CHESS
It is always encouraging to find powerful new sponsors prepared to support chess, or traditional ones interested in increasing their investment. For example, the grow- ing link between Kleinwort Benson and Grieveson Grant, who sponsor the British championships currently in Edinburgh, has led to the creation of fresh opportunities Within the context of the championship. Thus, the highest-placed British competi- tor in the Grieveson Grant British Cham- pionship will be invited to play a challenge match against the leading US player. The Winner will receive £5,000 and the • loser £3,000.
I am also delighted that American Ex- press have joined the illustrious group of major concerns which support British chess. In June the first American Express '-'pen was held in Brighton, attracting around 200 players to The Old Ship Hotel fOT a day of sharp and exciting chess. First Prize was shared by the Yugoslav Grand- master, Nikolic, International Master Bill Hartston and the promising young player Gavin Crawley. Great credit must go to the organisational team of Tyrone Woo of A, nierican Express, Julian Simpole of the nghton Chess Club and Paul Buswell of the BCF for arranging such an excellent festival of chess.
By Express
Raymond Keene
Here is the exciting last round game which enabled Gavin Crawley to share first prize at Brighton. Up to 23. . . Bd5 Black is winning, but the manoeuvre of 24 Rb5 and 25 Rxd5 grants White massive counter- play. 31 Qg4+? is.the losing blunder, since 31 Qf7+ would still leave matters unclear.
Hartston-Crawley: American Express Open, 2 June, 1985; Four Knights' Game. 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bb5 Bc5 50-0 Nd4 6 Nxd4 Bxd4 7 Ne2 Bb6 8 d4 exd4 9 Nxd4 0-0 10 e5 Ne4 11 N13 d5 12 exd6 Bg4 13 d7 Q16 14 8e3 Qxb2 15 Bd3 Nf6 16 Rbl Qxa2 17 Bxb6 axb6 18 h3 Bxd7 19 Ne5 Be6 20 Qf3 Qd5 21 Qf4 Rfe8 22 Rfdl Qc5 23 Nf3 Bd5 24 Rb5 Qc3 25 Rxd5 Nxd5 26 Bxh7+ Kxh7 27 Ng5+ Kg6 28 Qxf7+ Kxg5 29 Rxd5+ Re5 30 Qxg7+ Kf5 31 Qg4+ Kf6 32 Qf4+ Ke6 33 Rxe5+ Qxe5 34 Qg4+ Ke7 35 Qh4+ Ke8 36 g3 Ral + 37 Kh2 Rdl 38 Qg4 Rd2 39 Qa4+ b5 40 Qa7 Qd4 41 Qb8+ Kd7 White resigns.
Meanwhile, in Amsterdam, final scores at OHRA were: Karpov 7; Timman 61/2; Nunn 51/2; Miles 41/2; Martinovic 31/2 and Sunye 3 (all scores out of ten points). Towards the end, Karpov slowed down and started agreeing some very short draws. Nevertheless, Timman was not quite able to catch him. In contrast to the muted showing of the English Grandmasters in Holland, Nigel Short made a splendid comeback in the Biel Interzonal and great credit must go to Murray Chandler for being an excellent second. Final scores at the top were: Vaganian (USSR) 121/2/17; Seirawan (USA) 111/2; Sokolov (USSR) 11; then Short, Tone (Philippines) and van der Wiel (Holland) 101/2. This means that Short can qualify for the Candidates' (an English first) by winning the play-off which is now required. In the last three rounds, Nigel caught up to Torre and van der Wiel by beating them both. In the final round Sax made an extraordinary effort and also defeated Torre which gave Nigel his chance.
Short-Torre: Biel Interzonal; Ruy Lopez.
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Be7 6 Re! b5 7 Bb3 d6 8 a4 Bg4 9 c3 0-0 10 d3 Na5 11 Bc2 b4 12 Nbd2 Rb8 13 h3 Bh5 14 g4 Bg6 15 d4 Inc3 16 bxc3 exd4 17 Nxd4 d5 A bid for counterplay which simply loses a pawn. 18 e5 Ne4 19 Nxe4 dxe4 20 Bf4 Bg5 21 Bxg5 Qxg5-22 Bxe4 dxe4 23 Rxe4 Rfd8 24 Qe2 Nb3 Black tries to simplify into a major piece ending where he has prospects of a draw. 25 Nxb3 Rxb3 26 Qc4 Rb2 27 e6 Qf6 28 exf7+ Qxf7 29 Qxf7+ Kxf7 30 Rae! Rf8 31 Kfl Kg6 32 R1e2 Rxe2 33 Kxe2 Rf6 34 f4 Rc6 35 Kd3 h5 36 Rc4 Rd6+ 37 Ke4 The activity of White's King is decisive. 37. . . hxg4 38 hxg4 c6 39 Ke5 Rd5+ 40 Ke6 Ra5 41 Kd6 Black resigns.
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