4NCL - The Four Nations League - www.4ncl.co.uk/pre2010

Daily Telegraph

Malcolm Pein's daily chess column is available at the Telegraph's web site. You need to register, which is free. The daily chess column can be found by clicking the "Chess Club" link in the Arts section.

This article is used on the 4NCL web site with permission.

The 4NCL season moved towards its inevitable climax as the two leading teams Wood Green I and Guildford ADC I both scored two victories in rounds seven and eight played at the Paragon Hotel Birmingham. The leaders have conceded just one drawn match and share the lead on 15/16 match points.

Wood Green have a slight advantage as they have scored a few more board points but that could change in rounds nine and ten after which the title will probably decided in the decisive match in the eleventh and final round on May 1st.

Team	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
WOOD GREEN 1	7	1	0	15
GUILDFORD-ADC 1	7	1	0	15
SLOUGH SHARKS 1	5	2	1	12
BARBICAN 4NCL 1	5	1	2	11
HILSMARK K'FISHER 1	3	2	3	8
WOOD GREEN 2	4	0	4	8
GUILDFORD-ADC 2	4	0	4	8
THE ADS 1	2	1	5	5
BETSSON.COM	2	0	6	4
N.W. EAGLES 1	2	0	6	4
3CS OLDHAM 1	1	1	6	3
BARBICAN 4NCL 2	1	1	6	3

Slough Sharks are in third place with 12/16. Their board one David Navara of the Czech Republic the European Individual Champion has scored 6/6 for them on top board.

A very impressive game. White’s opening plan has claimed a lot of victims but Navara makes it look innocuous.

J Plaskett – D Navara
4NCL Div1 Birmingham (7.1)
Sicilian Defence

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 Nc6 4.Bb2 d5 5.Bb5 Nge7 6.exd5 exd5 7.Qe2 Be6 8.Ne5 Qc7 (This looks like an excellent plan. White's fianchetto and lack of central presence makes it hard for him to attack the black king if it goes to the queenside.) 9.Na3 (Not a very good square but if 9.d4 0–0–0; or 9.Nc3 d4) 9...a6 10.Bxc6+ Nxc6 11.Nxc6 Qxc6 12.0–0 0–0–0 13.Rae1 h5 14.d3 h4 15.Nb1 (White has no active plan if 15.h3 Bd6 16.Qd2 Rhg8 idea g7-g5; or 15.f4 h3 16.g3 d4 17.f5 Bd5) 15...d4 16.f4 Bd6 17.Nd2 Qc7 (White is almost a piece down with the Bb2 shut out) 18.Qf3 g5! 19.fxg5 Bxh2+ 20.Kh1 Bg3 21.Rxe6 (21.Re2 h3) 21...fxe6 22.Ne4 Qe7 23.Nf6 Rdf8 24.b4 (Trying to release the bishop) 24...Be5! 25.bxc5 Qxc5 26.Qh3 Bxf6 27.Qxe6+ Kb8 28.gxf6 h3 29.gxh3 Qxc2 30.Ba3 Qxd3 31.Bxf8 Qxf1+ 32.Kh2 Qf4+ 0–1

Navara

board

Plaskett

Final position after 32...Qf4+

Classic Jon Speelman, one diabolical tactic after another.

N Berry - J Speelman
4NCL Div1 Birmingham (7.2)
English Defence

1.d4 e6 2.c4 b6 3.e4 Bb7 4.Qc2 Bb4+ 5.Nd2 c5 6.d5 Qe7 7.Be2 exd5 8.exd5 Nf6 9.Ngf3 0–0 10.a3 Re8! 11.0–0 Qxe2 12.axb4 Na6! 13.b5 Nb4 14.Qd1 Qxd1 15.Rxd1 a6 16.bxa6 Rxa6 17.Rxa6 Bxa6 18.b3 Nfxd5! 19.cxd5 Be2 20.Re1 Nd3 21.Nf1 Nxe1 22.Nxe1 Bd1 23.Ne3 Bxb3 24.Bb2 Bxd5! 25.Nd3 Be6 26.Be5 d5 27.Bc7 d4 0–1