SIMPSON'S
IN-THE-STRAND
CHESS SIMPSON'S fril 14. -, . ....',', i'• 77 rm- 4 IN•THE-STRAND 1•,..--= t .•
Party line
Raymond Keene
DISPLAYING our customary political acumen, The Spectator, with the support of the Brain Trust charity, once again spon- sored and provided the trophy for the annual contest between the House of Lords and the House of Commons. With election fever rife, it was fascinating to observe the strategic and tactical skills of our masters in play, and would it be too much to see an omen in the crushing defeat of the Lords by the Commons, and the excellent performance put up by the play- ers from New Labour? Two of them shared the new Killearn Cup for the best results, and their games are represented below.
Amongst the line-up were: the Marquess of Bath, Jeremy Hanley MP, Sir Andrew Bowden MP, Gwilym Jones MP, Lord Rennell, Lord Gage, Lord Drogheda and Bob Ainsworth MP. The prizes were pre- sented by The Spectator's Bruce Anderson, who himself displayed unexpected chess skills during the course of the evening's fes- tivities.
Lord Winston–Michael Stern MP: Lords v. Commons, Simpson's-in-the-Strand, March 1997; Sicilian Defence.
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Bxc6 bxc6 5 0-0 d6 6 d3 h6 7 Be3 Be6 8 Nc3 N16 9 h3 g6 10 Re1 Bg7 11 Ne2 g5 It is understandable that Black wishes to prevent Nf4 but this radical solution leaves Black permanently weak on the kingside light squares, something which plagues him to the end of the game. Simply 11 ... 0-0 would have been better. 12 c3 0-0 1.3 Ng3 Rb8 14 Rbl This looks like an oversight, the natural 14 Qd2 is stronger. 14 ...Bxa2 15 Ral Bb3 Black should have had the courage of his convictions and continued
with the consistent 15 Rxb2. In that case 16 Qc1 can be met by 16 ... Qb6, 16 Bel is parried by the alarming 16 ...Bb3, amusingly trapping White's queen while 16 Qa4 (best) 16 ... Be6 17 Qxc6 Rb6 allows Black to stay a pawn ahead. Admittedly, White has compensation in terms of Black's weakened !ringside but the struggle would still be unclear. After Black's move of the text, his extra pawn is irrelevant and weak and White can concentrate on rolling up the black king's wing. 16 Qd2 a5 17 Nf5 a4 18 h4 Already the sacrifice 18 Bxg5 is extremely strong. 18 e6 19 Nxg7 Kxg7 20 ing5 Ng4 21 gx116+ Kh7 22 Ng5+ Kg6 23 NW e5 24 f4 Nxe3 25 Rxe3 Qh4 26 fxe5 dxe5 27 Rfl Be6 28 Ref3 Ith5 (Diagram) White won on adjudication. With an extra pawn and Black's king so utterly lacking in shelter, there can be little doubt about the outcome.
Lord Kilbracken–Nigel Griffiths MP: Lords v. Commons, Simpson 's-in-the-Strand, March 1997; Queen's Pawn Opening.
1 d4 d5 2 f4 Nc6 3 NO Bg4 4 e3 a6 5 Nc3 Nf6 6 Bd3 e6 7 h3 Bxf3 8 Qxf3 Bb4 9 a3 Bxc3+ 10 bxc3 The opening has been unorthodox but neither side has yet achieved a clear advantage. The bat- tle is one between White's bishops and Black's knights. White has the added advantage of some open lines, but Black has the superior pawn structure. It would be best now to defer the deci- sion on the whereabouts of the black king. Black's next move gives White a target. 10 ...0-0 11 Bd2 g6 12 0-0-0 Qd6 13 Kb2 Rab8 Too much preparation. Black would do better with a quick ...b5. 14 e4 Na7 Much better would be to cap- ture on e4. 15 e5 Qb6+ 16 Kal Nd7 17 Rb1 Qc6 18 h4 Nb5 19 Rb3 Nb6 20 h5 Na4 Black's con- centration of force looks alarming but in the meantime White's attack has been granted too much momentum. 21 hxg6 fxg6 (Diagram) Now
Position after 21. . . fxg6 White should strike at once with 22 Rxh7 ICxh7 23 Qh5+ Kg8 24 Oxg6+ Kh8 25 Qh7 check- mate. If instead 22 Rxh7 Rf7 23 Rh6 Kg7, as subsequently proposed by Lord Kilbracken's computer, then 24 Rxg6+ leaves White two pawns ahead with an overwhelming attack. 22 Qh3 Qd7 23 Bxg6 hxg6 24 Qh8+ Kf7 25 Rh7+ Ke8 In spite of White's missed opportunity on move 22 all was by no means lost. White still has an easy win on material with 26 Qxf8+ Kxf8 27 Rxd7. After his next move, White stays a piece down for insufficient compensation. 26 Qg7 Qxg7 27 Rxg7 Rh8 28 Rxg6 1Cf7 29 R16+ Ke7 30 c4 dxc4 31 Bb4+ Kd7 32 R17+ Kc6 33 d5+ ICxd5 34 Rd7+ Kc6 White resigns.
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