CHESS
Record breaker
Raymond Keene
This year's British Championship at
Plymouth lacked the big names. No Short, no Speelman, no Nunn and no Chandler. Even local boy Michael Adams decided not to compete on his home turf. However, what was lacking in heavyweight quality was more than compensated for by the daring ingenuity and imagination of those who did compete.
The top scorers were: Hodgson 10/11; Martin, Mestel 8; Kumaran, Hebden, Levitt 71/2; Crouch, Webster, Emms 7. Julian Hodgson has advanced his reputa- tion considerably, both by his score, which was a record, and by the brilliant com- bativeness of his games. This week's sam- ple is one of the most extraordinary games I have ever seen. I particularly commend to readers' attention the position which could have arisen after 34 Kxb2 Na4+. I have appended an analysis diagram for this position to facilitate our own investigation. I have studied the tournament bulletin commentaries and found many more varia- tions myself but, defying all logic, White still seems to stand better, though himself staggering on the verge of checkmate at every moment. This is rich chess and Julian deserves our congratulations.
Hodgson — Emms: British Championship 1992; Trompovsky Attack.
1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 Julian Hodgson's trademark which he has honed into a fearsome weapon. 2 . . . Ne4 3 h4 c5 Against White's outlandish opening variation I cannot help feeling that simple play is best, e.g. 3 . . . h6 4 Bf4 and now just 4 . . . d5. 4 d5 g6 5 Qd3 Qa5+ 6 Nd2 Nxg5 7 hxg5 Bg7 8 c3 d6 9 e4 Nd7 10 a4 Rb8 11 Nc4 The white knight's strong outpost on c4 assures him of some advantage. 11 . . . Qc7 12 f4 a6 If 12 . . . Nb6 to challenge White's knight on c4 then 13 Ne3 followed by 14 a5 to chase away the black knight in turn. A double-edged but playable alternative is, however, 12 . . . b6 13 Nf3 a6 14 Be2 b5 15 axb5 axb5 16 Ne3 c4 17 Qc2. 13 a5 b5 14 axb6 Nxb6 15 Qc2 e6 16 dxe6 Bxe6 17 Ne3 Bd7
18 Nf3 0-0 19 f5 White's whole conduct of the opening has been highly unorthodox. In particu- lar he has neglected development and castling. On the other hand, he has a mobile mass of pawns on the king's flank which will crowd Black's king's bishop out of play. 19 . . . Rfe8 20 f6 Bf8 21 0-0-0 Now if Black does not react quickly he will be mated. 21 . . . d5 22 e5? Here White misses an opportunity to sacrifice the exchange to keep Black under lock and key, namely 22 Nxd5 Nxd5 23 RxdS Bc6 and now 24 Bc4 keeps White's advantage. 22 . . . RxeS! 23 Qf2 Rxe3 24 Qxe3 d4? 24 . . . Bd6 would keep Black on top. Now after White's reply the situation is unclear. 25 Qel dxc3 26 Qxc3 Qf4+ If 26 . . . Na4 then White has the resource 27 Qe5. 27 Rd2 Qa4 28 b3! The prelude to an unbelievable concept. The experts in the com- mentary room at Plymouth thought that White had to play 28 Qa3. 28 . . . Qa3+ 29 Qb2 Qa5 A remarkable position: White looks to be helpless against the threat of . . . c4 and . . . Ba3 etc, but a brilliant combination from Julian, perhaps born of desperation, exploits the imprisoned black king. 30 Rxd7! c4 If 30 . . Nxd7 31 Bc4 Nb6 32 Bxf7+ Kxf7 33 Ne5+ and White wins. Better is 31 . . . Bd6 to which White would probably have to reply immediately with 32
Position after 34 Kdl??
Bxf7+ Kxf7 33 Rxh7+. 31 Rxf7!! Ba3 If 31 . .
Kxf7 32 Ne5+ Ke6 (32 . Kg8 33 f7+ ; 32 . . . Ke8 33 f7+) 33 Bxc4+ winning. 32 Rg7+ Essential so that the black king is locked in and the imminent Rhxh7 will permanently threaten checkmate. 32 . . . Kf8 33 Rhxh7 An incredible position. The queen is going with check but the white king can escape the attentions of the queen, rook and knight to make it to h2 and ,g3. 33 . . . Bxb2+ 34 Kdl?? (Diagram above) With five minutes on the clock to John's one, Julian makes a losing blunder. It is reasonable to assume that recapturing the bishop loses but in
Position after variation 34 . . Na4+
fact it wins: 34 Kxb2 Na4+ (Diagram) 35 Kcl Qc3+ 36 Kdl Nb2+ 37 Ke2 Qd3+ 38 Kf2 Ndl + 39 Kgl Qe3+ 40 Kh2. This variation was pointed out by Malcolm Pein in the tournament bulletin. I am also grateful to the bulletin for some other comments to this outlandishly diffi- cult game. Other variations I have found in this extraordinary position are 36 . . . Qxb3+ (in- stead of 36 . . . Nb2+) 37 Ke2 Nc3+ 38 Kf2 Ne4+ 39 Kgl Qe3+ 40 Khl Ng3+ 41 Kh2 Nxfl+ 42 Kh3 Qe6+ 43 g4 when White wins. Or 39 . . . Qb6+ 40 Khl Nxf6 41 gxf6 Qxf6 42 Rf7+ Qxf7 43 Rxf7+ Kxf7 44 Bxc4+ and Bxa6 with advantage to White although this might be holdable. White could also play 41 Rf7+ instead of 41 gxf6 in the above variation. Finally after 34 Kxb2 c3+ is possible but White's king still seems to escape. 34 . . . Qd5+ ?? Black lost on time, but is now lost anyway. 35 Nd2 forces 35 . - Qg8 going into a lost ending, a bizarre end to a very entertaining game. 34 . . . Bxf6!! 35 gxf6 Qal+ 36 Ke2 Qxf6 would have won for Black.
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