CHESS

City knights

Raymond Keene

The Watson Farley and Williams tournament in the City of London has ended in a success for Bent Larsen, but several young British players either in- creased their reputation or earned valuable experience. The FT commented: 'In only its second year of competition the WF&W International has already become a major event on the British chess calendar . . . it gained status when the Corporation of London co-sponsored the tournament and the Lord Mayor made the opening move.'

Larsen, who has three times qualified for the world championship semi-finals, dis- played the kind of class which made his reputation. Danny King, England's latest addition to the grandmaster ranks, proved that he is now a serious candidate for the national team, while 15-year-old Matthew Sadler, after a very poor start, demons- trated his increasing maturity by winning his last four games. Finally, mention must be made of young Patrick Wolff from the The Watson, Farley and Williams International Chess Challenge 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 Total

I Larsen B G 2580 x 1 1/2 1 1/2 1 0 1/2 1 1 1/2 1 1/2 1 91/2 2 King D G 2500 0 x 0 Y2 1 1 1/2 1/2 1 1 1/2 1/2 1 1 81/2 3 Suba M G

2515 '21 x 1 0'2'21 0 1 1 1/2 0 1

8 4 Davies N 1 2485

0 1/2 0 x 1 1/2 1/2 1 1/2 2/ 1/2 1/2 1

7 5 Wolff P 1

2485 Y2 0 I 0 x 0 1 1 0 V2 1 1 1 0

7

5 Motwani P

1 2490

0 0 Y2 1/2 1 x Y2 0 1 1/2 Y2 1/2 1/2 1

61/2 7 Arkell K 1 2445

1 1/21/21/2 0 1/2 x 1/2 L/' 1/2 0 1/2 1/2 1

61/2

8 Hodgson 1

G

2545 I/2 Y2 0 0 0 1 Y2 x V2 1 1h 1/2 1/2 1

61/2

9 Adams M

1 2510

0 0 1 1/2 1 0 1/2 1/2 x 0 1/2 1/2 1 1

6Y2

111 Sadler M

1 2430

0 0 0 1/2 1/2 112,/2 0 1 x 1 1 1/2 1

61/2

11 Watson W

1 2505

'2'2 0 Y2 0 V2 1 1/21/2 0 x V2 1 1/2

6 12 Wilder M G 2540

0'2'2'2 0 V2 Y2 ,/2 V2 0 2/2 x 1 1/2

51/2 13 McNab C 1 2435 1/2 0 1 1/2 0 1/2 1/2 1/2 0 1/2 0 0 x 1 5 14 Arkell S WG 2310 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1/2 1/2 0 x 2

States, who drew just two games. His fighting brand of chess helped to make the tournament one of the most exciting, as well as one of the strongest to be held in London in recent years.

Matthew Sadler had a fine result in last year's tournament. This year's event was several categories higher and the game which follows indicates that Matthew still has a lot to learn against determined Grandmaster opposition.

Hodgson — Sadler: WFW, Round Five; English Opening.

1 c4 e5 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 Nf3 g6 The fianchetto of the bishop is premature. Twenty years ago I made the same error against Gheorghiu, the Roma- nian Grandmaster, at Hastings. I lost the game with about the same rapidity as Sadler does here. 4 d4! Now Black either has to concede the centre in an awkward fashion, or accept an inferior version of the King's Indian Defence after 4. . . d6. 4. . . exd4 5 Nxd4 Bg7 6 Nxc6 bxc6 7 g3 Rb8 This leads to further trouble, in that Black weakens the defences of his isolated 'a' pawn. 8 Bg2 c5 9 0-0 Nf6 10 Qa4! A fine move, which underlines Black's difficulties with his fractured pawns on the queen's wing. 10. . . a6 11 Qa5 d6 12 Bc6+ Black should now interpose his knight, though his position remains very poor. His decision instead to renounce castling leaves his forces permanently discon- nected. 12. . . Kf8 13 Rdl Be6 14 Qxa6 Rb6 15 Qa4 Bxc4 16 Be3 Qb8 17 Qxc4 Rxc6 18 a4 Hodgson now decides the game by a swift advance of his passed 'a' pawn. 18. . . Rb6 19 a5 Rb4 20 Qd3 h5 A forlorn attempt at counter- attack. By this stage, capturing the white pawn on b2 would make no difference to Black's desperate plight. White could either continue to push his 'a' pawn or he could himself seize the 'b' file by playing a rook to bl. 21 a6 h4 22 BxcS If now 22. . . dxc5 23 a7 Qa8 24 Qd8+ wins. 22. . . hxg3 23 fxg3 Of course, 23 hxg3? would only open the 'h' file for Black's use. 23. . . Rg4 24 a7 Qa8 25 Qf3 Ke7 26 Bd4 Black resigns.

London will also host the two world title semis (Karpov-Yusupov and Speelman- Timman) starting in the first week of October and set for Sadler's Wells Theatre. Congratulations are in order to Bill Hartston of the British Chess Federa- tion and sponsors Pilkington Glass for landing this coup. According to Fide sources the BCF has also asked for an option to organise the finals in London in February 1990, presumably with Pilkington again lending their financial muscle in support of the enterprise. Should this occur, London will have exercised a virtual monopoly of the latter stages of the current world qualifying cycle. In conjunction with the Grandmaster tournaments springing up and the founding of the London Chess Centre, this demonstrates once again that London can justly claim to be the chess capital of the western world.

The London Chess Centre will have an open day on Saturday, 24 June. There will be displays by Grandmasters, blitz tourna- ments, lectures, bookstalls etc. For further details ring 01-978 5160 or come on the day to 58 St John's Hill, London SW11, just a few minutes' walk from Clapham Junction.