Chess
Into Europe
Raymond Keene
England have qualified for the final of the 8th European Team Championship (to be held in Plovdiv or Moscow 1983) by defeating Iceland 81/2 -71/2 at Middles- brough last weekend. The third country in our group, Sweden, had previously been beaten 9'/ -61/2 by England, and 9-7 by Iceland, so we needed only to draw with the Icelanders to ensure our fourth consecutive qualification. Individual scores (English names first) were: Nunn 1 1 v F. Olafsson; Speelman 1/2 1/2 v Sigurjonsson; Stean 0 0 v Petursson; Keene 1/2. 1/2 v Arnason; Mestel 1/2 v H. Olafsson; P. Littlewood 1 I v Johansson; Hartston 1/2 0 v Hjarturson; and Taulbut 1/2 v Bjarnason.
At the close of the match, Fridrik Olafsson, not only top board for Iceland but also President of Fide, paid tribute to England's chess progress, claiming it to he the most rapid in the world today. Ironical- ly it was Olafsson who had been the victim of the most brilliant game.
Nunn — Fridrik Olafsson: Middlesbrough, June 1982; Bishop's Opening.
1 e4 e5 2 Bc4 Nf6 3 d3 Nunn's favourite opening, with which he has scored wins against both Hort and Korchnoi. 3 ... Nc6 4 Nf3 Bc5 5 0-0 d6 6 c3 Qe7 Probably dubious. It is too early to commit the Q. 7 Nbd2 a6 8 Bd3 0-0 9 Rel Be6 10 Nf 1 Ba7 10 ... Bxb3 11 Qxb3 gives White a grip on the d5 and f5 squares, but would somewhat reduce his prospects of direct attack. 11 Bc2 Kh8 12 Ng3 Qd7 13 d4 Bg4 14 d5 White seizes the initiative in the centre and gains space. 14 Ne7 15 h3 Bxf3 15 Bxh3 16 gxh3 Qxh3 17 Be3 ! is not sound for Black. 16 Qxf3 Nfg8 17 Bd2 g6 18 c4 15 ?! Black is just not ready to open up the game in this fashion. Better would be 18 . f6, followed by .. . Kg7 and ... Nh6-f7, trying to construct a fortress around e5. 19 exf5 Nxf5 20 Nxf5 gxf5 21 Bc3 RaeS 22 b4 Ne7 23 h4 ! The intention is to push this pawn to h5 and prevent .... Ng6. 23 Rg8 24 h5 Rg7 25 c5 Reg8 26 g3 h6 If 26 ... f4 White wins with 27 Rxe5 dxe5 28 BxeS Qh3 29 Rel fxg3 30 fxg3 b6 31 Qd3 ! QxhS 32 Kg2 Qg6 33 Rhl ! 27 Rad 1 Qe8 (Diagram) 28 Rxe5 !! An
amazing sacrifice which demolishes Black's posi. Lion. It reminds me strongly of Chandler's R sacrifice against Henley which I published a few, months ago. 28 ... dxe5 29 BxeS b6 30 d6 Nc63' Bf6 ! Threatening QxfS, and if 31 Nxb4 32 Position after 27 ... Qe8 d7! wins. 31 ... Qe6 A counsel of despair. 32, Bxg7 + Rxg7 33 Qxc6 bxc5 34 Qa8 + Rg8 3' Qxa7 Rxg3+ 36 Kh2 Taking the R allows perpetual check. 36 ... Qe5 37 Qxc5 Black resigns.
My next two reports will be direct from the Las Palmas Interzonal, where Jonathan Mestel is representing England.
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