Chess News: Your Daily Update - England team strength

IM Malcolm Pein November 13, 2023

 

PLAY began on Saturday in the European Team Chess Championships, in Budva, Montenegro.
England are fourth seeds in the Open, with Scotland 38th. The former Russian player Nikita Vitiugov makes his debut for England alongside David Howell, Michael Adams, Luke McShane and Ravi Haria, with William Watson as captain.
Top seeds are Azerbaijan, with Shak Mamedyarov and Teimour Radjabov on the top boards.
England are seeded 13th in the Women’s Championship, but have a good chance of finishing higher thanks to a strong line-up of Jovanka Houska, Lan Yao, Harriet Hunt, Katarzyna Toma and Akshaya Kalaiyalahan.
Vitiugov warmed up for the European Teams with a typically solid performance at the FIDE Grand Swiss, where he remained unbeaten, before losing to Parham Maghsodogloo in the 11th and last round.

N Vitiugov – M Petrosyan
FIDE Grand Swiss
Ruy Lopez/Four Knights

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bd6!? (5...b5 6.Bb3 Be7 or 6...Bc5 is normal)
6.d3 0-0 7.0-0 Re8 8.a3! (Preserving the light bishop)
8...h6 9.Be3 Bf8 10.Nd5!? b5?! (10...Nxd5 11.exd5 Ne7 is critical)
11.Bb3 Na5?! 12.Nxf6+ Qxf6 13.Ba2 c5 14.Nd2! d6 15.f4 (Already Black is in serious trouble in view of 15...exf4? 16.Rxf4, with the computer suggesting the desperate 15...c4!?)
15...Be6?! 16.Bxe6! fxe6 17.fxe5 Qxe5 18.Qg4!? (18.c3 is also very strong)
18...Qxb2 (18...Kh8 19.c3 and Bf4 is crushing)
19.Bxh6 Nc6 20.Rae1! 

Involving all the pieces.

For today’s puzzle, why is the a3-pawn taboo?

Show Answer

20...Ra7! 21.Nf3 Ne5? (21...Rf7 22.Bf4 Qf6 was necessary)
22.Nxe5 Qxe5 23.Bf4! Qf6 24.Be3 Qc3 25.Re2 (The direct 25.Bg5! followed by Qh5 and Re3 was very strong)
25...Rf7 26.Ref2! Rxf2 27.Bxf2! Qa5 (27...Qxc2 28.Qg6 Rb8 29.Qxe6+ Kh8 30.Be1 also leaves Black under heavy pressure)
28.Be3 Qc7 29.Rf3!

29...c4 30.d4 (30.Qg6! Qd7 31.Rh3 wins)
30...d5 31.e5 Bxa3 32.Qg6 Qd7? (Even 32...Rf8 33.Qxe6+ Rf7 34.Qxd5 Qd7 35.Qxd7 Rxd7 36.e6 should be winning)
33.Bg5 Bb2 34.Rh3 Bxd4+ 35.Kh1 Re7 (35...Rf8 36.Qh7+ Kf7 37.Qh5+! Kg8 38.Qh8+ Kf7 39.Rf3+ wins)
36.Qh7+ Kf8 37.Rf3+ 1-0

 

©Telegraph Media Group Limited 2023

View past articles