Round 5 (April 15, 2000)

Pert, Nicholas     -  Norris, Alan J     1-0   46  D11  Slav defence
Gormally, Daniel   -  Afek, Yochanan     1/2   28  A38  English; 1.c4 c5
McDonald, Neil R   -  Ward, Christopher  1/2   79  B52  Sicilian
Aagaard, Jacob     -  Hummel, Patrick    1-0   35  B90  Sicilian; Najdorf
McNab, Colin A     -  Krush, Irina       1-0   41  A12  English; 1.c4


Millennium Masters Oakham ENG (ENG), 11-19 iv 2000cat. VII (2406)
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                                 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 
---------------------------------------------------------------
 1 Ward, Christopher  g ENG 2509 * = . = . . 1 1 1 .  4.0  2630
 2 Pert, Nicholas     f ENG 2396 = * = . = . . . 1 1  3.5  2575
 3 Gormally, Daniel   m ENG 2504 . = * . . 1 0 = . 1  3.0  2430
 4 McDonald, Neil R   g ENG 2438 = . . * . = 0 1 . 1  3.0  2453
 5 Aagaard, Jacob     m DEN 2396 . = . . * 0 1 . 1 =  3.0  2445
 6 Krush, Irina      wm USA 2399 . . 0 = 1 * . 1 0 .  2.5  2422
 7 Hummel, Patrick      USA 2347 0 . 1 1 0 . * 0 . .  2.0  2367
 8 Afek, Yochanan     m ISR 2349 0 . = 0 . 0 1 * . .  1.5  2290
 9 McNab, Colin A     g SCO 2424 0 0 . . 0 1 . . * =  1.5  2251
10 Norris, Alan J     f SCO 2301 . 0 0 0 = . . . = *  1.0  2191
---------------------------------------------------------------

RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD

IT’S a tough job, chess. If you don’t believe me just ask GM Neil McDonald. There you are carefully nurturing a small advantage for nearly six hours against the tournament leader, GM Chris Ward, to reach the following ending at move 60.

Neil McDonald and arbiter Richard Furness.

And, just to infuriate you even more, you’ve just discovered that, with the rain pouring down outside, directly above you the roof of the tournament hall has sprung a leak. Drip! Drip! Drip! Rather than move the players at a crucial stage of the game, we finally found a use for the tournament arbiter, Richard Furness, with the job of mopping-up the mess every few moves.

60 b5 Rh1 61 Rc6 Kh6 62 b6 Ra1+ 63 Kb5 Rb1+ 64 Ka6 Ra1+ 65 Kb7 Kh5 66 Kc7 g5 67 b7 Ra7 68 Ra6? [Exhausted after nearly six hours of play (not to mention the Chinese torture from above!), Neil simply couldn't calculate by this stage. However, the obvious 68 Rb6! - gaining a vital tempo for the King - wins with ease: 68 Rb6! A) 68 ..Kg4 69 Kd6 Rxb7 70 Rxb7 Kf4 (70 ..Kf3 71 Ke5 g4 72 Rb3+) 71 Kd5 g4 72 Kd4 A1) 72 ..g3 73 Rf7+ Kg4 74 Ke4 Kg5 (74 ..g2 75 Rg7+ Kh3 76 Kf3) ; A2) 72 ..Kf3 73 Kd3 g3 74 Rf7+ Kg2 75 Ke3 Kh2 76 Kf3; B) 68 ..g4 69 Kd6 Rxb7 70 Rxb7 g3 71 Rg7 Kh4 72 Ke5 Kh3 73 Kf4] 68 ..Rxb7+ 69 Kxb7 Kg4 70 Kc6? [Once again, a quick look at any standard reference book on these sort of endings, you'll find the correct winning plan being to stop the Black King from getting out via the f-file 'shielding' the White king from the action: 70 Rf6! A) 70 ..Kh4 71 Kc6 g4 72 Kd5 Kh3 (72 ..g3 73 Rg6 Kh3 74 Ke4 g2 75 Kf3) 73 Ke4 Kh2 74 Rg6 g3 75 Kf3 g2 76 Rxg2+; B) 70 ..Kh3 71 Kc6 g4 72 Kd5 g3 73 Ke4 g2 74 Kf3 g1N+ 75 Kf2] 70 ..Kf3 71 Kd5 g4 72 Rf6+ [72 Ra3+ Kf4 (72 ..Kf2? 73 Ke4 g3 74 Ra2+) 73 Ra4+ Kf3 74 Kd4 g3 draws] 72 ..Ke3 73 Rg6 Kf3 74 Kd4 g3 75 Kd3 g2 76 Kd2 Kf2 77 Rf6+ Kg3 78 Rg6+ Kf2 79 Rxg2+ Kxg2 ½–½

Old boy Nick Pert

Old Oakhamian Nick Pert (now at University) is making a return to his alma mater in the quest for his second GM norm – his first achieved at the recent Hastings tournament. He was one of two strong chess-playing twins at the school (surprisingly, Richard, his twin brother, has also got a twin!) that so very nearly took Oakham to the top of British Schools’ chess. Nick and Richard led the school in many a Times School Championship campaign, coming third once and second twice.

