chess

Matthew Turner took first in the sixth Smith & Williamson Young Masters tournament at King Edward's School, Witley. He won his last-round game to bring his score to 8 points out of 11, half a point ahead of Jacob Tsisis of Israel.

The result was almost overshadowed by the performance of 12-year-old Luke McShane, who failed, by the narrowest margin, to secure a qualification for his International Master title. Needing a last round win to become the youngest Briton ever to secure a Master norm, he found himself playing against Mark Quinn - who also needed a win for his own Master qualification. The game ended in a draw, leaving both players disappointed.

McShane's play as a whole, however, suggests that he will not have long to wait. In the following game, against our top woman player, he showed the characteristic blend of patience and positional maturity that has marked him out as an outstanding prospect.

White's opening system is very popular in weekend tournament play. If Black is not careful, White builds up a ferocious attack with f5 followed perhaps by Qh4, Bh6 and Ng5. Luke was careful and ensured that the bishop on the a2-g8 diagonal was never a threat.

White's 15.f5 was partly a recognition that things had begun to go wrong but also created dangers to Black by opening attacking lines. With 19...Bh6! McShane began to take over the initiative. A pawn ahead, he systematically increased his command of space, ending with a delicate piece of dressage to canter his knight to a more effective square. White resigned at adjournment time rather than wait to be squashed by Nc3, e2 and Re3, when Black builds up his winning attack at leisure while the proud white-squared bishop can only gaze impotently into space.

White: Harriet Hunt

Black: Luke McShane

1 e4 c5 23 Kg1 Re7

2 Nc3 d6 24 h3 Bb7

3 f4 g6 25 Rf2 Nd6

4 Nf3 Bg7 26 Re2 Kg7

5 Bc4 Nc6 27 Nd2 Qc7

6 d3 e6 28 Qf2 h6

7 0-0 Nge7 29 Rae1 Rfe8

8 Qe1 Nd4 30 Kh1 Bc6

9 Nxd4 cxd4 31 Kg1 f5

10 Ne2 0-0 32 Nf3 Bxf3

11 Ng3 d5 33 Qxf3 e4

12 Bb3 a5 34 Qf2 e3

13 a4 dxe4 35 Qf4 Qc5

14 Nxe4 b6 36 h4 Qe5

15 f5 Nxf5 37 Rf1 Qf6

16 Bg5 f6 38 g3 Rf8

17 Bd2 Kh8 39 Qf3 Nb7

18 Rf3 e5 40 Bd5 Nc5

19 Kh1 Bh6 41 b3 Na6

20 Bxh6 Nxh6 42 Bc4 Nb4

21 Nd2 Nf5 43 Kg2 Na2

22 Nf1 Ra7 White resigns