ETCETERA / Chess

Tony Miles annotates a game that helped him to share first place in the Seville tournament last week.

White: A J Miles

Black: H Spangenberg

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 dxc4 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 a6 6. 0-0 c5 7. Nbd2

I invented this move to avoid the well-analysed lines with 7. Qe2 b5. It sets Black some unusual problems. After 7 . . . b5 8. Be2 it is easy for White to break open the Q-side with a4, while 7 . . . Nc6 is met by 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. a3 followed by b4, when the knight on d2 (heading for b3) is better placed than Black's on c6.

7 . . . cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bd6 9. b3 e5

My teenage opponent, from Argentina, has a reputation for aggressive play but this advance does not totally succeed.

10. N4f3 b5 11. Be2 e4 12. Nd4 Qc7 13. g3]

Although this apparently weakens white squares it is better than 13. h3 which would have been met by Qe7 then Qe5.

13 . . . Bh3 14. Re1 h5 15. Bb2 h4 16. Rc1

Just in time to counter his threat of hxg3 and Bxg3, destroying my K-side. Now he should play Qe7, but he over- estimates his chances of a successful attack on the white squares.

16 . . . Qd7? 17. Qc2] hxg3 18. hxg3

Now he would like to play 18 . . . Bg2, when 19. Kxg2 Qh3+ leads to mate, but the whole idea is foiled by 19. Qc8+. Unable to get his bishop out of the way, his attack becomes bogged down.

18 . . . Qe7 (see diagram)

This sets a neat trap. The tempting 19. Nc6 Qe6 20. Bxf6, apparently winning the e-pawn, loses to 20 . . . Bg2] when my knight blocks the c-file.

19. Bf1]

Neatly turning the tables. 19 . . . Bxf1 loses to 20. Nf5] In view of the threat of Bxh3 and Qc8+, his bishop must now retreat, leaving me free to harvest his e-pawn.

19 . . . Bd7 20. Bg2 Bb4 21. Nxe4]

With my bishop on g2 pointing at a8, I can ignore the attack on my rook.

21 . . . Nxe4 22. Bxe4 Ra7

22 . . . Bxe1 23. Bxa8 Bb4 is no better. After 24. Nf5 Bxf5 25. Qxf5 0-0 26. Be4 Black is quickly mated.

23. Nf5] Bxf5 24. Bxf5 Bxe1

After 24 . . . 0-0 I had intended 25. Bh7+ Kh8 26. Qf5 with Qh3 to follow.

25. Qc8+ Qd8 26. Qxd8+ Kxd8 27. Bxg7]

Apart from taking the rook, the threat is Bf6+ and Rc8 mate. The rest is no trouble.

27 . . . Ke7 28. Bxh8 Ba5 29. Bd4 Rc7 30. Rxc7+ Bxc7 31. Bc8 a5 32. Bb7 b4 33. Kf1 Nd7 34. Ke2 Ne5 35. f4 Ng4 36. Bf3 Nh6 37. e4 f6 38. Kd3 Nf7 39. Bc5+ Bd6 40. Bb6 resigns.

(Graphic omitted)