Chess
Hall of fame
Raymond Keene One aspect of the Candidates' matches which has so far eluded comment is the layout in the Hamilton Banqueting Hall of the Great Eastern Hotel. Visitors from the aborted match in the US have generously conceded that the design is 'light .years ahead' of anything that could have been achieved in Pasadena. The man responsible is John Caswell, Acorn's chief designer. He has constructed a metal framework around the players, who are positioned on a raised green stage, while the hall itself has been lined with a double row of BBC computers which display the moves as they are played and the exact time used by the players. Computer screens have been set up in the press and hospitality rooms, while constant- ly updated print-outs of the moves, again with times, are also available. In addition, very full reports can be seen on television on Ceefax, pages 193 and 194.
Ribli — Smyslov: Game 2, Bogo Indian Defence. 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 Bb4 + 4 Bd2 a5 5 g3 d5 6 Qc2 Nc6 7 a3 Be7 8 Bg2 dxc4 9 Qxc4 Qd5 10 Qd3 Leaving Black's Q exposed on d5 is more effec- tive than 10 Qxd5 exd5, which has sometimes been adopted. To me the Q exchange looks il- logical since it frees Black's Q13. 10 ... 0-0 11 Nc3 QhS 12 0-0 Rd8 In the packed lecture hall John Nunn, Robert Bellin and I became involved in analysis of the crazy line 12 ... e5!? 13 dxe5 Rd8 14 exf6 Rxd3 15 fxe7 Bg4! Our investiga- tions were cut short by the Acorn monitor pro- jection of the sensible move Smyslov actually chose. 13 Qc4 Bd7 14 Rfel Nd5 15 e4 N66 15 ... Nxc3 just strengthens White's centre. 16 Qd3 a4 17 h3 16 Providing a retreat haven for his Q, in case of g4 by White. 18 d5 Na5 Here GM Jon Speelman, just back from a tournament in Baku, suggested 18 ... exd5 19 exd5 Bxh3, to exploit the d file pin. 19 Radl Nbc4 20 Bel e5 21 Nh4 b5 White has a space advantage, but Black's posi- tion is resilient. 22 Nf5 Bf8 23 Qc2 Nd6 24 g4 Qf7 25 f4 Nxf5? An appalling positional error, which opens up lines for White's KB and KR. Correct is maintenance of his e5 strong point with 25 ... Nac4! 26 exf5 exf4 Another concession. 27 d6! Threatening devastation with Bd5. 27 ... c6 (Diagram) 28 Nxb5 Qc4 29 Nc3 Bxd6 30 Qxa4 30 Rxd6 fails to ... Qc5 + . 30 ... Be5 31 Re4 Qxa4? He must try 31 ... Qc5 + . 32 Rxa4 Be8 33 Rxd8 Rxd8 34 Bxf4! Not 34 Rxa5 Bxc3 35 bxc3 Rdl + and ... Rxcl. 34 ... Bxf4 35 Rxf4 Nb3
Position after 27 . . . c6
36 Rh4 Nd4 37 a4 37 Bd5 + exd5 38 Rxd4 looks like a cleaner kill. 37 ... Nc2 38 Rb6 Ne3 39 a5 Nc4 40 Ra6 Rb8? Miserable, but best is 40 ...
Nxb2. 41 Bfl! Ne5 Or 41 Nxb2 42 Rb6! 42 Rb6 Black resigns.
Chequers £500 Competition No. 5 (Week 4) In Ribli-Smyslov above do you regard White's 28th move as best? If not, what is superior? All you have to do is jot down a brief main line on a postcard and send it to Chequers Competition No. 5 (Week 4), The Spectator, 56 Doughty St, London WC1N 2LL. The first correct answer to reach me scores 10 points, then 7, 3 and 1. Postmark to decide rather than time of arrival. After our 6th week, points will be totalled, with the prize of £500 going to the highest scorer.
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