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The final 3 rounds of the British Championship finished with the result most people would have expected, but not without a few twists and turns along the way. In Rd. 7 Adams beat the defending champion, Gawain Jones and thereafter, maybe thinking “job done”, played steadily to get draws against Nick Pert and Danny Gormally. Meanwhile, Luke McShane drew against Hebden in Rd. 7 but finished strongly to beat Fodor and, perhaps surprisingly, former champion David Howell, leaving Adams and McShane tied on 7/9 pts, necessitating a Rapidplay play-off.

Adams won the first game (see this week’s position) and only needed another steady draw to clinch the title. But no; McShane hit back to inflict Adams’ only loss in all the games he’s played in this event since 1989. So, at 1-1 this meant 2 further play-off games had to be played at an even quicker pace - Blitz games, so fast that the computerised board and internet couldn’t keep up with transmitting the moves on screen, but not too fast for Michael who won them both.

This was Michael’s 6^th title, having first been champion in 1989 in Plymouth, - the greatest number since Jonathan Penrose won his 10^th in 1966. Here is his solitary loss, played at the speed of 20 minutes for all moves, plus an extra 10 seconds per move, which for this game is an average of 18 seconds per move.

White: L. McShane (2669). Black: M. Adams. (2706).

Guioco Pianissimo [C50]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 Also called the Italian Game. 4.d3 This constitutes the quietest form of this opening. Nf6 5.0–0 0–0 6.h3 h6 7.c3 d6 8.Re1 a6 9.Bb3 Re8 10.Nbd2 Be6 11.Nf1 Bxb3 12.axb3 d5 13.Qe2 Qd7 14.b4 Bf8 15.Ng3 Rad8 16.Kf1 g6 17.Qc2 Re6 18.Qa4 dxe4 19.dxe4 Qd3+ 20.Kg1 Red6 21.Be3 Qc4 22.Rac1 Kh7 23.b3 Qe6 24.c4 R6d7 25.c5 Rd3 26.Rc4 Na7 27.Bc1 Nd7 28.Qa2 Nb8 29.Bd2 Nbc6 30.Nf1 Nb5 31.Ne3 Nbd4 32.Nxd4 Nxd4 33.Bc3 Nb5 34.Bb2 c6 35.Ba1 h5 36.Rc2 Bh6 37.Nc4 Nd4 38.Bxd4 R8xd4 39.Qb2 h4 40.Rce2 Bf4 41.Qc2 Kg7 42.Rf1 Kg8 43.Ree1 Qd7 44.Nd6 Rd2 45.Qc3 R2d3 46.Qc2 Rd2 47.Qb1 Rxb4 48.Nc4 Rd4 49.Rd1 Rb5 50.b4 a5 51.Rxd4 Qxd4 52.Nd6 Trapping Black’s rook. 52…Qxb4 53.Nxb5 Qxc5 54.Nc7 White is now a rook up, but if his 3 connected passed pawns can get moving there may yet be a chance, especially at this speed. 54…b5 55.Rd1 a4 56.Qd3 Bg5 57.Qd7 Qc4 58.Qe8+ Kh7 59.Qxe5 Qc2 60.Rf1 Qd2 61.Ne8 Bh6 62.Nf6+ Kg7 63.Ng4+ Kh7 64.Qf6 Bg7 65.Qxh4+ Kg8 66.Nf6+ Bxf6 67.Qxf6 a3 68.e5 Qc3 Black defends his c-pawn at the expense of allowing the rook to grab the d-file. 69.Rd1 Kh7 70.Rd8 and Black can’t avoid mate on h8. 1–0

In last week’s position, Adams (B) was let off the hook by playing 1…g5+ 2.PxP would lose his queen, so he must play 2…Kh5, but then Black has 2…Qxh3 mate.

Here is the final position from the 1^st play-off game against McShane. Adams (W) to move and seal the win.

The Cornish junior, Adam Hussein of the Truro Club, is currently playing in the U-13 section of FIDE’s World School Championship in Durres, on Albania’s beautiful Adriatic coast. Also in the English team of 8 players is Georgia Headlong of the Brown Jack Club near Swindon who recently became the West of England Ladies Champion in Exmouth. Their progress may be followed on the chess-results.com or event websites.

