The universal appeal of chess was demonstrated at last Saturday's Golders Green Quickplay which boasted a near record attendance that include England Blind International Chris Ross, disabled players and over 100 others aged between 8 and 80.

The regular venue of Golders Green Parish Church Hall was packed to overflowing but thankfully it was a sunny day and so some of the games were played outside.

The tournament was the brainchild of Fide Arbiter and tournament organiser Adam Raoof who started it in 1991. Since then many of England's leading players including Michael Adams and John Nunn have come to sharpen up their game before major tournaments. Everyone plays six games with 30 minutes each of the clock.

Chris Ross had a great tournament and in one game, given below, he played without his Braille chess set and went 'freestyle' playing his opponent on a normal set but just occasionally feeling one or two pieces on the board to check their positions in a real tour de force. Playing without sight of the board is tough enough without the extra pressure of a fast time limit.

C Ross - M Peate

Golder Green QP

Caro Kann

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.0-0 Bg6 7.c3 Nf5 8.Bg5 Qb6 9.Qb3 Qxb3

(This gives White an open file, 9...Nd7)

10.axb3 Bh5

(Better 10...c5 11.Na3 Nc6)

11.b4!

(Now Black must weaken himself in order to play c5)

11...b6 12.Nbd2 h6 13.Bf4 c5 14.Bb5+ Kd8 15.bxc5 bxc5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.c4

(Sacrificing a pawn to open lines on the king)

17...dxc4 18.h3 Bxf3?! 19.Nxf3 g5 20.Bd2 Ke7

(20...Nd7 21.Rfd1 Kc7 22.Ba5+ Nb6 23.Rd7+)

21.Rfd1 Rc8 22.g4 Ng7

(22...Nd4 23.Nxd4 Bxd4 24.Bb4+ Bc5)

23.h4! gxh4 24.Bxh6 Ne8 25.Bg5+ Kf8 26.Bxh4 Nc6 27.Rac1 Na5 28.Kg2 Rab8 29.Ba6 Rc6 30.Bxc4 Nxc4

(With seconds left both players missed 30...Be3!)

31.Rxc4 Rxb2 32.Rdc1 1-0

Black lost on time but 32.Rdc1 Rb5 33.Nd4 is not much fun

Black forgets to play Nf6-h7-g5 fighting for the d4 square which is the point of 7...h6

C Bauer - C Marcelin

French League 16

Italian Game

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.Re1 d6 7.a4 h6 8.a5 a6 9.Nc3 Be6

(9...Nh7 10.d4 Ng5 11.dxe5 Nxf3+ 12.Qxf3 Nxe5 =)

10.Nd5! Nb8

(Black wants to evict the knight but there is no time)

11.d4 Bg4 12.Ne3! Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Nc6

(13...exd4 14.Nf5 c5 15.Qg3)

14.d5 Nd4 15.Qd1! Nxe4 16.c3 Nb5 17.Nf5

Threat Qg4

17...Nf6 18.Qd3 Qd7 19.Bxh6! Ne8

(19...gxh6 20.Qg3+ Kh8 21.Qg7#)

20.Qh3 Rd8

(20...gxh6 21.Nxh6+ Kg7 22.Qxd7)

21.Bd3 Bf6 22.Bxg7! 1-0

Ne7+ and Qh7 mate follows.