Mind Sports Olympiad Gets the Go-Ahead

Chess in Britain received a welcome boost when it was announced that the 4th Mind Sports Olympiad would go ahead as planned. The event will take place at the Alexandra Palace, London, from 19th-28th August. Previously there had been concern that, due to financial difficulties, the event would have to be postponed. However, these fears have now proved to be unfounded.

The main chess event will be the Ron Banwell MSO Masters, which runs from the 20th-28th August and is principally funded by the British Chess Federation. When Ron Banwell died he left a substantial bequest to the BCF. Part of this money is being used to fund a master Swiss. Thus the continuity of a major event in London in August, started with the Lloyds Bank Masters from 1977, will be continued.

The Ron Banwell MSO Masters will offer a complete range of international opportunities for players. In addition, uniquely, players with disabilities will be offered financial and other incentives to play. One objective is to demonstrate to the world at large that players with disabilities can compete on totally equal terms with other players. The January 2000 issue of ChessMoves was dedicated to Ron, who was himself a haemophiliac.

Stewart Reuben is directing the tournament on behalf of the London Chess Association, which is the organising body.

Thomas Rendle, winner of the 1999 UK Challenge Tera-Final, seen here performing a Simultaneous display at the Battle Marvellium (Photo by John Emms)

Junior Chess is also in the limelight with the latter stages of the British Land UK Chess Challenge, organised by Mike Basman, being held over the two weekends. The Giga-Final is on 20th August and is followed by the Tera-Final, on 26-27th August, to find the ultimate winner. This will be the climax to an event that has attracted thousands of schoolchildren from all over Britain.

There are also a huge number of events in disciplines such as Backgammon, Bridge, Draughts, Go, Othello, Scrabble, Creative Thinking, Crossword Puzzles, Memory Skills, Mental Calculations and Poker. For further details contact Tony Corfe (fax 01707 661160) or visit http://www.msoworld.com/. If you would like to make a donation, please send cheques to Tony Corfe, 51 Borough Way, Potters Bar, Herts.

With the help of Stewart Reuben

ChessMoves Welcomes New Editor!

Editing ChessMoves is a new and exciting venture for me and I'll certainly be doing my best not to disappoint. You will have already noticed that our magazine has been increased from 8 pages to 12 and is now coming out on a bi-monthly basis. In the in-between months you can find an on-line edition of the magazine at the official BCF website (take a look, we're at www.bcf.org.uk).

Many thanks go to previous editor Stewart Reuben and to all those who have helped make this first issue as smooth a process as possible for the editorial team. Any newcomers wishing to contribute material can contact me via the BCF address or e-mail me at jemms@ukgateway.net.

BCF Management Board Meeting

17 June London

At its meeting held at Francis House, Francis Street, London on 17 June the BCF Management Board decided:

1) To make a grant of £5,000 out of the Ron Banwell bequest for a memorial tournament to be held at the Mind Sports Olympiad between 20-28 August 2000. One of the conditions of the grant is that disabled players should have free entry to the event.

2) To appoint the International Selection Committee. This comprises as chairman ex officio the International Director David Anderton, Michael Adams, Ray Edwards, Harriet Hunt and Matthew Sadler. Tribute was paid to the retiring members Susan Lalic and Bob Wade for their services to the Committee over many years.

3) To hold the 2001 British Championships in Scarborough.

4) To appoint a Working Group under the Chairmanship of Nick Hawkins, the Marketing Director, to review the BCF Membership Scheme. The Committee also includes Gerry Walsh, David Anderton, Robert McFarland and Peter Turner. It is charged with the task of producing an interim report to the September Council and proposals to be considered by the April 2001 Council Meeting.

5) Robert McFarland, Finance Director, reported that the latest view of the year end 30/4/2000 outcome was broadly in line with the previous forecast, showing a result slightly better than break-even. This was, however, subject to audit.

6) Consideration was given to a report by Paul Buswell, Chairman of the Constitution Committee, on the implications of any change of name by BCF. It was resolved that the Management Board would recommend to Council that any change should not be considered prior to the Centenary of BCF in 2004 but that the implications should be noted and appropriate action taken to protect the interests of the Federation should any change be approved thereafter.