The Sicilian Defence leads to very active play for both sides, with lines of play more numerous and harder to evaluate than any other opening. Whole libraries could be assembled on this opening alone. Almost every game has something to teach us, like this one from a match last weekend. A seemingly innocuous move by White enables Black to take complete control of the kingside almost immediately.

White: Yuyang Wang (155). Black: John Stephens (196).

Sicilian Defence – Opocensky Variation.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 This move is named after the Czech expert analyst, Karel Opocensky (1892–1975). 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Be3 Be7 Interestingly, every square on the e-file is occupied with a piece, four of them bishops. 9.Nd5 Nxd5 10.exd5 Bf5 11.c4 Nd7 12.0–0 0–0 13.Bg4? This manoeuvre allows Black to obtain a grip on the kingside, which he keeps for the rest of the game. 13…Bxg4 14.Qxg4 f5 forcing White back. 15.Qe2 f4 16.Bc1 Qe8 17.Nd2 Qg6 18.f3 Qh5 19.Ne4 Nf6 20.Qf2 Rac8 21.b3 b5 22.Nxf6+ Rxf6 Completing Black’s kingside mastery. 23.Qb6 White is forced to seek counterplay on the other wing. 23…Rh6 24.h3 Qg5 25.Qxa6 Rf8 26.Kh1 Qg3 27.Qb6 Black is still a pawn down, but his positional superiority gives him the freedom to hammer at the castle walls. 27…Rxh3+ 28.Kg1 Certainly not 28.gxh3?? Qxh3+ 29.Kg1 Qg3+ 30.Kh1 Rf5 and mate follows. 28…Qh2+ 29.Kf2 Bd8 30.Qa7 Bh4+ 31.Ke2 Qxg2+ 32.Rf2 Bxf2 33.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 34.Kxf2 This skirmish leaves Black with 2 lively rooks, while White’s 2 pieces are on their original squares, though he does have a 3–1 queenside pawn majority, which perhaps needs dealing with before it becomes a possible threat. 34…bxc4 35.Kg2 Rg3+ 36.Kf2 cxb3 37.axb3 Rb8 38.Rb1 Rb5 39.b4 h5 40.Bd2 h4 41.Rh1 Rxd5 42.Be1 g5 43.Ke2 Rg2+ 44.Bf2 Kf7 It’s now safe for the king to join the party. 45.Kf1 And finally an exchange sacrifice to finish things off. 45…Rxf2+ 46.Kxf2 Rd2+ 47.Ke1 Rb2 48.Rh3 Rxb4 49.Ke2 Kf6 50.Rh1 Kf5 51.Rd1 Rb2+ 52.Ke1 h3 and the h-pawn must queen. 0–1

In last week’s position, White should play 1.Rh2! and either rook will be able to mate next move, depending on what Black does with his pieces.

From the same book that last week’s 2-mover was taken is this one, on the same theme of White Rook’s Only. Alain White introduced it as…”one of the most famous 2 movers of antiquity”, first seen in 1350, “but the theme is fresh and full of life even today”.

After a month of drenching rain, snow storms and bitter winds, yes – even in South Devon - it was perhaps a good time to hunker down indoors and get down to 7 rounds of serious chess, and Exmouth’s Manor Hotel provided the opportunity to do exactly that over the Easter weekend. To that end, 70 players foregathered to fight for a share of the £1,500 prize money and 4 trophies.

Interestingly, any idea that this might be just a collection of local yokels was dispelled by the international element, especially among the juniors, with players from Norway (3), Scotland (2), Austria, Cyprus, South Africa and China adding an almost exotic element to the mix. Although only one of these won a prize, they certainly enjoyed the occasion while giving the locals some new opposition.

