Chess

Published on Friday 26 June 2009 15:13

KETI ARAKHAMIA-GRANT, Britain's only woman grandmaster, was unbeaten in a six-hour simultaneous exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh home of the Lewis Chessmen, on 13 June. The event was organised by her husband, Jonathan Grant, the international director of Chess Scotland.

Keti played 12 games at once, quickly making a move as she arrived at each board. The walking, rather than the thinking, is often the most difficult part for the master player as they are on their feet throughout, while their opponents sit and ponder their replies. When each game finished, the player was replaced, with Keti recording an impressive final tally of 42 wins, nine draws and no defeats.

The simul players included Jacob Aagaard, of Bearsden, the 2007 British Champion, Scottish internationalist Keith Ruxton and many of Scotland's top junior players. The first game of the day was not the quick courtesy draw most expected. National Museum Simul, White: K Arakhamia-Grant (2492), Black: J Aagaard (2535), 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Qb6 5 Nb3 Nf6 6 Nc3 e6 7 Qe2 d6 8 g4 These g4 lunges are a respectable space-gaining attacking gesture in dozens of different openings. 8...a6 9 g5 Nd7 10 Be3 Qc7 11 0-0-0 b5 12 f4 Be7 13 Bg2 Nb6 Black isn't sure if he should castle yet since White has various crude, but effective, ideas like Qh5, Rf1-f3-h3, threat Qxh7 mate. 14 Kb1 b4 15 Nd5! (See diagram.) Showing Black that staying in the middle is not safe either. 15...exd5 16 exd5 Nb8 17 Rhe1 Threat Bxb6. 17...Ra7 18 Rd4 18 Qf2! is more annoying. 18...Rb7 19 Na5 should be promising. 18...0-0 19 Rxb4 N8d7 20 Nd4 Rb7 21 Nc6 Bd8 22 Na5 Nxd5! 23 Rxb7 Qxa5 24 Bd2 Qc5 25 Rb3 N7b6 Draw agreed with Black having the edge.

There is an excellent photo report of the exhibition on the Chessbase (www.chessbase.com) news site, dated 19 June. The display publicised the forthcoming Scottish Championships, which are to be held in Edinburgh City Chambers on 11 to 19 July. The new open championship format has attracted a very strong field, headed by 10 GMs (Keti is sixth seed), with details being updated regularly on the dedicated event website www.scottishchess championship.com.