Malcolm Pein on…Downing the Young Guns

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Malcolm Pein examines some key moments from round five of the Four Nations Chess League in today’s Daily Telegraph chess column and sees some Young Guns misfiring.

Malcolm Pein on…Downing the Young Guns

Downend pulled off a major shock in the fifth round of the 4NCL Online League. The Bristol side were outrated by almost 300 points-a-board on average, but defeated Guildford Young Guns 2.5-1.5. Mark Hebden won on top board for the 4NCL powerhouse, but Alberto Suarez Real and Harry Grieve were defeated by Robert Thompson and Stephen Meek respectively. Grieve suffered a mouse slip when clearly worse; Suarez Real was simply outplayed.

King’s Indian Adventures

R. Thompson – A. Suarez Real
King’s Indian Defence

1.Nf3 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.d4 Nf6 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.e4 exd4 9.Nxd4 Re8 10.h3 a6 11.Be3 Rb8 12.b3 c5 13.Nde2 Qe7?! (Inconsistent and now Black struggles for counterplay. 13…b5! 14.Qxd6! b4 15.Na4 Nxe4 16.Bxe4 Bxa1 17.Rxa1 Rxe4 18.Nxc5 Re8 is the critical line, as in Fridman-Chigaev, European Championship, Batumi 2018) 14.a4! Ne5 15.Rc1 Bd7 16.Re1 Bc6 17.Qc2 Ned7 (17…b5!? gives Black a superior version of the game after 18.axb5 axb5 19.cxb5 Bxb5 20.Nxb5 Rxb5 21.f4 Ned7) 18.Nf4 b5 19.axb5 axb5 20.Nfd5! (Taking control) 20…Qd8 21.Nxf6+ Qxf6? 22.cxb5 Bxb5 23.Nxb5 Rxb5 24.Rcd1? (The immediate 24.e5! was very strong, as 24…Nxe5 25.f4 Nd7 26.Bc6 wins material) 24…Reb8 25.Qd2 R8b6

Young Guns Downed

(In chess, there is little as satisfying as making a breakthrough on a square the opponent thought they controlled) 26.e5! Qxe5? (Not 26…dxe5?? 27.Qxd7, but 26…Nxe5! 27.Bg5 Qe6 28.f4 Rxb3 29.fxe5 Bxe5 gives Black three pawns for the piece when he is worse, but very much fighting) 27.Bf4 Qc3? (Losing material, but 27…Qf6 28.Re8+ Nf8 29.Bd5 leaves White in full control) 28.Re8+ Nf8 29.Qxc3 Bxc3 30.Bxd6 Rxd6 31.Rxd6 Rxb3 32.Bd5 Rb1+ 33.Kg2 Re1 34.Rxe1 Bxe1 35.Rf6 Ne6 36. Bxe6 fxe6 37.Rxe6 Bc3 38.Rc6 Bd4 39.Rc7 h5 40.f4 Kf8 41.Kf3 Ke8 42.Ke4 Kd8 43.Rc6 1-0

Barbican, Celtic Tigers & Sharks, and Chessable White Rose all remain on 100 per cent in Division One.

Test Your Strength

A. Pyda – C Sielecki

A. Pyda – C Sielecki
A classic King’s Indian scenario.
Black to play and win

Highlight the space below this line to reveal the answer.

28…Nxh3! (28…Bxh3!? 29.gxh3 Nxh3 also wins, but isn’t as clinical due to 30.Bh2) 29.gxh3 Bxh3 30.Bxh3 Qxh3+ 31.Bh2 Nh4! 32.Qd3 g2+ 33.Kg1 Nxf3+ 34.Kf2 Qxh2 0-1

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