Chess
Supernovag
Raymond Keene
The 2nd Commonwealth Championship,
1 held in Hong Kong last month, produc- ed a surprise winner in International Master Kevin Spraggett, from Canada. The sur- prise element was due to the fact that Spraggett has no international experience outside his own country, yet his impressive rating of 2540, based entirely on national events, was proved to be no fluke. He played accurate, scientific chess and deservedly won the title plus the Grieveson Grant £250 prize to compete in this year's British championship at Brighton. Leading scores were: Spraggett and Chandler (England) 81/2/11 (the former winning easi- ly on tie-break); Speelman (England) and Murshed (Bangladesh) 8; Ivanov (Canada, ex-USSR) and Aaron (India) 7; myself, Rogers (Australia, defending champion), Johansen (also Australia) and Thipsay (In- dia) 61/2. There were 32 players.
Murshed, only 17, is incredibly talented. He beat both Speelman and me and made the first Bangladeshi GM norm (according to Leonard Barden, he is now the world's youngest player with a GM norm). English audiences have now seen him in action at the Oakham Junior tournament earlier this month, which he won by a clear point ahead of Nigel Short and Pia Cramling.
The sponsors, Novag, were so delighted with the course of the championship that they have already agreed to sponsor the 3rd Commonwealth Championship scheduled for February 1985 in London, probably at the Commonwealth Institute. As founder- president of the Commonwealth Chess Association, I could not be more pleased at the way my concept has developed especially the opportunities which the foun- dation of the CCA has created for players from emerging countries, such as Bangladesh.
The main reason for Novag's delight was the performance of their new Super- Constellation commercial micro-computer in the championship and in various peripheral events. The Super Constellation scored 4/11 in the championship itself, achieving a rating performance of 190 BCF/2120 Fide — quite astounding. In blitz play (7 minutes for each player) it ex- celled itself, beating a majority (18) of the competitors in the tournament, but still los- ing 11 to GMs and some leading IMs. Novag chess computers can be obtained in the UK from Eureka Electronics, Castle St,
2Mnudrshcedom(mBaonngwlaead Commonwealth ha h) — 1983; QP Opening. lack is forced into a Pirc Defence after 3 . • • Be 4;ng 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 Nc3 d5 Otherwise B d6 etc . . . 4 Bf4 Bg7 5 e3 0-0 White's oPeti looks totally harmless, but in view of vi9a
Championship, aust
mraalirca follows, it might have been safer to defer cool- imngitthinisgQB-slaidcek'psieKceasnd6 Bsiem2pblby 7coNnetsineu5e8daBlorill Later, Rogers told me that after this move he le he was already lost. Perhaps he should try 8 • •9 h5 to block the advance of White's 'h' Paw h5 Nc6 10 hxg6 hxg6 11 Bb5! A subtle mov%; clearing the path for White's Q to f3 and then and also destroying one of Black's most ae_li,vc pieces. 11 . . . Qc8 Or 11 . . . NxeS 12 dxe5 13 RxhS gxh5 14 Qxh5 threatening Bd3 012 0-0-0. If 12 . . . Ne4 13 Nxe4 dxe4 14 Q841.1 he Bxc6 Bxc6 13 Qf3 cxd4 14 exd4 b5 counterattack comes much too slowly. 15g ;,tit order to transfer the White Q to h3 w";`10
allowing the Q exchange. 15 Bb7 16
wQbe6ieb17 lQoshe3s Bmca8te1r8iaBl,h6buNth5 An artificial by ol°v„, now Black `7. desperate. 19 Bxg7 Kxg7 20 Qh4 f6 21 Ng Qxg4 22 Nxf8 Qf4 + 23 Kbl Black resigns. t Quite possibly the strongest tournalnell_t ever held in the UK is now in progress as County Hall. Sponsored jointly pro and Drew and the GLC, the premier `1011%, event has brought together Karpov, noi, Miles, Nunn, Mestel, Speeirth Andersson and Timman in a mighty Cia''„ of chess talent. This event will run until 11.. its grapyroandesms.y next few articles will ntorlit°'
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