Ulster Chess Chronicle

A Bumper Letter from Norfolk !
Richard McMaster reports

21st August 2002

2002 British Championships, Torquay

I thought I'd write to the UCU with a short report. The winner was R.B. Ramesh and I have included here one of his wins. The tournament was quite tight the whole way through with no one having the outright lead until after the 11th round! The winner seemed thrilled. Of the 3 players going into the final round Luke McShane would have been most people's favourite but met a brick wall in Ramesh. Stewart Haslinger turned in an immense tournament performance but was undone finally by Joe Gallagher.

Personally I finished on 3.5 out of 11, playing one IM, Andy Muir and one FM, the young prodigy David Howell. Against Howell I slightly misplayed a promising position and succumbed to a crushing tactic. I include my one win, ironically against Timothy Douglas, and a rather good finish for a draw. I didn't play anyone lower rated than myself and I believe I have achieved a FIDE rating.

Torquay is fairly nice and the Riviera Centre very plush but I found the atmosphere rather lacklustre. We had the Mayor of Torbay opening proceedings and the efficient organisation and arbitration of the BCF but there were few meeting points and no general congregations of people. Everybody must be getting old.

On a winning note I managed to win a book prize for getting one of the daily problems correct and £2.50 for being a member of one of the winning teams in a blitz event during the first week.

Arthur Pinkerton was playing in the Seniors and I also noticed Graeme McCormick. From Norfolk Roy Hughes came 2nd in the middle weekend rapidplay behind GM Bogdan Lalic.

On the whole, then, I rather enjoyed the experience. A few more wins would have been nice but to be honest I didn't really play well enough. Maybe if I play again I can do better. I would encourage anyone who qualifies to give it a go. Edinburgh is a great place.

Finally I would like to express my appreciation for the payment of my entry fee.

Here are the games then , with three recent local wins included.

R. B. Ramesh (2456) - A. Kunte (2477) [B48] British Championship Torquay (Round 9)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.0–0–0 Ng4 9.Bf4 Nge5 10.Bg3 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 f6 12.f4 Bc5 13.Qd2 Nf7 14.f5 Qc6 15.e5 fxe5 16.fxe6 dxe6 17.Bd3 Bd4 18.Rhe1 Bxc3 19.bxc3 Bd7 20.Re4 Rc8 21.Rg4 0–0 22.Bh4 Kh8 23.Qe2 e4

24.Rxg7 exd3 25.Bf6 Qxc3 26.Rg8+ 1–0

R. McMaster - T. Douglas (2174) [A65] British Championship Torquay (Round 9)

1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nc3 Nf6
Interesting is 3...c5 4.d5 Bxc3+ - an option of playing the opening in this way
4.e4 0–0
The Fischer way.
5.f3 c5
Personally I think the ...c5 lines are the hardest to play for White.
6.d5
Keeping things simple and closed and avoiding the ...cxd4 lines which can prove tricky.
6...d6 7.Nge2 e6 8.Ng3 exd5 9.cxd5
We now have a Modern benoni where white's setup isn't the most active but is more solid - there are fewer tricks on e4 for instance.
9...a6
Perhaps Black should try ...Na6-c7 followed by ...Bd7, ...Rb8 and ...b5. One problem is the lessening of protection of f6 though, where Bg5 and Qf4 could be a nuisance.
10.a4
In a similar position in round one I let Black play ...b5 and had to play actively to avoid a losing endgame.
10...Re8?!
I think e8 should remain free for the Knight - but I could be wrong.
11.Be2 Nbd7 12.0–0 h5?!
This is given in theory in this sort of position but I think the weakening of the Black King position is too much.
13.Bg5?
A big strategic error, trying to get a better version of the Be3 lines. However the pin on f6 isn't going to last and most of the ...h4, Nh1 h3, g3 lines are not a problem.
13...Ne5
Black could take immediate action with 13...Qb6! since 14.Qd2 (14.Rb1 is no better for White) 14...c4+! 15.Be3 (15.Kh1 leaves the g3 Knight perilously short of squares, e.g. 15...Qb4 16.Nd1 Qxd2 17.Bxd2 h4) 15...Qb4 16.Nd1 (the threat of ...Nc5-b3 is too strong) 16...Qxd2 17.Bxd2 Ne5 with a good game for Black.
14.Qd2 Qb6
A move too late and now Black has to contend with ...
15.a5 ...
where Black will lose his Queen if it stays on the b-file.
15...Qa7
Thematic but the Queen looks a little misplaced.
16.h3
Giving squares for the King and Knight - if needed - and preventing ...Ng4 after f4 is played.
16...b5
16...b6!?
17.f4 c4+ 18.Kh1 Ned7