Nick is a former world under-18 champion and former British Schools Problem Solving champion. Now ideally placed on 3.5/5, he needs to a further 3.5/4 for his second GM norm.

Pert,N (2396) - Norris,A (2301) [D11]

1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Qc2 g6 5 Bf4 Bf5 6 Qb3 Qb6 7 c5 Qxb3 8 axb3 Nbd7 [What about 8 ..Na6? - it seems to force White on the defensive due to the threat of ..Nb4: 9 Bd2 (9 Na3 Bg7 10 e3 Nb4 11 Bc7 Rc8 12 Be5 Bc2 13 Nd2 0–0 14 Be2 Bd3!) 9 ..Bg7 10 e3 Nc7 11 Nc3 0–0] 9 Nc3 Nh5 10 Bc7 Bg7 [10 ..Rc8?! 11 Rxa7! Nxc5 (11 ..Rxc7?? 12 Ra8+) A) 12 Bb6? let’s Black out of a hole: 12 ..Nxb3 13 e3 Bg7 14 h3 Nf6 15 Rxb7 (15 Be2 Nc1!; 15 Ra3 Bc2) 15 ..Ra8 16 Ne5 Bc8 17 Rc7 Nd7! 18 Nxd7 Bxd7 19 Rb7 e5! 20 dxe5 Bxe5; B) 12 Be5! 12 ..f6 13 dxc5 fxe5 14 Nxe5 Bg7 15 Nf3 e5 16 e4! Bg4 (16 ..dxe4 17 Ng5) 17 exd5 cxd5 18 Bb5+ Kf8 19 b4] 11 e3 0–0 12 h3 Be4?!

[Black may have been better off with: 12 ..Rfc8 13 Bh2 Nhf6] 13 Nd2 Rfc8 14 Bh2 Nhf6 15 b4! a6 16 f3 Bf5 17 g4 Be6 18 Nb3 Ne8 19 Na5 Ra7 20 Nb3 Raa8 21 Na4 Nc7 [Suggest something else?] 22 Na5 Rab8 23 Nb6 Nxb6 24 cxb6 Na8 25 Nxb7 Nxb6 26 Bxb8 Rxb8 27 Nc5 Nc4 28 Bxc4 dxc4 29 Nxa6 Rb6 30 Nc5 Rxb4 31 Ra8+ Bf8 32 Nxe6 fxe6 33 Rh2 Kf7 34 Rc2 Bg7 35 Rc8 e5 36 dxe5 Bxe5 37 Rxc6 Bxb2 38 R6xc4 Rb3 39 Kf2 Be5 40 f4 Bg7 41 Rc7 Rb1 42 R2c4 Rh1 43 Re4 Bf8 44 f5 g5 45 Re5 Kg8 46 f6 1–0

Being Scottish, I’ve known Colin McNab since we were both up and coming young juniors in the game. How long have I known him? Well, lets just say that I remember the days when he didn’t fianchetto his bishop’s, and as White played the King’s Gambit!

Colin McNab

Now Colin has had some good tournaments over the years – even winning the Commonwealth Championship once. But, believe me, when Colin has a bad tournament, he REALLY HAS A BAD TOURNAMENT! Oakham, with a start of 0/3, can safely be classified as bad tournament for the likable, lanky Scot.

He made amends for his poor start to the tournament with a nice win over Irina Krush.

McNab,C (2424) - Krush,I (2399) [A12]