At the end of 7 hard-fought rounds the winners were as follows:-

In the final round, Dominic Mackle and Richard McMichael were keeping half an eye on each other’s game. The latter, who had no westcountry credentials, was not a rival for the trophy, so Mackle agreed an early draw to guarantee the title. On seeing this, McMichael immediately began to press, but went wrong and it allowed his opponent in, and Lewis Martin went on to win and catch Mackle up on 5 points, who thereby lost £50 of prizemoney, £150 instead of £200. However, there was no problem with the Championship Cup and both were happy to share it for 12 months.

In the Major, Yuyang Wang (“Terry”) was the only one of the international set to win a prize, though his 1/5^th share of 3^rd place won’t get him far on his way back to China in August, when he returns to Xiamen with his mother who is on a 12 month secondment attached to Plymouth University.

Also in the Major, former WECU President, Fenella Headlong, found herself in a near-desperate battle with her 11 year old daughter, Georgia, for the Ladies Championship, the Elizabeth Walker Cup. Georgia was playing in the Minor, and both started the final round on 3 points. Whoever had the higher points total would be Champion. Fenella had already won this cup 4 times (twice in her maiden name of Cohen), but the thought of being beaten by her own daughter was not an attractive one. Her husband, Tim Headlong, also a WECU Champion in former times, would doubtless have been neutral on the issue. In the end, Fenella lost and Georgia won, so the victor’s laurels pass to a new generation, and Mum could not have been more proud.

At the prizegiving, Congress Secretary, Meyrick Shaw, announced the names of winners and Arbiter Graham Mill-Wilson was drafted in as cup presenter, allowing Bob Jones to take some pictures to record the happy scene. See below.

Mackle (r) & McMichael - top 2 seeds in the Open

Andre Nielsen, from Altar in the far north of Norway, a World Junior Championship contender in 2016

Viennese FM Walter Braun, currently resident in Exmouth.

Veteran Midlander, Alan Crombleholme, currently playing for Walsall Kipping.

New Cornish Champion, Jeremy Menadue, on his way to a last round loss to Patryk Krzyzanowski.

Exmothians John Stephens (R) & Congress Secretary Meyrick Shaw on bottom Bd in the Open, alongside Yuyang Wang and Yasser Tello on top boards in the Major.

Benjamin Halvorsen, from Tromso, Norway, playing Cornishman Colin Sellwood in the Major.

Eddy Fierek of Gloucester, joint winner of the Minor Section.

Richard McMichael of the King's Head club, receiving his cheque for £400 from Graham Mill-Wilson.

Happy to share! Dominic Mackle (R) of Devon and Lewis Martin (Wilts).

One of the largest events in the Westcountry is the Junior Championships held annually in Swindon. These were this year’s West of England Junior Champions in the various age groups.

U-18: Zoe Varney (178 - Millfield). U-16: Aliriza Gorgon (174 - Swindon). U-14: Chirag Hosdurga (164 - Bristol). U-14 Girls: Mansa Chandar (79 - Chandler’s Ford). U-12: Adam Hussain (150 - Carrick). U-12 Girls: Melissa Hamilton (113 - Portsmouth). U-10: Kandara Acharya (96 – Bristol). U-9: Daniel Shek (114 - Yately Manor). U-8: Mayank Palav (UG - Wilts). U-8 Girls: Jessica White (UG - Wilts).

The re-arranged 1^st team match between Devon and Cornwall takes place tomorrow at the Plymouth Bridge Club, and the West of England Championship and general Congress starts the following Friday at the Manor Hotel, Exmouth, and lasts throughout the Easter weekend. Details may be found on-line.

The 1^st West of England Championship was held over the Easter weekend 1946 in the clubroom of the Bristol & Clifton Chess Club, where it was won by its club champion at the time, 23 year old Henry Vickers Trevenen. He was born in Penzance, the son of a stonemason, and as WWII robbed him of his formative years so mental illness later took away his prime, but in the immediate post war years he was almost unbeatable, becoming West of England Champion three times out of the first four.

This was one of his wins from the 2^nd WECU Championship in 1947. His opponent, Ron Slade, had to wait another decade until he won the title.

White: R. A. Slade. – Black: H. V. Trevenen.

