Chess - The Scotsman 08/05/2012

THE German and Russian leagues are easily the strongest in Europe, their top teams crammed with highly ranked grandmasters, and we reported in previous columns on Baden-Baden and Tomsk winning their respective titles. But for many club players in Scotland, local league chess is probably more of an interest.

The Glasgow Chess League, the strongest and oldest, formed in 1908, saw its division 1 title being won this season by one of its founding members, Bearsden, who set a relentless pace, winning all their games to record only their second league win in the history of the club. As firepower goes, Bearsden may not be anywhere as strong as German or Russian league teams, but their top two boards of GM Jacob Aagaard and IM Andrew Greet can be just as lethal. Aagaard, the 2007 British Champion, and Greet, the 2010 Scottish Champion, are the two highest rated players resident in Scotland. Both also work for the Glasgow publishing house Quality Chess (www.qualitychess.co.uk).

Aagaard and Greet (who recently requested a transfer of federation from England to Scotland) proved the powerhouses behind their successful league run this season – particularly Greet, who scored a perfect 9/9. Aagaard’s convincing win earlier in the season against seven-time Scottish champion IM Roddy McKay of Cathcart proved decisive in Bearsden going to the top of the league.

Aagaard’s day job, writing his latest book, The Tarrasch Defence came in useful against McKay. At the end, 33 Be2 Rxc3! 34 Qxc3 Qf2+ 35 Kh1 Qxe2 wins convincingly.

R McKay - J Aagaard

Glasgow League, 2011-12

Queen’s Gambit Dec., Tarrasch Defense

1 Nf3 d5 2 g3 c5 3 Bg2 Nc6 4 d4 Nf6 5 0–0 e6 6 c4 Be7 7 cxd5 exd5 8 Nc3 0–0 9 Be3 c4 10 Ne5 Bf5 11 Bg5 Be6 12 e3 h6 13 Bxf6 Bxf6 14 f4 Ne7 15 Rf2 Rb8 16 Qh5 g6 17 Qe2 Bg7 18 g4 f5 19 h3 b5 20 Bf3 b4 21 Na4 Rc8 22 Rg2 Bxe5 23 fxe5 f4 24 Qd2 Qd7 25 b3 c3 26 Qe1 g5 27 a3 bxa3 28 Nxc3 Ng6 29 Rxa3 Nh4 30 Be2 Nxg2 31 Kxg2 f3+! 32 Bxf3 Qf7 0-1