Chess - The Scotsman 05/07/2012

By John Henderson
Published on 05/07/2012 00:00

TODAY’S diagram marks the start of an open-to-all national championship in which Scotsman readers have the chance follow in the path to victory last year for Scotland’s GM Colin McNab. The annual Winton Capital British Solving Championship has a £1,000+ prize fund and any British resident can take part.

All you have to do is work out how White – playing up the board – can force checkmate in two moves, however Black defends. To enter, post White’s first move to the solution before 31 July to Paul Valois, 14 Newton Park Drive, Leeds LS7 4HH. Include a £3 cheque or postal order to British Chess Problem Society. Mark your entry “Scotsman”.

In mid-August all entrants will be sent the starter problem solution plus the BCPS magazine, and those who get it right will also receive a postal round of eight harder and varied problems, with plenty of time to solve them. If your answers are among the best in the postal round you will qualify for the one-day final of 35-40 solvers staged at Eton College in February 2013.

Top finalists may qualify for the team for the world solving championship, in which Britain has achieved an impressive haul of team and individual medals in recent years.

Last year Scotland won its first British Chess Solving Championship title with McNab, 51, from Dundee, taking the national crown ahead of Jonathan Mestel and John Nunn, the top English double-grandmaster favourites and former problem-solving world champions.

D Smerdon - C McNab

4NCL 2011–12, (9)

Pirc Defence

1 e4 g6 2 d4 d6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 Be3 Nf6 5 Qd2 c6 6 Bh6 Bxh6 7 Qxh6 Qa5 8 Bd3 c5 9 d5 Nbd7 10 Nf3 b5 11 0–0 c4 12 Be2 b4 13 Nd1 Qc5 14 Ne3 Nxe4 15 Bxc4 Ndf6 16 Rad1 Rg8 17 Bd3 Bf5 18 Bxe4 Bxe4 19 Ng5 Bxd5 20 Nxh7 Be6 21 Nxf6+ exf6 22 Qf4 Kf8 23 Qxf6 Qe5 24 Qh4 Qxb2 25 Rxd6 Kg7 26 Rfd1 Rh8 27 Qe7 Rhe8 28 Qg5 a5 29 Ng4 Qc3 30 Ne3 Rac8 31 Qxa5 Bg4 32 R6d3 Bxd1 33 Rxc3 bxc3 34 Qg5 Rxe3 35 Qxe3 Bxc2 36 g4 Be4 37 f3 c2 38 Qc1 Rb8 0–1