19.f5
The thematic move here is 19.e5 dxe5 20.f5 but here Black has a good version of this attack and may have 20...e4!
19...b4 20.Na4
20.fxg6 bxc3 21.gxf7+ Kxf7 22.bxc3 is unclear but Black can transpose to the game with 20...fxg6 and I wanted another look at 22.f6
20...Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Rxe4 22.fxg6
22.f6 looks quite good but I can't see how White can break through.
22...fxg6 23.Bf3 Rd4
23...Re8 24.Qxb4 is very good for White.
24.Qc2 Ne5 25.Be3 Bf5 26.Bxd4
26.Qf2 Nd3!
26...Qxd4
26...Bxc2 is also good.
27.Qf2 Qd3?
A time trouble mistake. Black doesn't need to avoid exchanging Queens here. 27...Nd3 threatens Black running riot. The move chosen disorganises Black's pieces.
28.Qe2 Qb3 29.Be4
A risky decision but I thought it was good enough.
29...Qg3
Trying to create something around White's Queen.
30.Bxf5 Ng4?!
Giving away too much material.
31.Bxg4 Be5 32.Be6+ Kh8 33.Qxe5+ Qxe5
White has a clear advantage and although we were both quite short of time the win is fairly easy.
34.Nb6 Re8 35.Nxc4 Qd4 36.Rac1 Kg7?
36...b3
37.b3 Rd8 38.Rf7+ Kh6 39.Rcf1 Qd3 40.R1f3 Qb1+ 41.Kh2 Qc2 42.Ra7 Rb8 43.Rxa6 Rb5 44.Rxd6 Rc5 45.Bf5 1–0

S. Gregory (2173) - R. McMaster [C24] British Championship Torquay (Round 7)

Included for the finish !
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Qe2 Bc5 4.Nf3 d6 5.c3 Nc6 6.d3 h6 7.Nbd2 a6 8.Bb3 0–0 9.h3 b5
This might be unnecessary but it proved very useful as you shall see.
10.Nf1 d5?
This is a grave error and evidence that I am not very proficient in Spanish like positions. I thought that White's pieces were a bit disharmonised but now it is Black with all the problems - the pawn on e5 is weak and so is the Knight on c6. I should have tried something like 10...Bd7 11.g4 Nh7 12.Ng3 Bb6 13.Nf5 Ne7 14.N3h4 Kh8 15.Rg1 Ng6 16.Nxg6+ fxg6 17.Ne3 Ng5 when White will struggle to find a safe place for his King. After White's next move, which I had completely overlooked, Black is probably lost.
11.g4! dxe4 12.dxe4 Be6 13.Ng3
I was hoping for 13.Bxe6 fxe6 with some sort of defence.
13...Re8 14.g5 hxg5 15.Bxg5 Bxb3 16.axb3 Re6 17.Nf5 Qe8 18.Rg1 Bf8 19.Bd2 Nh7
20.0–0–0 a5!
Black has to try something but even here White should win easily.
21.Qxb5 a4 22.bxa4 Rb8 23.Qd5?!
23.Qd3 straight away is better.
23...Nf6
Trying anything.
24.Qd3 Na5 25.Nxg7?!
25.Rxg7+ looks harder to meet.
25...Nb3+ 26.Kb1 Qxa4 27.Nxe6+ Kh8 28.Nxe5?
Throwing away the full point. 28.Bc1 looks sufficient.

Here then we have a near study position. Black to play and draw. I had less than a minute on my clock and am one move from defeat after Nxf7 and e5. I admit I didn't see the draw in completeness until after I'd played my last move, move 30! anybody finding the solution deserves some sort of title. Here it is then.
28...Qa1+ 29.Kc2 Qxb2+! 30.Kxb2 Nd4+!! Draw
A perpetual on b8 and a8. Kc1 allows Ba3 mate! I was quite chuffed to find this even if there was quite a lot of luck involved.

