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

Daily Telegraph

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

Guildford A&DC 1 lost only one game from sixteen played at the 4NCL weekend but it was a real surprise as Jack Rudd, recently qualified as an International Master defeated Jonathan Rowson the former British champion.

Around move 15-16 Black should have played Nb7-c5 and a6-a5 with the idea of opening lines on the queenside for counterplay with b5-b4.

J Rudd (2344) - J Rowson (2596)
4NCL (1) Bristol 1 v Guildford 1
Ruy Lopez
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 Bd7 13.d5 c4 14.Nf1 Nb7 15.N3h2 g6 16.Ng3 Ne8 17.Ng4 Ng7 18.f4Ź exf4 19.Nh6+ Kh8 20.Bxf4 Nc5 21.Qd2 f6 22.Be3 Be8 23.Bd4 Nd7 24.Rf1 Ne5 25.Rf2 Bd7 26.Raf1 Rae8 27.Ne2 Bc8 28.g4 Qd8 29.Rg2 Qa5 30.a3 Bd8 31.Rgf2 Qc7 32.Kg2 Qe7 33.Ng3 Bb7

The black king is badly hemmed in so White opens up the game decisively.

Rowson
board

Rudd

Position after 33...Bb7

34.g5! f5 (34...fxg5 35.Bxe5 dxe5 36.d6 wins or 34...fxg5 35.Bxe5 Rxf2+ 36.Qxf2 dxe5 37.d6 Qe6 38.Qf8+ Rxf8 39.Rxf8+ mates) 35.h4 Qd7 36.h5 Nxh5 (36...fxe4 37.Rxf8+ Rxf8 38.Rxf8 mate or 36...Qe7 37.hxg6 hxg6 38.Rh1 winning) 37.Nxh5 gxh5 38.Rxf5 Rxf5 39.Rxf5 Bc8 40.Qf4 Qg7 41.Nf7+ Kg8 42.Nxd6 Bxf5 43.Nxe8 1-0

The above game resembled the brilliancy Topalov - Shirov Linares 1994 to a certain extent. The queenside pawns were arranged differently and here neither Black knight could get near the important e5 square. 15.a5 putting a black knight on a bad circuit is important. Black is still overwhelmed as he is so passive.

V Topalov - A Shirov
21st Linares (10) 2004
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.d5 Nc4 13.b3 Nb6 14.a4 Bd7 15.a5! Nc8 16.c4 g6 17.Nc3 Nh5 18.Ne2 Re8 19.Ra2 Bf8 20.g4 Ng7 21.Ng3 f6 22.Nh2! Re7 23.h4 Rf7 24.f4! exf4 25.Bxf4 Qd8 26.Rf1 Qe7 27.h5 Ne8 28.Bd3 Bg7 29.Kg2 Qf8 30.Qc1 bxc4 31.bxc4 Rb8 32.Raf2 Rb3 33.Rf3 Ne7 34.Bd2 Bc8 35.Qc2 Rb8 36.Kh1 gxh5 37.Nxh5 Ng6 38.e5!!

Shirov
board

Topalov

Position after 38.e5!!

38...dxe5 39.Bxg6 hxg6 40.Qxg6 e4 41.Rh3 Rfb7 42.Nf4 Rb1 43.Qh7+ Kf7 44.Qh5+ Kg8 45.Ng6 1-0