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Chess

Jon Speelman
Monday 20 September 1999 23:02 BST
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THERE ARE several stronger chess nations overall, but the champion per capita is Iceland, which from a population of just over 275,000 boasts no fewer than nine grandmasters.

Three of them took part in the Icelandic Championship, held in Reykjavik from 31 August to 11 September. Two were tied first equal - Hannes Stefansson and Helgi Gretarsson, who both made 9.5/11 and will be playing off for the title. The other scores were: Vidarsson and Hardarson 6.5; Throstur Thorhallsson, the third grandmaster, just 6 - a bad result for him; Gunnarsson, Bjarnason, Bjornsson, Einarsson and Kjartansson 4.5; Bjorn Thorfinnsson 3 and Bragi Thorfinnsson 2.5.

This long, hard game between the two winners was in the penultimate round. Black's two bishops gave him the advantage in the ending but the board became "too small" and at the end Gretarsson escaped to a theoretical draw.

White: Helgi Gretarsson Black: Hannes Stefansson

Queen's Indian Defence

1 d4 Nf6

2 c4 e6

3 Nf3 b6

4 Bf4 Bb7

5 e3 Be7

6 h3 c5

7 dxc5 bxc5

8 Be2 Qb6

9 Nc3 0-0

10 0-0 Na6

11 Qb3 d6

12 Rfd1 Rfd8

13 Rd2 Qxb3

14 axb3 Nc7

15 Bd3 h6

16 Bc2 Na6

17 Rad1 Nb4

18 Bb1 d5

19 cxd5 exd5

20 Ne5 a5

21 Na4 Ba6

22 Nd3 c4

23 bxc4 dxc4

24 Ndc5 Rxd2

25 Rxd2 Bb5

26 Nc3 Bc6

27 N5a4 Rd8

28 Rxd8+ Bxd8

29 Kf1 Nd3

30 Bd6 Nd5

31 Nxd5 Bxd5

32 f3 Bc6

33 Bxd3 cxd3

34 Nc3 Bb6

35 Kf2 f6

36 h4 g5

37 hxg5 hxg5

38 Bh2 Bc5

39 Bc7 a4

40 Ba5 Kf7

41 g4 Ke6

42 Nb1 f5

43 gxf5+ Kxf5

44 Nd2 g4

45 fxg4+ Kxg4

46 Nc4 Be4

47 Ne5+ Kf5

48 Nc4 Bd5

49 Nd2 Be7

50 Bc3 Bh4+

51 Kf1 Kg4

52 Be5 Bf3

53 Kg1 Bd1

54 Kg2 Be1

55 Bc3 Be2

56 Bb4 Kf5

57 Bc3 Ke6

58 Kg1 Kd5

59 e4+ Ke6

60 Kg2 Kf7

61 Nb1 Bxc3

62 Nxc3 d2

63 Kf2 d1Q

64 Nxd1 Bxd1

65 Ke3 Ke6

66 Kd2 Bb3

67 Kc3 Ba2

68 Kc2 Ke5

69 b4 axb3+

70 Kb2 Kxe4

1/2-1/2

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