R. McMaster - J. Burrows [A61] Norwich, 2002

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nf3 g6 7.Nd2 Bg7 8.Nc4 0–0 9.Bg5
Theory seems to recommend the Bishop should be on f4 but should be played first to force h6
9...a6
9...Na6 and 10...Nc7 might be worth playing as long as there are no tricks on f6
10.a4
Keeping the Black pieces restricted.
10...Qc7?!
This can't be right but White has an advantage already I think. It is difficult to see how Black can finish his development. Nbd7-b6 looks Black's only plan.
11.Qd2 Nbd7 12.f3 Rb8
Again 12...Nb6 might be better.
13.e4 b5 14.axb5 axb5 15.Na5 c4
15...b4 is no better. 16.Nb5 Qb6 and 17.Qf4
16.Nc6

16...Rb7?
The decisive error. 16...Rb6! is better and would lead to a very intricate position after 17.Ra7 Bb7! (17...Rb7 18.Ra5 would transpose to the game) 18.Be2 Nc5 19.Nd4 b4 20.Ncb5
17.Ra5 Ne5 18.Nxb5 Qd7 19.Nxe5 dxe5 20.Bxc4
The rest of the game was routine.
20...Nh5 21.0–0 f5 22.d6+ Kh8 23.Be7 Re8 24.Rd1 Nf4 25.Bf7 Rxb5 26.Rxb5 Qxb5 27.Bxe8 Qxe8 28.d7 Bxd7 29.Qxd7 Qf7 30.Qc8+ Bf8 1–0

R. McMaster - M. Hughes [D08] Norwich, 2002

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5
Supposedly a handy club player's move. I don't think so.
3.dxe5 d4 4.a3
A very useful move.
4...Nc6 5.Nf3 a5 6.g3 Bc5 7.Bg2 Nge7 8.0–0 Ng6
It is probably more accurate to castle before retrieving the pawn.
9.Nbd2 Ngxe5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Nb3 Ba7
11...Bb6 12.c5 Ba7 13.Nxa5 Bxc5 14.Nxb7
12.Nxa5 c6 13.b4 0–0 14.c5?!
Probably 14.Bb2 is better.
14...d3
Desperation. Having missed 14...Bxc5 I was lucky to have 15.Nb3 Bb6 16.Bb2
15.Bb2 Qc7
15...Re8 also fails. 16.Bxe5 Rxe5 17.Qxd3 Qxd3 18.exd3 Bxc5 19.Nc4 - a tactical possibility I missed during the game.
16.Bxe5 Qxe5 17.Nc4?!
17.Qxd3 Bxc5 18.Nc4 as above is better.
17...dxe2 18.Nxe5 exd1Q 19.Rfxd1 Be6 20.a4
Not wasting any time with the queenside onslaught.
20...f6 21.Rd6!?
I wasn't sure if this was sound but I wanted an improvement on the line 21.Nd7 Rfd8 by doubling Rooks on the d-file first.
21...Bf5
21...Bb8 22.Rxe6 Bxe5 23.Ra2 Kf7 24.Bh3 just holds on to the Rook.
22.Nd7 Rfe8
22...Rf7 might be better but I think Black is lost by now.
23.a5 Re7 24.Nb6 Bxb6 25.cxb6 Kf7 26.h4
Making sure of eliminating my back rank possibilities.
26...Rd7
Only helping White and speeding the end.
27.Rxd7+ Bxd7 28.b5 Rc8 29.a6 Ke7 30.bxc6 1–0

C. Turner - R. McMaster [A10] Leicester, 2002

1.Nf3 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.d3 d6 7.0–0 Nc6 8.a3
8.Rb1 would be more accurate.
8...e5 9.e4?!
White has mixed up his systems I think. If White wants to play e4 he needs his King's Knight on e2 also giving him the possibility of f4
9...Nh5!
Virtually forcing Whites' next in view of 10...f4
10.exf5 Bxf5 11.Be3 Qd7?!
An inaccuracy based on the idea of connecting the rooks and getting the a-Rook into the game. However 11...Qc8! is the best move allowing the continuation I didn't have in the game of 12.d4 Bg4 - the main threat - when 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 is not possible because the Queen is not on d7. With this in mind I had to find another plan. Fortunately I did.
12.d4 exd4 13.Nxd4 Bh3
Between his next move and move 16 White spent over an hour and a half. For this length of time he should have found something better.
14.Bxh3?!
There is no need to help Black's Queen infiltrate.
14...Qxh3 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Bd4?
An awful error and one which costs White the game.

16...Nf4! 17.gxf4 Rxf4 18.Ne2
18.f3 also loses to 18...Bxd4+ 19.Kh1 Raf8 and if 20.Ne2 (Anything else loses to 20...Rxf3) 20...Rh4
18...Rh4 19.Re1 Qxh2+ 20.Kf1 Qh3+ 0–1

Play through the games in Palview