d5

23 Bxg7+! Kxg7 24 h6+ Kf6 25 g7 dxc4 26 h7! Black Resigns 1-0
There is no defence, for example
a) 26...Rg8 27 Qh6+ Kf5 28 Qg6+ Kf4 29 Qg4+ Ke3 30 Re1+ Kf2 31 Rhf1#
b) 26...Kf7 27 g8Q+ Rxg8 28 Rxg8 and it's all over.

Adam Collinson - Jonathan Speelman
4NCL Round 9, 29 April 2000

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 c4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e6 6 Nf3 Bb4 7 cxd5 Nxd5 8 Bd2 Nc6 9 Bd3 Be7 10 a3
Preventing ...Ndb4, which would hit the bishop on d3 while uncovering an attack on the d4-pawn. That said, 10 0-0 is still the more popular move, preparing to meet 10...Ndb4 with 11 Be2!. Now 11 ..Nxd4 is very risky, for example 12 Nxd4 Qxd4 13 Nb5 Qd7 14 Bxb4 Bxb4 15 Qa4 Bc5 16 Rad1 Qc6 17 Bf3 1-0 was a very quick win for White in the game Zahariev-Logothetis, Chania 1997.
10...Bf6 11 0-0 0-0
Grabbing the d-pawn with 11...Bxd4 is still dangerous, for example 12 Nxd4 Nxd4 13 Nxd5 Qxd5 14 Qg4 0-0? 15 Bh6 Qe5 16 f4! and Black was in big trouble in the game Vaisser-Sveshnikov, Moscow 1989.
12 Qe2 g6!?
This is probably Black's most ambitious move here. Grabbing the pawn with 12 ..Nxd4 is also quite playable. After 13 Nxd4 Bxd4 14 Bxh7+ Kxh7 15 Qe4+ Kg8 16 Qxd4 the position looks reasonably level. In fact this has occurred in one of Speelman's games.
13 Bh6 Re8 14 Rfd1
14 Rad1 looks more natural, although I can understand White's reluctance to move away from defending the a3-pawn, which will become a target after the exchange of knights on c3.
14...Nxc3 15 bxc3 Bd7

16 Ne5
This turns out well for Black, so I suspect that White should look at alternative moves here, such as 16 Be4 or 16 Rab1. 16...Nxe5! 17 dxe5 Bh8!
Naturally Black keeps his dark-squared bishop, which eyes the vulnerable pawn on e5. There is no way for White to make use of the pressure on the d-file. Perhaps Collinson missed the fact that 18 Bb5 can be answered simply by 18...Bxb5!.
18 Bf4 Qc7 19 h4
White's lunge with his h-pawn is logical, as White needs to create threats on the kingside as quickly as possible. However, I suspect that Black is already on top here, and Speelman now begins to create threats of his own.
19...Ba4! 20 Rdc1 Rad8 21 h5 Rd5 22 hxg6 hxg6 23 Be4

23...Bxe5!
This move is the beginning of an impressive combination.
24 Bxd5 Bxf4 25 Qe4 exd5! 26 Qxa4 Re4 27 Qxa7
Or else White will simply be a pawn down. Speelman's next move shocked both his opponent and myself, who was sitting just a couple of tables away. Naturally one would expect the obvious 27...Bxc1 here, but Speelman's alternative is much more to the point.
27...Bh2+! 28 Kh1
28 Kf1 allows a mate in 1 with 28...Qc4#.
28...Rh4!
Amongst Black's threats is the straightforward idea of 29...Bf4+ 30 Kg1 Bxc1 31 Rxc1 Qh2+ 32 Kf1 Qh1+, followed by 33...Qxc1.
29 Re1 Qc8!
I very much like this "small" move, after which White's position is hopeless. Black threatens to win the white queen with a discovered check. Furthermore, the queen cannot find the safe haven of a light square.
30 f4 Bxf4+ 31 Kg1 Bd6! White Resigns 0-1
Black threatens 32...Bc5+ and 32 Qf2 is met by 32...Bh2+ 33 Kf1 Qc4+ 34 Re2 Rf4.

Golombek Memorial Tournament - 50th Paignton Congress - 3-9 September 2000

John Dunleavy reports:

At the invitation of the Friends of Chess, the Golden Jubilee Paignton congress is staging a Memorial tournament (starting on the revised date of Sunday 3 September) for honorary GM Harry Golombek, OBE. Harry won the first Paignton Premier in 1951, beating Dr. Euwe in the first round; he was connected with the congress both as a player, winning again twice in the 50s, and for many years thereafter as a journalist.

Creating a Tournament that would be really worthy of its subject was an interesting challenge. Harry was a great supporter of the younger generation and favoured all-play-all tournaments for title seekers. These were seen to be the theme for his memorial - those who had connections with Harry himself, plus some of the very best of the younger generation.

Swedish GM Hillarp Persson training English juniors in Jersey. Ken Bloodworth promptly signed him up for the Golombek event.

The line-up at Oldway Mansion, Paignton will include leading GMs Jon Speelman and John Nunn, who had been part of the younger generation in Harry's time, Keith Arkell, who holds the record for most wins at Paignton, and Tiger Hillarp Persson, who unknowingly selected himself! At Jersey earlier this year, Ken Bloodworth spotted him analysing with the English juniors. The IMs, all young and with 'norms' under their belt, are among the best that England and the Continent have to offer. They include England's Matthew Turner, Laurent Fressinet and Robert Fontaine of France and Karel van der Weide from the Netherlands, with two more of similar ilk to be confirmed. The Chief Arbiter will be Gerry Walsh, Chairman of both the BCF and the Friends of Chess, who often acted as Harry's deputy and chauffeur and was, above all, his friend. Steve Boniface, a member of the Paignton Committee, will be Gerry's deputy. It should be an exciting and hard-fought tournament.

A number of players have had to decline an invitation to take part; Vassily Smyslov, Jonathan Mestel, 19-year old Dennis de Vreugt, reckoned to be the next Dutch Jan Timman, and Paignton's own Gary Lane. Gary felt he should give priority to a visit to Australia to watch the Olympics - and to get married there!

In addition to a generous grant from the Friends of Chess, the Paignton congress itself and the BCF International Director are supporting the Tournament. An appeal, launched by Gerry Walsh, has been given a flying start. We hope that many more chess players will wish to help ensure that the conditions are truly worthy of a memorial to one of the great figures of English chess. Readers are invited to send contributions to "The Harry Golombek Memorial Fund" to Gerry at the new BCF office.

Grandmaster Finally Checkmated!

Many congratulations to Aaron and Claire (née Lusher) Summerscale, who were married in The Orangery at Longleat, on 14th April. The couple honeymooned in Kenya and Aaron, a member of the Slough 4NCL team, arrived back just too late to play a part in the final weekend of matches.

The Terence Chapman Grand Prix leaderboard (see right) demonstrates that wedding plans have not had a detrimental effect on Aaron's chess form.

Oakham Millennium Masters

A crosstable can be found in the Results Supplement

Nearly a grandmaster... Nicholas Pert

A category 7 international tournament was held at Oakham School, 11-19 April. Chris Ward made the early running but was later overhauled by IM Nicholas Pert who ran out convincing winner with 6½/9 ahead of Danny Gormally, 6. Both were shooting for GM norms but missed the required score of 7 points. Danny Gormally has been so close, so many times, that he is beginning to wonder what he has to do to get a norm. In retrospect it was equally tantalising for Pert who soon after scored a GM norm from the season's 4NCL. Together with his norm from the Hastings Challengers, a norm at Oakham would have been enough for the title. within a matter of months. But there was good news for the ubiquitous American Irina Krush: she made a well-earned IM norm.

Michael Adams relaxes after a 100-move marathon against Danny King at Southend... he's reading Leonard Barden's Guardian column

Redbus Knock-Out

A crosstable can be found in the Results Supplement

This was the second prestigious knock-out event sponsored by Clifford Stanford's Redbus company and run alongside Southend's traditional Easter congress. Ten of the 1999 entrants returned to do battle again, but the star name in the field was England number one Michael Adams. He started clear favourite and went on to win, but did not have things his own way, needing to resort to quickplay decides against Scotland's Jonathan Rowson in the semi-finals and a sudden-death blitz game against Bogdan Lalic in the final. Last year's winner James Plaskett was eliminated in round 1 by 16-year-old Luke McShane, fresh from recording his second GM norm in Reykjavik.

Obituary - Jonathan Benjamin (1958-2000)

The UK chess community will be saddened to learn that Jonathan C Benjamin died on 12 May 2000, aged 41.

Born in 1958, Jon Benjamin grew up in a chess-playing family in the Richmond (Surrey) area - his father Bryan and brothers Nick and Martin are all strong players - and won a cluster of junior titles. These included the British Under 14 Championship in 1973, where he scored an outstanding 10½/11, two points ahead of the field, and the British Under 18 Championship in 1976, where he finished ahead of future grandmasters Nigel Davies and James Plaskett. He attended St. Paul's School and was part of a formidable chess team which has long dominated 'The Times' British Schools Tournament and which included grandmasters-to-be Julian Hodgson and William Watson amongst its pupils. He went on to represent Oxford University twice in the annual Varsity match, on board five (in 1977) and board two (in 1978).

Jon Benjamin (right) playing in a 24-hour blitz tournament in Richmond, 1981

Thereafter, though he continued to play locally in the London and Surrey areas and was a long-time member of Richmond Chess Club, Jon rarely played in the sort of national and international events that would have helped him to build on his prodigious talent. Instead he concentrated on his job, working as a project manager for building firms, and family (he was married with two children). He nevertheless continued to play his own enterprising and unpredictable brand of attacking chess in the London League for Richmond as well as in other Surrey-based competitions, taking some notable scalps in the process and maintaining a grade of around 200 BCF. A few years ago he defeated Grandmaster Bogdan Lalic at the Surrey Easter Congress, despite arriving 40 minutes late for the game. Jon won the Surrey Championship in 1981, 1986 and 1988, and jointly in 1999.

Jon had been suffering from cancer for about a year; yet less than three weeks before his death he finished 2nd= in the very strong Surrey Open tournament, scoring 5½/7 ahead of such notable players as GM Colin McNab and IM Danny Gormally. And he had been due to play off for the 1999 Surrey Championship title only a few days after his death.

Jon will be remembered as the most courteous and generous of opponents, and will be greatly missed by his numerous chess friends. Here is a gritty win against a grandmaster from the 'Chess for Peace' tournament, September 1987 (included on the downloadable database):

Lev Gutman (2475) - Jonathan Benjamin (2255)
Chess For Peace (London) 1987
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 d6 3 Nf3 g6 4 g3 Bg7 5 Bg2 0-0 6 0-0 Nbd7 7 Nc3 e5 8 e4 c6 9 h3 Qb6 10 Re1 Ne8 11 d5 c5 12 Bd2 Qd8 13 Re2 f6 14 Qc2 Rf7 15 Rf1 Nf8 16 Ne1 f5 17 f4 exf4 18 Bxf4 Bd4+ 19 Kh2 g5 20 Be3 Bxe3 21 Rxe3 f4 22 gxf4 gxf4 23 Ref3 Ng6 24 Nd3 Qh4 25 Qf2 Qxf2 26 R1xf2 Ne5 27 Rxf4 Rxf4 28 Nxf4 Nxc4 29 Nh5 Bd7 30 Kg3 Ne5 31 Kh4 b5 32 Bf1 b4 33 Nd1 c4 34 Ne3 Rc8 35 Ng3 c3 36 b3 Ng7 37 Nc2 a5 38 Ne2 Re8 39 Bg2 Nd3 40 Rf1 Nf5+ 41 Kg5 h6+ 42 Kg6 Nh4+ 43 Kxh6 Nxg2 44 Rf3 Nge1 45 Rg3+ Kf8 0-1

Postscript

That's it for the first fully online edition of ChessMoves. We hope you have enjoyed it and found it useful. Please feel free to send your feedback to one of the e-mail addresses listed at the bottom of this page, or to John Saunders at johnsaunders@bcmchess.co.uk