Pirc Defence [B07]

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 Black has adopted a Pirc Defence formation, first popularised in the mid-’40s. 4.Bd3 Bg7 5.h3 Nbd7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 h6 Black will not be able to castle without losing his h-pawn as long as White’s pieces are lined up against h3. 8.Nge2 e5 9.0-0 exd4 10.Nxd4 Nc5 11.Rae1 Nxd3 12.cxd3 Bd7 13.f4 0-0 Black doesn’t hesitate to get castled. 14.f5 Kh7 15.Nce2 c5 16.Nf3 c4 17.fxg6+ fxg6 18.Ng3 cxd3 19.e5 Not 19.Qxd3? Bb5 19…Nd5 20.Qxd3 Nxe3 21.Qxe3 Leaving Black with the bishop pair against two knights. 21…Bb5 22.Rf2 dxe5 23.Nxe5 Rxf2

Slightly better was 23…Qh4 24.Rc2 Rae8. 24.Qxf2 Qd5 25.Ng4 While the knights are almost sidelined, the bishops cut swathes across the board. 25…Bc6 26.Re7 Rf8 27.Qe2 h5 28.Nh2 and now Black delivers a two-move knockout blow. 28…Qc5+ 29.Kh1 Rf2 Resigned because of the devastating fork between queen and h2. e.g. 30.Qe3 Qxe3 31.Rxe3 Rxg2 32.Ne4 Rxb2 and White’s problems are too many to repair. 0-1.

In last week’s problem, Owen Hindle won after 1.QxP! and Black’s queen cannot retake because of Rxh7 #, so 1…Rg8 2.Qh5 and mate is inevitable.

In this position, White has his king tucked away and is all set to harass Black’s king. But it’s not his move. Does that matter?

Black to play

Here are the entries currently recived for th WECU Congress over the Easter Weekend.

The East Devon Congress came to a successful end on Sunday evening. In the Open Section, Jack Rudd skittled his way through the first 4 rounds enabling him to agree a quick draw to ensure 1^st prize, and his opponent, Dominic Mackle, clear 2^nd.

The other winners were as follows:

3^rd= Mike Waddington (Dorchester); Jeremy Fallowfield (Stourbridge); Oscar Garcia (Poole); Philip Tozer (Athenaeum); Steve Dilleigh (Bristol), Graham Bolt (Exeter) & John Stephens, (Exmouth) all 3½.

Grading prizes (U-186) Mike Duggan; Paul Helbig & Paul Hampton (Seaton) all 3½. (U-160) Yuyang Wang (Plymouth) .

Major Section (U-155): 1^st David Archer (154 - S. Hams) 5 pts. 2^nd= Matthew Read (152 - Shrewsbury); Colin Sellwood (149 - Camborne) & Mark Potter (154 - Dorchester) all 4 pts. GPs (U-146) Roy Shapland (Barnstaple).

(U-135) Nick Cunliffe (Wells).

Minor Section (U-125): 1^st= Roy Greenhalgh 115 - S. Hams); James Wallman (105 - Dorset); Graham Hillman (114 - Wimbourne); Gary Loyden (113 - Swindon); Chris Smith (102 - Thornbury) & Peter Strong (92 - Clevedon) All 4 pts. Although the lowest graded in this 6-way tie, Strong won the Cup by virtue of his sum-of-opponents’ scores. GPs (U-106) Christine Constable (105 – Bude) & John Carr (100). (U-91) Elmira Walker (90-Downend); Brian Aldwin (87 – Exeter); Tim Roberts (87 - Exeter Uni.) & Ken Hayden-Sadler (66 - Teignmouth) all 2½.

This was Rudd’s 3^rd round game, a crisp win against an opponent who nevertheless still finished in the prizelist.

White: P. Tozer (193). Black: J. Rudd. (226)

English Opening – Sicilian Variation.