7) Possible Constitutional Changes affecting the Directorships and the Management Board were considered and a Committee established under the Chairmanship of Gerry Walsh and comprising David Anderton, Nick Hawkins, Cyril Johnson, Robert McFarland and Matthew Turner was charged with the task of examining and evaluating alternative proposals for consideration by the September Council Meeting.

8) It was agreed to abolish the Game Fee for the National Club Championships and the final stages of the Counties Championship for the forthcoming season. This will enable the Director of Home Chess, Cyril Johnson, to increase the prize fund for the National Club Championships.

9) The Director of Management Services, Howard Curtis, The Director of Women's Chess, Lara Barnes and the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Bryan Fewell, announced they were not seeking re-election and it was agreed the posts of Director of Women's Chess and Chairman of Finance Committee would be advertised in July ChessMoves and on the BCF Webpage.

10) A Committee was established to assist Dave Cole, the Strategic Planning Officer, in his preparation of the BCF Strategic Plans. This comprises Gerry Walsh, Robert McFarland and Chris Majer.

11) It was resolved to seek tenders for outsourcing the work of producing the BCF Grading Lists under a contract of at least 2 years duration commencing 1 October 2000. This would be advertised in the July ChessMoves and on the BCF Webpage. The tenders received would be evaluated by a panel comprising Chris Majer as Convenor, Robert McFarland and John Paines who would report to the September Management Board.

12) The Chess as a Sport Committee was appointed for 2000/1 and comprises David Anderton as Chairman, Gerry Walsh, Cyril Johnson and Robert McFarland.

David Anderton

England's Olympiad Team Selections

The England teams selected for the Olympiad to be held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 27th October to 13th November 2000 are as follows:

Heather Richards makes her debut for the English Women's Team in Istanbul (Photo by Christine Higgins)

OLYMPIAD
1) Michael Adams
2) Nigel Short
3) Julian Hodgson
4) Jon Speelman
5) Tony Miles
6) John Emms
Captain: Adam Raoof

WOMENS OLYMPIAD
1) Harriet Hunt
2) Susan Lalic
3) Jovanka Houska
4) Heather Richards
Captain: Peter Wells

Head of Delegation: David Anderton, BCF International Director

The teams will be sponsored again by private bankers Duncan Lawrie Limited, part of the Camellia Group of Companies.

The following indicated they were not available for selection: Matthew Sadler, having retired as a professional player and taken up employment in Holland and John Nunn due to business commitments. Ruth Sheldon was not available for the Women's team due to academic commitments. The first reserve is Stuart Conquest and for the Women's team, Jana Bellin.

David Anderton said, "I am delighted that Duncan Lawrie are continuing their sponsorship of the English teams which they began in 1978. I am very pleased that we are able to field such strong teams." Nick Grant , Chairman of Duncan Lawrie Limited, said, "We are pleased to have the opportunity to continue the sponsorship of the English chess teams and we wish them every success in the 2000 Olympiad."

The BCF Selectors have also selected:
1) Julian Hodgson, Jon Speelman, Tony Miles, John Emms and Stuart Conquest to represent England in the World Championship Zonal tournament, to be held in September 2000 (dates and venue to be confirmed).
2) John Littlewood to represent England in the World Seniors Championship in Rowy, Poland between 10-24 September 2000.

Mickey on a Roll!

Mickey Adams, BCF Player of the Year (Photo by Christine Higgins)

Many congratulations go to England's number one Mickey Adams on his recent feats, both at the Sarajevo SuperGM Tournament and the more recent Frankfurt Chess Classic 2000.

Adams' undefeated score of 8/11 in Sarajevo, which was enough to give him second place just half a point behind winner Gary Kasparov, rates as one of the best ever tournament performances by an English player. Certainly, just talking in numerical terms and in top class events, Adams' rating performance of 2876 sets a new high for him, beating his previous best of 2727 while coming second at Dortmund 1998 and a similar performance in winning Dos Hermanas last year.