1 c4 c6 2 Nf3 d5 3 e3 Nf6 4 b3 Bg4 5 Bb2 e6 6 Be2 Nbd7 7 0–0 Bd6 8 d4 0–0 9 Nbd2 Ne4 10 Nxe4 dxe4 11 Nd2 Bf5 12 f4 exf3 13 Bxf3 Qh4 [13 ..Bd3!? 14 Rf2 (14 Be2 Qg5 15 Rf3 Bg6) 14 ..e5 15 Ne4 (15 d5 Bc5; 15 c5 exd4! 16 exd4 Nxc5!) 15 ..Bxe4 16 Bxe4 exd4 17 Qxd4 (17 exd4 Bxh2+ 18 Kxh2 Qh4+; 17 Bxd4 Qh4 18 g4 Ne5) 17 ..Be5 18 Qd3 g6 19 Rd1 Nc5 20 Qxd8 Raxd8 21 Rxd8 Rxd8 22 Bf3 (22 Bxe5 Nxe4 23 Rf1 f5) 22 ..Nd3 23 Bxe5 Nxe5] 14 g3 Qe7 15 Bg2 Bg6 16 c5 Bc7 17 b4 e5 18 Nc4 Rad8 19 Qb3 h5 20 Rad1 exd4 21 exd4 Rfe8 22 d5 cxd5 23 Qc3 Nf6 24 Rxd5! [24 Bxd5 Be4! 25 Bxe4 (25 Rfe1 Qd7 26 Bxe4 Qxd1 27 Rxd1 Rxd1+ 28 Kg2 Rxe4) 25 ..Qxe4 26 Nd6 Rxd6! 27 Rxd6 (27 cxd6 Bb6+) 27 ..Bxd6 28 cxd6 Rd8 29 Rd1 (29 Re1 Qd5! 30 Qc5 b6) 29 ..Qe2 30 Re1 (30 Rd3 Qe6 31 Qd2 Ne4!) 30 ..Qa6!] 24 ..Rxd5 25 Bxd5 b6 [25 ..b5!? may be a way for Black to rid herself of the troublesome c-pawn - but its still difficult: 26 cxb6 axb6 27 Bc6 Rd8 28 Re1 Qf8] 26 Bc6 Rc8 27 Ne3 [27 Re1 Qf8] 27 ..Bd8? [Whatever was wrong with 27 ..Bxg3? Unless I'm missing something, this just seems to lead to a drawn endgame: 28 hxg3 (28 Nd5 Bxh2+ 29 Kxh2 Qe2+ 30 Kg1 Rxc6 31 Nxf6+ gxf6 32 Rxf6 Qg4+) 28 ..Rxc6 29 Nd5 Qe4 30 Nxf6+ (30 Rxf6 gxf6 31 Nxf6+ Rxf6 32 Qxf6 Qe1+) 30 ..gxf6 (30 ..Rxf6? 31 Rxf6 gxf6 32 c6) 31 Rxf6 (31 Rf4 Qb1+ 32 Rf1 Qe4) 31 ..Rxf6 32 Qxf6 Qe1+ 33 Kh2 Qe2+] 28 Nd5 Qf8 29 Rxf6 Bxf6 [29 ..gxf6 30 Bd7! Ra8 31 c6 Qd6 32 Nxf6+ Bxf6 33 Qxf6 Qxf6 34 Bxf6 Be4 35 c7 Bb7 36 Kf2 Kh7 37 Bf5+ Kg8 38 a4 a5 39 b5 Bc8 40 Be4 Ra7 41 Be5 Kf8 42 Bf3!] 30 Nxf6+ gxf6 31 Qxf6 Qh6 32 Bd7 Qe3+ 33 Qf2 Qxf2+ 34 Kxf2 Rc7 35 c6 Kf8 36 Bf6 Be4? [Going into the opposite bishop ending has to be Black's best hope for the draw: 36 ..a6! (Not 36 ..Bc2? 37 Bd8 Rxd7 38 cxd7 Bf5 39 Bxb6!) 37 Bd8 (37 Ke3 Bc2 38 Kf4 Ba4 39 Bd8 Rxd7 40 cxd7 f6 41 Bxf6 Bxd7 42 Kg5 Bg4 43 Bd4 b5) 37 ..Rxd7 38 cxd7 Bf5 39 Ke3 Bxd7 40 Bxb6 Ke7 41 Kf4 f6 42 Bc5+ Kf7 and Black has good drawing chances; 37 b5 Bd5 38 a4 Be6 39 Bxe6 fxe6 40 Ke3 Rf7 41 Ke4 1–0

Happy Birthday, Yochanan Afek! Today the big, congenial Israeli giant celebrates his 48^th birthday at the tournament. In honour of commemorating this special day for the brilliant endgame composer who now lives in Amsterdam, we decided to publish one his recently composed studies.

White to play and draw. Solution below

Gormally,D (2504) - Afek,Y (2349) [A38]

1 Nf3 c5 2 c4 Nf6 3 Nc3 Nc6 4 g3 g6 5 Bg2 Bg7 6 0–0 0–0 7 d3 d5 8 cxd5 Nxd5 9 Nxd5 Qxd5 10 Be3 Qh5?! 11 Rc1! Nd4 [11 ..b6? 12 Ng5! Bg4 13 Bxc6 Bxe2 14 Qb3] 12 b4 Nf5 13 Bd2?

[Too timid. White has a big plus score in this line (19-4) with: 13 Rxc5! Nxe3 14 fxe3 Qg4 15 d4] 13 ..cxb4 14 Bxb4 Be6 15 Qa4 a5 16 Bc3 b5! 17 Qxb5 Nxg3 18 Qxh5 Nxe2+ 19 Kh1 gxh5 20 Bxg7 Kxg7 21 Rc5 Rfc8 22 Re5 Nf4 23 Nd4 Nxg2 [23 ..Ra7!? maybe a good winning shot for Black. 24 Nxe6+ fxe6! 25 d4 Rc2 26 Re4 (26 a4 Rc4) 26 ..Nxg2 27 Kxg2 Rxa2] 24 Nxe6+ Kf6 25 Rxh5 Kxe6 26 Kxg2 Rc2 27 Re1+ Kf6 28 Ree5 ½–½

Solution

Y Afek, 2000

1 g7+ Kh7 2 g6+ Kh6 3 a8Q Rxa8 4 Kf7 Ra7+ 5 Kg8 Rxg7+ 6 Kh8 leads to a stalemate.