Chess

Published on Thursday 2 July 2009 15:34

THE 116th SCOTTISH CHESS Championship gets underway next weekend. To be run as an international open, with at least ten GM entrants already confirmed, and over £5,000 in prizes, it's set to become the greatest competition in the history of the event. You can watch live on www.scottishchesschampionship.com, but I hope many will pop in to Edinburgh City Chambers to watch the games. It all takes place from 11 to 19 July, 2-8pm each day.

Anyone looking to brush up quickly on openings would do well to check out Chess Opening Essentials, Volume 2, available via www.newinchess.com. One of my favourite miniature games here is the following super-speedy win by Russian IM Alexander Raetsky at the 1995 Cappelle-la-Grande Open.

White: C Bouton; Black: A Raetsky. Opening: Albin Counter Gambit.

1 d4 d5 2 c4 e5 The adventurous Albin Counter Gambit has never really enjoyed respect from chessplayers, but great creative efforts by Russian super-GM Alexander Morozevich, in particular, have done a lot to raise at least somewhat the reputation of this fascinating opening. The current game also serves as a terrific advert for the merits of Black's daring system. 3 dxe5 d4 4 e4 The most popular alternatives are 4 Nf3 or 4 a3, but not 4 e3?! because of 4…Bb4+ intending 5 Bd2 dxe3! 6 Bxb4 exf2+ 7 Ke2 fxg1(N)+! 8 Rxg1 Bg4+ or 8 Ke1 Qh4+. 4…Nc6 5 f4 f6! Black's lead in development justifies his continued gambit-style approach. 6 exf6 Nxf6 7 Bd3 Bb4+ 8 Kf1 This may look odd at first, but if White instead plays Nd2 or Bd2, then …Ng4-e3 will follow quickly from Black. 8…0-0 9 Nf3 Bg4 10 h3? White's desire to play this is understandable, but the timing is unfortunate, for tactical reasons that Raetsky is about to demonstrate. 10…Bxf3 11 Qxf3 Ne5! 12 Qd1 12 fxe5 Nh5 costs White his queen. 12…Nh5! Putting White in double trouble at f4 and g3. 13 Kg1 Nxf4 14 Bxf4 Rxf4 15 a3 Qh4 16 Be2 Or 16 axb4 Qf2+ 17 Kh2 Nf3+. 16…Be1 Ouch! 17 Nd2 Bf2+ 18 Kf1 Be3+ 19 Nf3 Qf2 mate.