Adams followed this up by turning in another special performance at the Frankfurt Masters Tournament, where his score of 10.5/14 secured first place and qualified him to play in the "Giants" section next year. More good news for English chess fans is that Adams is returning to strengthen the English team for the Istanbul Olympiad this October.

Choosing a publishable game from his many wins can sometimes be a difficult job. Mickey would be the first to admit that he wins more long games than miniatures. However, from the Sarajevo games I had a pleasant choice between a 31 move last round win over Alexander Morozevich and this following demolition job on France's Etienne Bacrot.

White: Etienne Bacrot
Black: Michael Adams
Sarajevo 2000
Queen's Indian E13

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Nf3 b6 5 Bg5 Bb7 6 e3
The game started out as a Nimzo-Indian, but with the moves 4…b6 and 5…Bb7, has transposed into the Queen's Indian Defence. This opening has acquired, perhaps unfairly, a reputation as being peaceful (or boring, if one was being candid). However, it's certainly well respected, at least at the top level, and this particular variation is anything but dull.
6...h6 7 Bh4 Bxc3+ 8 bxc3 d6 9 Nd2 g5 10 Bg3 Nc6!?
It's surprising, but I can find no other examples of this natural move on my database. Normal for Black are both 10...Qe7 and 10...Nbd7, but with the knight on c6, Black can consider ganging up on the c4-pawn with ...Nc6-a5 and ...Bb7-a6.
11 h4 Rg8 12 hxg5 hxg5 13 Rh6!
It's White who attacks first. With the other knight on c6, rather than d7, the f6 knight lacks its normal protection.
13...Qe7 14 Qf3
Planning to answer 14...Nd7 with the typical break 15 c5!, when both 15…bxc5 16 Rb1 and 15...dxc5 16 Bxc7 Rc8 17 Qg3 are advantageous for White.
14…Rg6
Rather than get entangled with the variations in the last note, Adams chooses the lesser evil, which is to accept the weakness of the doubled pawns.
15 Rxg6 fxg6 16 Bd3 0-0-0 17 Qe2
The hasty 17 Bxg6? loses to 17...Ne5!, and the bishop on g6 is lost. 17...Rh8 Now 18 Bxg6!? is playable, although Adams felt that Black would obtain good compensation for the pawn after 18...Rh1+ 19 Nf1 Na5 20 f3 g4. Instead the French youngster plays it safe, but begins to lose his way by selecting a faulty plan after castling.
18 0-0-0 Rh6 19 f3 Kb8 20 Bf2 e5 21 g4?
This is just too ambitious, as White should really be "tidying up" his king position. On the Club Kasparov website, GM Sergei Shipov recommends 21 Kb2, taking the sting out of Black's ...d6-d5 advance, as there is no longer the worry over ...Qe7-a3+, while Adams himself thinks that it's roughly level after 21 d5 Na5 22 e4 Nh5.
21...d5!
Black takes over the initiative in the center and threatens …Qe7-a3+. I like Black's position now, although it's surprising just how quickly White's position goes under from here.
22 Kb2 Rh2 23 Qf1 dxc4 24 Bxg6?
24 Bxc4 is more resilient, although Black still keeps the upper hand after 24...Na5.
24...Nd5! 25 Bg1?
After this mistake White's position quickly collapses.

25...exd4! 26 exd4
26 Bxh2 dxc3+ 27 Ka1 Nxe3! is disastrous for White.
26...Re2! 0-1
At first sight resignation looks a bit drastic, but White has no defence to the threats against his king, for example 27 Be4 Nxc3! 28 Kxc3 Qa3+ 29 Kc2 (29 Kxc4 allows mate after 29…Na5+ 30 Kb5 a6) 29...Nb4+ 30 Kb1 Bxe4+ 31 fxe4 Qxa2+ 32 Kc1 Qc2 mate.

Junior Moves

St Paul's Flying High

The Times' Schools Chess Championship Finals, 29-30 June 2000

The Times' Schools Chess Championship Finals took place at the Charing Cross Hotel, London, on the 29th-30th June 2000. Four teams battled out both the semi-final and final stages of the competition.

St.Paul's School pick up their winners' cup and medals. Standing in the middle with the bow tie is Ray Keene. (Photo by John Emms)

For the second year running it was St. Paul's School, London who were eventually victorious. In the semi-final they overcame Nottingham High School in a match that was closer than the scoreline suggested. Nottingham were slightly hampered by, of all things, jet-lag. Two of their team had only just flown back from New York, where their under 15 team had been competing in the final of the Kasparov Chess World Schools Championship, as well as a simul against the World Champion. The other semi final was a very tight match, with Manchester Grammar School winning on board count after their 3-3 draw with Queen Elizabeth School, Barnet.

The final saw St Paul's running out as reasonably comfortable winners with their 4½-1½ win over Manchester. The final game to finish was the board 1 encounter between Desmond Tan of St.Paul's and David Shaw of Manchester. This was judged to be one of the two best games by Jon Speelman, John Emms and Bob Wade. Unfortunately Des could not attend the closing ceremony to receive his awards, as he had to leave urgently to catch a plane to Malaysia for a family holiday.

The other joint winner of the best game prize went to Nottingham's Manpreet Singh Mann, for his win over Barnet's Jamie Hillman in the 3rd/4th match playoff.

White: Manpreet Singh Mann
Black: Jamie Hillman
The Times' Schools Championship Finals
Caro-Kann B19

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Bf5 5 Ng3 Bg6 6 h4 h6 7 h5 Bh7 8 Nf3 Nf6 9 Bf4 Nd5 10 Bd2 e6 11 Ne5 Nd7 12 Bd3 Bxd3 13 Nxd3 c5 14 dxc5 Nxc5 15 Nxc5 Bxc5 16 Ne4 Bb6 17 c4 Nf6 18 Qa4+ Kf8 19 0-0-0! Nxe4 20 Bb4+ Nd6 21 Rxd6 Qg5+! 22 Kb1 Bc5 23 Bxc5 Qxc5 24 Qd7 Re8 25 Rhd1 Qxh5 26 Qxb7 Qf5+ 27 Ka1 Qxf2?

28 Rd8! Qb6 29 Rxe8+ Kxe8 30 Qd7+ Kf8 31 Qd8+ Qxd8 32 Rxd8+ Ke7 33 Rxh8 e5 34 Kb1 Kd6 35 Ra8 Kc5 36 Rxa7 Kxc4 37 Kc1 f5 38 Rxg7 Kd3 39 Kd1 f4 40 Rf7 Ke3 41 Ke1 e4 42 b4 f3 43 gxf3 exf3 44 b5 h5 45 b6 h4 46 b7 h3 47 b8Q 1-0

Puzzled?

Sometimes chess can be a strange game, like when you totally outplay your opponent for 90% of the game, then he spots one lucky move and your position falls apart. Or when you play a brilliant sacrificial attack, only for your opponent's king to run to other side of the board to its safety. Or when the simplest of king and pawn endgames proves to be not that simple at all.

The beauty of king and pawn endgames is that there are so few pieces on the board, it looks like it should be easy to calculate the best moves. However, anyone who has read Secrets of Pawn Endings or has tried one of John Nunn special "Brains of the Earth" puzzles, will know that just the opposite is true…

Al Rakib-Emms

Let me give you the history of the game so far. After reaching a very nice middlegame position I proceeded to play very poorly and ended up with a miserable ending. Fortunately, while rushing to reach the time control, my opponent offered me a chance to reach a king and pawn endgame. I then thought for a long time and was pleased with my calculations. I went ahead with a knight for bishop exchange and reached the diagrammed position (with my opponent to move). This is how the game continued.

1 Ke4
It looks pretty much like a straight race. The white king tries to mop up Black's kingside pawns while Black's king is being deflected by the a-pawn.
1…Kxa6 2 Ke5 Kb5 3 Kf6!
The first nuance. White ignores the e6-pawn and eyes the g6 and h7-pawns. After these are captured White will obtain a passed h-pawn. My opponent had calculated correctly that Black draws after 3 Kxe6 Kc4 4 Kf7 Kd3 5 Kg7 Ke2 6 Kxh7 Kxf2 7 Kxg6 Kg3.
3...Kc4 4 Kg7 Kd3 5 Kxh7 Ke2 6 Kxg6 Kxf2 7 h4 e5 8 Kf5!
Played with an expectancy of resignation. However, my opponent was shocked by…
8…Kf3!
This crucial move is deceptively difficult to see, and that's why I was so pleased with my analysis. The black king keeps both the option of shepherding the e-pawn home and stopping White's h-pawn. White cannot prevent both.
9 Kxe5
Or 9 h5 e4 and both sides queen.
9...Kg4 10 h5 Kxh5 ½-½

So that was that. It was a half-a-point saved and an instructive ending to go with it.

This year I've been working on a very large puzzle book (it's called Ultimate Chess Puzzle Bookand it's out in September -end of plug). It seemed to me that this ending could act as one of the more difficult puzzles. I showed it to a few people and checked it plenty of times myself. Then something happened which shouldn't have surprised me, as I know these endings can be so deceptive, but it did nevertheless.

I found out that not only is White winning the diagrammed position, but my opponent's first move is actually a mistake! The credit for this discovery goes to the English junior player Nick Frost, to whom I had given the "puzzle", expecting him to find the draw. Instead he found the following line:

1 Kd4! Kxa6 2 Kc5!
This is the move which is not only difficult to see, but very hard to comprehend. White can only win by capturing the black pawns, so at first sight this seems to lose not one but two tempi.
2…Ka5
Or:
1) 2...Kb7 3 Kd6 Kb6 4 Kxe6 Kc5 5 Kf7 Kd4 6 Kg7 Ke4 7 Kxh7 Kf3 8 Kxg6 Kxf2 9 h4 and the pawn promotes.
2) 2...g5 3 Kd6 Kb5 4 Kxe6 Kc4 5 Kf5 Kd3 6 Kxg5 Ke4 7 Kh6 Kf3 8 Kxh7 Kxf2 9 h4! and again the h-pawn promotes.
3 h4!
This is the crucial point. White advance this pawn one further space before chasing after the kingside pawns. Black's king can do nothing with the spare tempo.
3…Ka4 4 Kd6 Kb4 5 Kxe6 Kc3 6 Kf6 Kd3 7 Kg7 Ke2 8 Kxh7 Kxf2 9 Kxg6
and White wins.

That should have been the end of it, but of course, there's more. When I showed the new "puzzle" to endgame maestro Jon Speelman, he naturally enough had his own opinions. After a session with Jon, there were new discoveries. The current main line now runs like this:

1 Kd4! Kxa6 2 Kc5! e5!
I'd underestimated the defensive strength of this move.
3 f3!
The main alternative is 3 Kd5 Kb5 4 h4 but then Black can draw with 4…e4! 5 Kxe4 Kc4 and now:
1) 6 Kf4 Kd3 7 Kg5 Ke2 8 f4 Kf3 9 h5 Ke4 10 h6 Ke3 11 f5 gxf5 12 Kxf5 Kd4 and the Black king will reach the critical f7-square.
2) 6 f3 (trying to zugzwang Black) 6...Kc3! (6 ..Kc5? 7 Ke5 Kc4 8 Kf6 wins for White) 7 h5 (7 f4 h5! draws after 8 f5 gxf5+ 9 Kxf5 Kd4 10 Kg5 Ke5 11 Kxh5 Kf5) 7...Kc2 8 f4 (8 Ke5 Kd2! 9 h6 Ke2 10 f4 Ke3 draws)) 8...Kd2 9 h6 Kc3 10 Ke5 Kc4! 11 Kf6 Kd5 12 Kg7 Ke6 13 Kxh7 Kf7 and despite the extra pawn White can make no progress, as his king is trapped.
3...Ka5
3...g5 4 Kd5 Kb5 5 Kxe5 Kc5 6 Kf5 Kd4 7 Kxg5 Ke3 8 f4 and the extra pawn is decisive.
4 h4 h5
Black's best drawing chance is to create a queen himself. 4...Ka4 loses after 5 Kd5 Kb3 6 Kxe5 Kc3 7 Kf6 Kd3 8 Kg7 Ke3 9 Kxh7 Kxf3 10 Kxg6.
5 Kd6! g5 6 hxg5 h4 7 g6 h3 8 g7 h2 9 g8Q h1Q 10 Qd5+ Kb4 11 Kxe5

and we've reached a position, which according to my CD ROM endgames database, is winning for White in another 63 moves. And who am I to argue?

The Black Death!

LITTLEWOOD'S CHOICE

John Littlewood chooses a game from one of his favourite players.

The editor has kindly given me a wide remit, but we have both agreed that, for the moment, all my selected games, from whichever decade, will involve a British player. So, to begin with, why not one of my favourite tacticians, "The Black Death", Joseph Blackburne?

Profile of Blackburne:

Joseph Henry Blackburne (1841-1924) was, in his prime, one of the strongest players in the world. Born in Manchester, he was initially an expert in draughts. He only learned the game of chess at the age of eighteen, after being inspired by Paul Morphy's dramatic feats around Europe. His most impressive results include winning the 1881 Berlin tournament with an impressive score of 14/16, three points ahead of second-placed Zukertort. Blackburne was renowned for both his vicious kingside attacks and his ability to come up with a swindle when all seemed lost. The book of the 1873 Vienna Tournament described him as "der Schwarze Tod" (the Black Death), a nickname which became very popular.

White:J Perlis
Black:J Blackburne
Ostend 1907
Goring Gambit C44

1 e4 e5 2 d4 exd4 3 c3 d5 4 exd5 Qxd5 5 cxd4 Nc6 6 Nf3 Bg4 7 Be2 Nf6 8 0-0
It seems unnecessarily risky to 'castle into it' against Blackburne, without first ascertaining his intentions with a move such as Nc3. If then Black replies with ...Qh5, White can delay his decision to castle by playing, say, Bf4, Be3 or h3.
8...Bd6 9 Nc3 Qh5 10 Re1 0-0
Having murdered many an opponent who castled long, Black sensibly castles K side, thereby losing a vital tempo in reaching d8 with his rook.
11 h3 Rad8!?
Blackburne could hardly have visualized all the subsequent complications, so is almost treating the game like one of his numerous simultaneous efforts in which he invariably won with a sparkling tactical finish. Of course, the sacrifice may not be sound but it seems pretty dangerous to me!
12 hxg4 Nxg4 13 Bg5
A move which must be wrong in the context of the coming tactics. White is never really threatening the rook, and the bishop is clearly misplaced. Note, however, that 13 g3 fails to 13...Nxd4! 14 Qxd4 Bxg3 15 Qc4 Qh3! 16 Be3 Bh2+ 17 Kh1 Nxe3 18 fxe3 Bf4+ 19 Kg1 Bxe3 mate.
13...Bh2+ 14 Kf1 Be5!
Threatening mate in 2, whilst putting immediate pressure on the 'd' pawn.
15 Bd3
White must create an escape square on e2, since the tacit draw offer of 15 Kg1? or the attempt to block by 15 Bh4 both fail to 15...Nxd4!.

