Chess
Lift-off
Raymond Keene
It is difficult to explain the explosion of chess strength which has taken place in England over the past decade or so. From being what might be termed a '13' nation, we have leapt into the world's number two spot, yet so many of the factors which have given us impetus (e.g. the spur of the 1972 Fischer-Spassky match) are also applicable to all other developed nations. Recently, John Nunn suggested to me that the distinguishing element might be the para- llel development of computer technology, in which England, Japan and the US lead the world. Of course, Japan's achieve- ments in western chess are microscopic, since most of their board-game energy goes into Go and Shogi, in which they are supremely successful.
Indeed, as I have often pointed out in the past, it is computer companies which provide much of the support for English events and players, and Computer Games Ltd have now distinguished themselves once again by offering what may eventually turn out to be the most significant spon- sorship of the year. By financing the men's and women's ZonaIs at Brighton, CGL have ensured that three of our brightest talents will join Tony Miles and John Nunn in the Interzonals later in 1985. Of these, it is Nigel Short, in my opinion, who has a realistic chance of challenging for the world championship in the foreseeable future, and UK chess owes CGL a debt of gratitude for launching him on his title path.
CGL Brighton Zonals, December 1984
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total 1 Speelman (Eng) X 1/2 1 1/2
1/2
1/2 1 1/2 1 1 61/2
2 Short (Eng) 1/2 X 1/2 1/1
1
i/2 1 1 I/2
1 61/2 3 Mestel (Eng) 0 1/2 X 0 1/2
1/2 1
1 1 1 51/2 4 McNab (Scot) 1/2 1/2 I X
1/2
1 0
1/2 1/2
1/2
5
5 Chandler (Eng) Y2 0 I/2 ,h
X 1 0 0 1 1 41/2 6 Botterill (Wales) 1/2 1/2 1/2 0 0 X 1 1 0 1 41/2 7 Plaskett (Eng) 0 0 0 1 1 0 X
1 1/1
1 41/2 8 Carton (Ire) 19 0 0 1/2 1 0 0 X 1 1 4 9 Condit (Scot) 0 1/2
0 1/2
0
1 lh
t.) X
1 31/2 10 Comben (CI.) 0 0 0 I9 0 0 0 0 0 X 1/2
1 2 3 4 S Total 1 Susan Walker (Eng) X 11/2 1/21/2 11 11 61/2 2 Sheila Jackson (Eng) 01/2 X 11 6 1/21 11
3 Mandy Hepworth (Eng) 1/21/2 00 X 11/2 11 41/2 4 Rosie Jackson (Scot) 00 1/20 01/2
X 1/21/2
2 5 Helen Milligan (Scot) 00 00 00 1/21/2 X I
Incidentally, CGL are introducing a new series of home chess computers for 1985. Using the brand name of 'Grandmaster,' models will be priced from just £30 and will be endorsed by English GMs.
Here are the two brilliancy prize games and one very close contender:
Condie — Botterill: Queen's Gambit Accepted. 1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 e3 e6 5 Bxc4 c5 60-0 a6 7 Qe2 b5 8 Bb3 Bb7 9 Rdl Nbd7 10 e4 cxd4 11 e5 Nd5 Safer is 11. . . Ng4. 12 Rxd4 Be7 13 Rg4 Qc7 14 Bd2 g6 15 Nc3 Nxc3 16 Bxc3 Rc8 17 Rel h5 18 Rd4 0-0? Overlooking a devastating hidden combination. 19 Bxe6! Bxf3 If 19. . . fxe6 20 Qd3 with a double attack against d7 and g6. 20 Qd3!! A brilliant move, and one which was primarily responsible for winning the prize. 20. . . Nxe5 21 Rxe5 Qxe5 22 Qxg6+ Qg7 23 Qxg7 + Kxg7 24 Bxc8 Bf6 25 Bxa6 Be2 26 Rd5 Bxc3 27 bxc3 Bc4 28 Rxh5 Ra8 29 Bxb5 Kg6 30 Rc5 Black resigns.
Sheila Jackson — Rosie Jackson: French De- fence. 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 a6 4 Ngf3 c5 5 exd5 exd5 6 dxc5 Bxc5 7 Nb3 Ba7 8 Bg5 Nf6 9 Qe2+ Be6 10 Nfd4 Qe7 11 0-0-0 Nc6 12 f3 h6 13 Bf4 0-0 14 Kb1 Ftfe8 15 Qd2 Rac8 16 Nxc6 Rxc6 17 Bd3 Qd7 18 g4 Bb8 19 Be3 Bd6 20 Bxh6 gxh6 21 Qxh6 Qd8 22 g5 Nd7 23 Nd4 Nf8 24 Nxc6 bxc6 25 g6 fxg6 26 Bxg6 Bf7 27 Bf5 Bc5 28 Rd2 Black resigns.
Chandler — Carton: Sicilian Defence.
1 e4 c5 2 N13 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 d6 6 Bg5 e6 7 Qd2 Be7 8 0-0-0 0-0 9 Nb3 a6 10 Bxf6 gxf6 11 Be2 b5 12 Bh5 b4 13 Ne2 a5 14 Kbl Qb6 15 h4? A harmless-looking move, but one that is drastically punished, Correct is 15 f4! 15. . . a4 16 Nbcl Ne5 17 Qh6 Kh8 18 f4 Nc4 19 Nd4 e5 20 Nf5 Bxf5 21 exf5 Na3+ Introducing a decisive counter-attack. 22 bxa3 bxa3 + 23 Nb3 axb3 24 axb3 Qc5 25 Rh3 Rfc8 26 Rd2 a2+ 27 Kal e4 28 c3 Bf8 White resigns.
Of the non-qualifiers, Colin McNab's performance was excellent and continues the excellent Scottish showing from the Olympiad, where both their men's and women's teams distinguished themselves by winning group medals. Murray Chand- ler had been considered one of the pre- tournament favourites, but screwed up his chances by losing in the last two rounds.
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