Chess

TONY MILES had a good Smith & Williamson British Championship in Torquay He never really looked like taking the title, but was always close to the lead, and his wins against Short and Speelman will have given him especial pleasure.

The Miles-Speelman game was one of the most entertaining of the tournament. With typically calm but forceful play, Miles gained a small advantage from the opening and built up pressure down the c-file against Black's cramped position. Speelman freed himself with 26...Nb8 and 27...c5, but that gave fresh life to the bishop on b3 and enabled the combination with 31.Nxf7! which gave White rook and two pawns for two knights.

Just as his game was looking very bad, Speelman fought back with 35...g5 and 40...g4, and it was only after White's king has survived some perilous meandering that Miles scored the full point.

White: Tony Miles

Black: Jon Speelman

British Championship 1998

1 d4 g6 35 Rc3 g5

2 Nf3 Bg7 36 Ra3 Qc5

3 c4 d6 37 Qb8+ Kg7

4 Nc3 Bg4 38 Rc3 Qd4

5 e3 Nc6 39 Qb7 Qd6

6 Be2 e5 40 Kh2 g4

7 d5 Nce7 41 Ra3 gxh3

8 e4 Nf6 42 Rxa6 Ng4+

9 Be3 Bxf3 43 Kxh3 Nxf2+

10 Bxf3 h5 44 Kh4 Qd8

11 0-0 Kf8 45 Re6 Kf8

12 Qd2 Neg8 46 Rf6+ Kg8

13 h3 Bh6 47 Qb3+ Kh8

14 Bd1 Nd7 48 Qf3 Kg7

15 Ba4 Nb6 49 Kxh5 Qe8+

16 c5 Be3 50 Kg5 Ng8

17 Qxe3 dxc5 51 Qxf2 Qd8

18 Qxc5+ Qd6 52 Qa7+ Kh8

19 Qe3 a6 53 Qb6 Qd2+

20 Rac1 Nf6 54 Kh4 Qxg2

21 Bb3 Kg7 55 Rf2 Qxe4+

22 Nb1 Rac8 56 Kg3 Qd3+

23 Nd2 Rhd8 57 Rf3 Qb1

24 Nf3 Re8 58 Kh2 Qxa2

25 Rfd1 Nbd7 59 Rh3+ Kg7

26 Rc4 Nb8 60 Qc7+ Kf6

27 Rdc1 c5 61 Rf3+ Kg6

28 dxc6 Rxc6 62 Qd6+ Kh7

29 Ng5 Re7 63 Rh3+ Kg7

30 Rxc6 Nxc6 64 Qd7+ Kf6

31 Nxf7 Rxf7 65 Rf3+ Kg6

32 Bxf7 Kxf7 66 Rg3+ Kf6

33 Qb3+ Kf8 67 Qg7+ resigns

34 Qxb7 Ne7