15...Rxd4!?
A difficult move for Black to find in a position replete with the interesting possibilities of three captures on d4 and a check on h1. Indeed, my first reaction was that it was a mistake, allowing 16 Rxe5 Ncxe5 17 Bxh7+ Kxh7 18 Qxd4 with drawing chances, but I then saw that a preliminary 16...Rxd3! 17 Qxd3 Ncxe5 makes all the difference, because the a1 rook is still in the wings, patiently waiting to be captured. The alternative 16 Be3 allows Black to retreat his rook and plunge into double-edged tactics involving ...Qh1+ e.g. 16 Be3 Rdd8 17 Qb1 Nxe3+ 18 Rxe3 Bd4 19 Nxd4 Qh1+ 20 Ke2 Nxd4+ 21 Kd2 Qxg2 with an unclear outcome.
With the benefit of hindsight, I might have replaced the spectacular 15...Rxd4 with the more prosaic 15...Nxd4 when 16 Nxd4 Rxd4 17 Rxe5 Rxd3! 18 Qxd3 Nxe5 19 Qg3 Qh1+ 20 Ke2 Qxa1 21 Qxe5 Qxb2+ gives equal chances, even though Black temporarily has rook and 3 pawns for bishop and knight.
16 Nxe5 Re8!
Perhaps Blackburne's initial intention was to play the trappy move 16...Ncxe5 when 17 Bxh7+? Kxh7 18 Qxd4 fails to 18...Nh2+!, followed by 19...Nf3+ winning the queen, but after 17 Rxe5! Rxd3! we transpose to the line given in our previous note.
17 Re4 Rxe4 18 Bxe4 Ncxe5 19 Bf4 Ng6! 20 Bg3 Qh1+ 21 Ke2 Qxg2 22 Qh1
Accepting the inevitable, whereas 22 Qd4 puts up more of a fight.
22...Qxh1 23 Rxh1 f5 24 Kf3 N4e5+ 25 Kg2 fxe4 26 Nxe4 Nf7
Black has a winning endgame but it is interesting to see how his tactical momentum continues to the very end.
27 Re1 Re7 28 f3 Nd6! 29 Bxd6 cxd6 30 Rd1 d5! 31 Nc3 Rd7 32 Kf2 Ne7 33 Ke3 d4+! 34 Ke4 dxc3!
when White resigned because 35 Rxd7 c2 36 Rc7 Nc6! finally closes the curtain.

John Littlewood

Letters to the Editor

Dear Mr. Emms,

I am researching a book about the story of a British man now in prison in Thailand. His case is basically simple, but becomes complex in detail. Recently I read about how in past ages chess and other games of logic were used for serious purpose in working out complex problems, which were difficult to work out in any other way.

Thus I have what may be an unusual problem. I want to find an analogy for the story in the form of a chess game - preferably at Grandmaster level. Although I am a chess player, I do not have knowledge of actual Grandmaster games played, and the technical terms used for describing the moves and sequences. This problem needs someone with such knowledge and an analogically flexible mind. So I will give the basic story and what is required in 7 stages:

1) White opens with queen's pawn or king's bishop pawn exposing the king to a bishop attack.
2) White gains apparent rapid ground.
3) Black launches an unexpected attack, putting White in check, or threatened check for much of the middlegame.
4) White has the best and most solid defence. Black, although threatening, does not have the power to kill, and in fact has a poor formation, eventually falling into obvious disarray.
5) One or both queen's are sacrificed.
6) White advances pawns, threatening promotion towards the endgame. Possibly playing well with knight(s) too.
7) Black's king exposed, losing all defence. Black resigns.

If a well-known Grandmaster game cannot be found with all of these parameters, then what is the closest fit you can come up with?

The man in prison is Alan John Davies. He was a businessman. He was framed. John is being helped by a long list of M.P.s supporting an early day motion in Parliament. Stephen Jakobi of Fair Trials Abroad is helping. Also the Prisoners Abroad organization are well informed and trying to support John.

Recently, a well-known U.K. law firm approached John too with help. There have been articles in the U.K. and Thai press about the case. There has been a request for pardon to the King. But the whole thing is entangled in official corruption in Thailand and bungling by British bureaucrats.

There is a website with details of the trial and the case:www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Shrine/2341. If you think you can help with this, I would be very grateful. I think this is a worthy, practicle use of chess to work out a difficult worldly problem and help people understand from another angle. Any suggestions will be most welcome. Thanks for your time and attention.

Paul Hunt,
Poprad,
Slovakia

(Do any famous (or not so famous) games spring to anyone's mind? - ed)

If you want to voice any questions, opinions or moans please send to: ChessMoves Editor, The Watch Oak, Chain Lane, Battle, East Sussex, TN33 0YD, or e-mail jemms@ukgateway.net.

Also in ChessMoves, July 2000, paper edition * British Chess Solving Competition * Results * Chess Players To Battle *The BCF Has Moved * Junior Tournament Results *Junior Selections* Book Reviews * Congress Diary * Terence Chapman Group Grand Prix * Batsford Competition

ChessMoves, July 2000, was edited by John Emms

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