CHESS
No quarter
Raymond Keene
This week I wrap up coverage of the historic GLC Challenge, the last in the series of GLC sponsored events which commenced in 1980.
Apart from Flear's incredible result and the splendid back-up performances of Chandler and Short, the tournament must be judged a success in many other respects. In every event some players are bound to be off form and in this case it was Spassky, Speelman and Ribli who seemed bereft of creative energy. But the others more than made up for this in a searing display of fighting spirit. John Nunn had a somewhat slow start but then moved right into top gear and won some really marvellous games. Jim Plaskett drew no games at all and with his virtually unique score of five wins and eight losses, he picked up the special Batsford enterprise award of a book contract with a £1,000 advance.
The following games pay tribute to their efforts: Nunn — Mestel: Sicilian Dragon.
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e6 6 Be3 Be 7 f3 0-0 8 Qd2 Nc6 9 Bc4 Bd7 10 0-0-0 Ne5 11 Bb3 Rc8 12 h4 h5 13 Bg5 Nc4 14 Qe2 Na5 15 Kbl a6 16 g4 e5?! This is Miles's idea and explains 15 . . . a6: White's knight is trapped. However, it is probably better to play 16 . . . Nxb3! 17 cxb3 hxg4 18 Bxf6 Bxf6 19 h5 g5 or 17 axb3 hxg4 none of which is very clear. By delaying the exchange on b3 Black gives White more time for his attack. 17 015! Less convinc- ing is 17 Nf5 gxf5 18 gxf5 Nxb3 19 axb3 Bc6 as in Geller-Miles, Linares 1983, even though White eventually won. 17 . . . exd4 18 Nd5! Here 18 h6 Bh8 19 h7+ Kxh7 20 h5 is supposed to win according to Geller's analysis, but after 18 h6 Bxh6!? 19 Bxh6 Nxb3 is one possible defence. In a sense, Black's strategy has succeeded as John Nunn could not exactly remember Geller's recommendation. Unfortunately for Mestel, this merely encouraged him to work it out for himself! 18 . . . Nxb3 19 h6 (Diagram) Bb5 19
Position after 19 h6
. . . d3 20 Rxd3 does not help and Nunn would have answered 19 . . . Bh8 with 20 h7+ lati7 21! h5 Kg8 22 Qh2! 20 Qh2 d3 21 cxb3 21 c3? d2! actually threatens mate in one. 21 . . . NxdS A last throw, 21 . . . Rc2, Mestel's original inten- tion, loses too many rooks after 22 hicg7 Rxh2 23 gxf8=Q+. Now on 22 Bxd8? Bey! the Dragon bishop lives. Such hopes are quickly snuffed out. 22 hxg7 Rc2 23 Bxd8 John's comment: 'I took the biggest piece on offer'! 23 . . . Rxd8 24 Rd2 To meet 24 . . . Ne3 with 25 Qf2, or even 25 Qf4 Rxd2 26 Qh6. So, Black resigns.
And now Spassky's only decisive game!
Plaskett — Spassky: English Opening. 1 c4 e5 2 b3 Nc6 3 Bb2 f5 4 e3 Nf6 5 Nc3 g6 6 d4 exd4 7 exd4 Bg7 8 d5!? Plaskett decides to strike with both kings in the centre and the dark- squared bishop unprotected. 8 . . . Ne4 9 Qcl Ne5 10 f4! Spassky was full of praise for this boat-burning lunge. White's next is forced since 11 g3? Nxg3 12 hxg3 Qxhl 13 Qe3 loses to 13 . . . Qxgl! 10 . . . Qh4+ 11 Kdl! Nf7 With obvious reluctance, Black sounds the retreat: 11 . . . Nf2+ 12 Kc2 Nxhl 13 fxe5 Qf2+ 14 Nce2, with Nf3 and Bd4 to follow, gives White tremendous compensation. 12 Nf3 Qh6! Defend- ing the p and ho ping to soop on f4. 13 Nxe4 fxe4bisho 14 Ng5 d6 15 Nxe4?!w. This instantlY releases Black's K-side pieces, which flood the open spaces behind White's pawns. 15 Be2 is more sensible: the players analysed 15 . • ;.,13-° 16 h4 NxgS 17 fxg5 Bxb2 18 Qxb2 Og/ as marginally better for White. 15 . . . Bxb2 16 Qxb2 Qxf4 17 Bd3 17 Qd4! threatens Nf6+ or Nxd6+ depending on circumstances. Since 1 . Bg4+ 18 Kc2 0-0-0 again allows 19 Nxd6+ Black must venture 17 . . . Ke7!? or acce_e equality with 17 . . . Qe5. 17 . . . Ne5 18 Bo Bg4+?! Hasty checks are temptations even to world champions! 18 . . . Qe3! 19 Rf3 OW,
into
wins a safe pawn. 19 Kc2 Qe3 20 Qg3 0.0-6 Spassky may have intended 20 . . . Be2 but then White can indulge in the fantastic 21 Nxd6+ ! (threatening discovered check with the bishpp) 21 . . . Ke7 22 Rf7+!! Nxf7 23 Rel. Here 23 . . . Bxd3+ 24 Kb2 Qxel 25 Qxel+ Kd6 26 Qe6+ Kc5 27 Kc3! Nd6 28 Qe3 is mate, so the best Black can hope for is the unclear 23 . . . cxd6 24 Rxe2 Qxe2+ 25 Bxe2 b6! It was, naturally, the second of these variations ths.t Plaskett had in mind! The rest of the game is dothinated by Black's lead on the clock. White is a little worse and is unable to resist Spassky's probing and energetic manoeuvring. 21 Hae1 Qh6 22 h3 135 23 Nc5!? Nxd3 24 Nxd3 Rhea Qd2 Qh4 26 Rxe8 RxeS 27 Rf4 Qg3 28 Rf3 29 g4 Be4 30 Re3 Qal! 31 a4 K(17! Guarding the rook. 32 Qdl Qd4 33 Qd2 a6 . . . b5 is in the air. White, already without useful moves, blunders to let in the rook. 34 Kdl? Bxd3! 35 Rxd3 Qat+ 36 Kc2 Rel 37 Re3 Rbl 38 Kd3 White resigns; As 38 . . . Rdl wins the queen. A splendidly imaginative struggle!
Notes to the above games are based op those in the action-packed Bulletin which is available at £6 from the British Chess Federation, 9A, Grand Parade, St Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex.
Previous page
