CHESS
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Chess by Susan Arkell The England Women's team had their best ever result in the Chess Olympics in Moscow, finish sixth after beating Russia in the final round. Today's game was played on top board in the first round.
White: S Lalic (England)
Black: N Ipek (Turkey)
1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bc4 e6
Accepting the pawn sacrifice with 6...Nb6 7.Bb3 dxc3 8.Nxc3 is known to be very dangerous.
7.cxd4 d6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Qe2 0-0 10.Rd1
Before this game, our team captain, Chris Ward, had shown me an embarrassing loss of his playing Black against James Howell in the British Championship where he was demolished after 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 dxe5 12.dxe5 Qc7 13.Qe4 b6 14.Bg5 Bxg5 15.Ng5 g6 16.Rae1 h6? 17.Bxe6! Kg7 18.Bxf7! Forgetting all this, I opted instead for the rook move, which is less incisive but also enough to keep up the pressure.
10...Qc7 11.a3
A quiet move making life awkward for Black by denying her knights the b4 square. The plan is to play Bd3 without having the bishop chased or exchanged.
11...Nb6 12.Bd3 dxe5 13.dxe5 Nd7 14.Bf4 Rd8 15.Nc3 a6 16.Rac1 Nf8
Black's whole plan over the past few moves of putting pressure on e5 has not worked out well. It would have been better just to get on with her development with 11...Bd7, for example.
17.Ne4 Ng6 18.Bg3 Qa5 19.h4! I can afford to ignore the attack on the e-pawn: 19...Ngxe5 loses a piece after 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 21.b4 (another use of the handy 11.a3 move) Qd5 22.Bb1.
19...h6 20.h5 Nf8 21.Bf4 Bd7 22.Qe3
The plan of capturing on h6 may look crude, but there is little Black can do about it.
22...Be8 23.Rc3 Rac8 24.b4 Qc7 (see diagram)
White's position has achieved its maximum potential, so it's time to go fot it.
25.Bxh6! gxh6 26.Nf6+! Instead 26.Qxh6 gives Black a chance to defend with 26...f5.
26...Kg7
After 26...Bxf6 27.exf6 Black has no defence to the threat of Qxh6.
27.Ng4 Bg5 28.Nxg5 hxg5
29.Qxg5+ Ng6 30.Qh6+ resigns.
On 30...Kg8 it is mate with 31.Nf6.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments