Chris Ward wins British chess c'ship

By Kristianus Liem

JAKARTA (JP): International Master Chris Ward, 28, won the 83rd British Championship recently with a fine score of nine points from 11 rounds. His main rivals for the title and tournament, grandmaster (GM) Matthew Sadler from Kent and GM Mark Hebden from Leicester, were not in form during the tournament.

In the championships at the East Midlands Conference Centre, University of Nottingham, Chris Ward also took the third and last GM norm, but was just one game short of qualifying for a GM title.

Chris began the tournament convincingly, winning four games. Then he was held at a draw by GM John Emms before going on to beat IM Aron Summerscale and IM Andrew Martin. His only loss was to IM Jonathan Parker in the eighth round, before he came back beating Charles Cobb and IM Graeme Buckley.

Chris met GM Mark Hebden in the last round, drawing in 48 moves for his third GM norm, 2,000 points and the title of British champion.

The placings in the championship are as follows: 1. IM Chris Ward (Elo rating 2,460) 9 MP; 2. IM Jonathan Parker (2,470) 8.5 MP; 3. IM Aron Summerscale (2500) 8 MP; 4-6. GM John Emms (2,500), FM Graham Lee (2,375) and GM Matthew Sadler (2,615) 7.5 MP; 7-8. GM Mark Hebden (2,530) and IM Andrew Martin (2,425) 7 MP.

Chris' victory over the defending-champion super GM Matthew Sadler in the fourth round is shown below.

White: GM Matthew Sadler

Black: MI Chris Ward

Benoni Modern Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 d6

Black gave signal to play the Benoni Defense rather than Blumenfeld Counter Gambit (4...b5) which is very risky play against 2600+ players.

5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.Nd2 Bg7 8.Nc4 0-0 9.g3

Basically, a fianchetto variation, only White took his knight to c4 first to prevent Black's counter measures of ...Nbd7-e5 (or b6).

9...b6 10.a4 Ne8 11.Bg2 Nd7 12.0-0 Ba6 13.Na3 f5

Black played this after he was sure that neither of White's knights would jump to the weakened e6-square.

14.Bd2 Ne5 15.Qc1 Nf6 16.Bh6 Qd7 17.Ra2 Bxh6 18.Qxh6 Nh5 19.Qc1

This retreat is forced as ...f4 is inevitable, White is in serious danger of getting his Queen trapped.

19...f4 20.Nab5 h6 21.b3 Rf7 22.Ne4 Bxb5 23.axb5 Rd8 Black threaten to take pawn on b5.

24.Qc3

Intending to meet 24...Qxb5 with 25.Nxd6 Rxd6 26.Qxe5 and White has a good counter attack. The text move also prevented 24...f3.

24...Nf6! 25.Nxf6+ Rxf6 26.Rfa1?

Here better is 26.gxf4 Rxf4 27.Bh3 Qg7 (of course not 27...Qxb5? 28.Be6+ Kh8 29.Qh3 h5 30.Qg3 Rdf8 31.Qg5 Kg7 32.Rxa7+ R8f7 33.Bxf7 and White wins the Exchange) 28.Be6+ Kh8 29.Qa1 threatens 30.Rxa7.

26...Qxb5 27.gxf4

White obviously did not like the look of the variation 27.Rxa7 fxg3 28.hxg3 Qxe2 29.f4 Ng4.

27...Rxf4

Black's rook was useful both on kingside and to tear up the queenside, which rapidly disintegrated after White's next move.

28.e3

Better was 28.Qe3 Rdf8 29.Rxa7 and White has counter attack.

28...Rb4 29.f4 Rxb3 30.Qc2 Nd3 31.Rxa7 c4! 32.Rc7 Qe8! 33.e4

Blunder if 33.Raa7? Qxe3+ followed with 34...Qe1+ and Black won.

33...Nxf4! See diagram.

34.Qxc4?

If 34.Rxc4 Qe5! 35.Ra2 Re3 36.Qf2 Nxg2 37.Qxg2 g5 or 34.Raa7 b5 35.Rg7+ Kf8 36.Rh7 Qe5! also good for Black.

34...Rc3! 35.Rg7+

Force. If 35.Qxc3 Ne2+ and 36...Nxc3, Black won White's Queen. 35...Kh8 36.Qb4 Ne2+ 37.Kf2 Qf8+ 38.Kxe2 Qxg7

White resigned, because he lost Exchange and simultaneously lost on time. 0-1