12db eq

The Ultimate Islay Malt.

CHESS

Rd be

www.ardbes.com

Luke of the draw

Raymond Keene

AT the age of 16Y, Luke McShane, whose promise has been apparent for over a decade, became Britain's youngest ever grandmaster. He thus overthrew the record held since 1989 when Michael Adams achieved the title aged 17. Luke's decisive norm came at the Politiken Cup in Denmark and the real clincher was this week's game, a stirring draw with the Israeli grandmaster Lev Psakhis. Psakhis is a formidable opponent who, in 1981, shared first prize in the USSR Championship with Kasparov, defeating the future world champion in their individ- ual game from that contest.

Psakhis-McShane: Copenhagen 2000; King's Indian Defence 1 d4 Nf 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 lIg7 4 e4 d6 5 h3 Something of a theoretical byway. One of White's plans is to follow up with g4 and assault Black's kingside. In general, though, the move h3 is also quite useful if White wishes to develop his queen's bishop on e3. 5 ... 0-0 6 Bg5 But this is quite unorthodox and forms the introduction to a system which Psakhis has made exclusively his own. 6 ... Na6 7 Bd3 e5 8 d5 c6 9 Nge2 Nc5 10 Bc2 cxd5 11 cxd5 a5 12 0-0 Bd7 13 a3 a4 14 Khl Ra5 This attempts to improve on the game Psakhis–Movsesian, Balaguer 1998, which had

Diagram 1

gone 14 ... Qb6 15 Rbl Kh8 16 Ng3 Ng8 17 Be3 Qa5 18 Qd2 Qd8 19 f4 and White went on to win. 15 Rbl If 15 f4 h6 16 fxe5 hxg5 17 exf6 with good play on the dark squares for Black. 15

.13

Qc8 16 Kh2 To prevent ..x113. 16 ... Qb8 17 f3 Rc8 18 Be3 Be8 19 g4 The long-awaited advance. If Black does not create counterplay quickly he will be slowly crushed by the manoeu- vre Ng3 followed by h4 and h5. 19 ... Qa8 20 h4 Nfd7 21 h5 Nb6 22 hxg6 I cannot help feeling that White should maintain the tension here with 22 Ng3. 22 ... fxg6 23 Qel Bf6 24 g5 Bd8 25 f4 Nc4 26 Bel exf4 27 Bxf4 Rc7 28 Nd4 Rf7 (Diagram I) White's exchange of pawns on g6 has freed this square for Black's rook. 29 Nf5 Sensing that Black is on the point of liberating his position, White stokes up his attack by adding sacrificial fuel to the flames. 29 ... gxf5 30 exf5 Ne5 31 Bxe5 dxe5 32 f6 White has only one pawn for his piece but most of Black's army is marooned on the other side of the board. 32 Qc8 33 Qh4 e4 34 Kg2 Bd7 35 Nxe4 Nxe4 36 Bxe4 Qc5 37 Rhl Bf5 A beautiful saving resource and the only way to prevent h7 from

Diagram 2

collapsing. It is at this stage of the game that Psakhis was probably wishing that his king had been on al rather than in the middle of the action and exposed to enemy counter-attack. 38 Rbdl If 38 Bxf5 QxdS+ when White's king is too open. 38 Bxe4+ 39 Qxe4 Qb5 40 Rd2 Qd7 41 g6 White's attack flares up again in a new guise. 41 ... Rxf6 42 Rxh7 Qd6 43 Rh8+ Kg7 44 Rh7+ Kg8 45 Rh8+ (Diagram 2) Draw agreed And not 45 ... Kxh8 46 Qh4+ Kg8 47 Qh7+ Kf8 48 g7+. A superb stand-off between two great fighters.

Ardbeg Malt Whisky Puzzle No. 44 Black to play and win — first move only required. This pu77Ie is a variation taken from the game McShane-Hector, also from Copenhagen. This was Luke's only loss in the event. What did Black have in mind for this position, where he has already sacrificed a rook?

Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 5 September or via email to vanessa@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7242 0603. The winner will be the first cor- rect answer drawn out of a hat, and each week I shall be offering a prize of a bottle of Ardbeg Malt Whisky.

Last week's solution: Qb7 Last week's winner Nick Bradbury, Berkshire.