1.c4 e5 The Sicilian Variation, generally regarded as the liveliest of Black’s responses, although Howard Staunton was of the opinion that “White would get a fine game”. 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nc3 Nb6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.0–0 Be6 8.a3 a5 9.d3 Be7 10.Be3 0–0 11.Rc1 f5 Black wastes no time in starting a central attack. 12.Na4 e4 13.Ne1 Nd5 14.Bc5 e3 15.f4 The e-pawn cannot be taken because of 15…Nxe3 15…b6 16.Bxd5 Bxd5 White’s dominance of the white diagonal eventually proves the key to victory. 17.Bxe3 Bf6 Compare and contrast the positioning of each side’s minor pieces. 18.Nc3 Re8 19.Bf2 Bf7 20.Nf3 Nd4 21.Nxd4 Bxd4 22.Qd2 c5 23.e3 Bxc3 24.Qxc3 Qd5 25.g4 Qf3 26.gxf5 Bd5 Threatening mate on 2 squares. 27.e4 Black is not to be denied. 27…Rxe4! 28.Bg3 If 28.dxe4 and mate will follow. 28…Qxe4. 28…Re1 protecting Black’s queen by pinning its attacker and hence ensuring mate next move. 29.Rcxe1 Qg2# 0–1.

The “zinger” in last week’s position was 1.Rh6+! Kxh6 (1…Kf7 is no better) 2.Qf6+ Kh7 3.Rh1+ Kg8 4.Rh8 mate.

The US millionaire Alain White (1880-1951) used to collect problems and each Christmas would reward those who sent him specimens with a small book. This was from his 1905 gift which contained 200 problems with a “king trapped in the corner” theme. This was No. 26, a 2-mover by his friend and mentor, Sam Loyd, a devilishly teasing composer.

White to play and mate in 2

Robert Everson RIP.

Since receiving a couple of e-mails regarding Bob Everson, I’ve take the liberty of melding them together, adding some of my own material.

Robert Everson had been a regular attendee at the Royal Beacon Seniors Congress in Exmouth, and Paignton, for a number of years, one of a group of other Kent players; among them Mike Wiltshire, Alan Sherriff and Ian McAllan.

He attended the Paignton Congress in September 2016, and towards the end of one round, I was walking past and noticed Bob with a few friends at the board, demonstrating how he had just lost his game because he missed/forgot a move that he had already noticed during his analysis. I heard him say “I can’t understand it – how could I do that?!” - an innocent remark that I couldn’t forget, as I knew another player, Simon Bartlett, was similarly ill.

On return home he took medical advice, and it was found he had an incurable brain tumour. Bartlett had been told his particular tumour was associated with workers in the chemical industry, and I gather Bob had had a similar career.

Bob had been the Dartford first team captain since September 1974, probably the longest period for any Kent club captain. Bob joined the Dartford club shortly after leaving school and enjoyed many successful and happy years playing chess and mixing with his fellow players. In particular he much enjoyed the Exmouth, Paignton and Thanet tournaments in which he competed for many years.

Bob died peacefully at home at 11.30 pm. on Tuesday 13th February. He suffered no pain.

A Humanist funeral will take place at Eltham Crematorium on Friday March 16th at 10.15am.
He was a gentleman and a great guy always prepared to offer advice. He will be much missed by his family and all chess associates.

Rather than flowers Bob opted for a donation to the Ellener Foundation.

Devon’s annual jamboree took place at the Isca Centre in Exeter, involving teams from three quarters of the county. The East comprised players from clubs in the Exeter & District League, though not all clubs were represented. Similarly, the South team was made up of players from clubs involved in the Torbay League, while the West team drew from a solitary club, Plymouth, and a population base probably greater than either of the other two areas.

The team grade limit of 1,650 made it an average of 137 per player, with no player being allowed to be lower than 100. The East succeeded in getting closest to that maximum, with the South & West both c.35 points lower.

As there were 3 teams, players were paired on the Hutton pairing formula, which ensures that each team has six Whites, upfloats and opponents from the other two teams.

Two charts are needed to make full sense of the outcome. The first shows exactly who played who, and the result.

The 2nd shows each team’s total.

Most years, the result is a close one, a triple-tie being recorded more than once. This time, however, the South (Torbay) won by a clear 2 points, losing only 2 games in the process.