Chess
Smiles
Raymond Keene
Tony Miles has, at last, broken the hex Which in the past always seemed to af- flict his form in the British Championship. His final score of 9 points from 11 games to take the title was an excellent one by any standards, but is rendered all the more im- Pressive by the fact that this was un- doubtedly the strongest championship in the history of the competition. Jon Speelman, who came second with 8 Points, was less effective than Tony overall, but played some very brilliant individual games, adding a third Queen sacrifice, in round 10 against Knox, to those he had already perpetrated against Levitt and Mar- tin. I tied for third place on 71/2 with Tony Kosten and the Indian master Vidyanathan Ravikumar, who was somewhat fortunate to have risen to this position, since he had been languishing in the lower regions for Most of the time. Kosten's score, however, was well deserved, since he met many of the strongest players, and he was, in a sense, ,the find of the championship. The other leading scores (on 7) were: Bellin, Hartston, Hebden P. Littlewood, Macnab and
Strauss, while, as an indication of the strength-in-depth of the tournament, IMs- elect Danny King, William Watson and Nigel Davies made, respectively, 41/2, 5 and 5 1/2. There were 56 players.
The official bulletin containing all 307 games of the 1982 Grieveson Grant British Championship at Torquay can be obtained from Peter Griffiths, 4, Regan Avenue, Shirley, Solihull B90 2PD, for £3.00 post included.
Here is a game against a close rival in which, according to The Times, Tony Miles was 'walking on thin ice'.
Miles — Kosten: Round 9, Reti Opening.
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 d5 4 Bg2 Be7 5 b3 0-0 6 Bbl c5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 e3 b6 9 Nc3 Bb7 A safer route to equality is 9 . . . dxc4 10 bxc4 Bb7 when White's central pawn majority is difficult to ad- vance without creating weaknesses. 10 cxd5 exd5 10 . . . NxdS 11 NxdS Qxd5 12 d4 gives White a slight edge. 11 d4 Ne4 12 dxc5 Nxc3 13 Bxc3 bxc5 14 Qd2 Qb6 15 Qb2 Not 15 Qxd5? Nd4. After the subtle text Black still has to cope with the defence of his 'hanging pawns' on c5 and d5. 15 . . . f6 16 Nh4 Rfd8 17 Rfdl Nb4 18 a3? This loosens his own pawn structure on the Q-side and grants Black counterchances. Stronger is 18 Rd2. 18 . . . Na6 19 Qd2 Qe6 Not 19 . . . Qxb3? 20 Rabl. 20 Qc2 Bf8 21 Rd2 Rabb 22 Ba5 Rd7 23 Radl d4! A vigorous thrust which solves most of Black's problems. 24 Bxb7 Rdxb7 25 exd4 Qxb3 26 Qf5 exd4 27 Rd3 Qa2 28 Rxd4 Rb5 29 Rd5 RxdS 30 Qe6 + If 30 RxdS Qbl + 31 Qxbl Rxbl + 32 Kg2 Bxa3. 30 .. . Kh8 31 Rxd5 Qb1 + 32 Kg2 Nc5 33 Qf7 A calculated risk? After the more rational 33 Qe3 chances would be level. 33 . . . Qe4 + A powerful check which displaces White's K on to exposed territory. 34 f3 Qe2 + 35 Kh3 Ne6? This threat to check on g5 is too
simple. There is nothing wrong with 35 . . Qfl + while 35 . . . Nd3 with the deadly threat of . . .
N12+ would oblige White to force a draw with 36 Ng6 + hxg6 37 Rh5 + gxh5 38 Qxh5 + Kg8 39 Qd5 + Kh7 40 Qg5 + etc. 36 Bd2 g5? And this is suicidal, though the refutation is hard to see. Correct is reorganisation of his forces with 36 . . . Qfl+ 37 Ng2 Qa6. 37 Rd7 Ng7 38 Qxf6! A fine piece sacrifice which leaves Black paralys- ed. 38 .. . gxh4 39 Bc3 Qfl + 40 Kxh4 Qc4 + 41 Bd4 Qg8 42 Rxa7 Qa2 43 Kh3 Qg8 44 Rf7 Black is now spectacularly helpless against the combin- ed advance of White's 'a' and 'h' pawns. 44 . . . Rd8 45 Bal Ra8 46 a4 Rd8 47 a5 Ra8 48 f4 Re8 49 a6 Rc8 50 a7 Re8 51 Bd4 Rc8 52 Bey Ra8 53 Kg2 Rc8 54 h4 Black resigned (Diagram gives final position).
Final position
As we go to press John Nunn is represen- ting England in the Mexico Interzonal, while Nigel Short is making his third bid for the junior world championship, this time in Denmark. Our players are supported respectively by Murray Chandler and Michael Stean. Details of both these impor- tant events will be published as they emerge.
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