1st Coventry International, 16-18 April 2004

Last Updated: Tuesday April 27, 2004 5:34 PM

Jonathan Wilson reports: The 1st Coventry Chess International attracted 100 entries from 11 countries, including 3 GMs and 6 IMs. The event was a British Championship qualifier, with Elite status (7x multiple) for the BCF Grand Prix and a £1,500 prize fund. It was held at the King Henry VII School. The format was a 5-round, FIDE-rated accelerated swiss, allowing juniors and local club players the opportunity to qualify for the international rating list.

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1-3rd IM Roland Berzinsh (Latvia), IM Colin Crouch, GM Mark Hebden 4½/5, 4-11th GM K Arkell, I Gourlay, A Greet, RS Jones, IM P Littlewood, GM J Rowson, IM J Sherwin (USA), IM G Wall 4/5, etc. Andrew Greet was awarded the British Championship qualifying place on tie-break.

                              Nat Ti FIDE  R  O  U  N  D  S
Pos Player                    lty tl Rtng   1     2     3     4     5   A   B  C     D     E     F
  1 BERZINSH,Roland.......... LAT m  2456 b39+  w12+  b28=  w40+  w10+  4½  5  4½ 2242  3.85  0.65
  2 CROUCH,Colin............. ENG m  2375 w19+  b22+  w67+   b3=  w34+  4½  4  3½ 2284  2.48  1.02
  3 HEBDEN,Mark.............. ENG g  2544 b91+  w33+  b16+   w2=  b15+  4½  5  4½ 2270  4.15  0.35

  4 ARKELL,Keith............. ENG g  2507 w21+  b28-  w65+  b73+  w36+  4   4  3  2201  3.44 -0.44
  5 GOURLAY,Iain............. SCO    2275 b35=  w43+  b84+  w20=  b39+  4   3  2  2108  2.16 -0.16
  6 GREET,Andrew............. ENG    2319 b18=  w64+  b46+  w31=  b20+  4   3  2  2127  2.25 -0.25
  7 JONES,Richard S.......... WLS    2274 w15=  b57=  w55+  b53+  w21+  4   3  2½ 2108  2.16  0.34
  8 LITTLEWOOD,Paul.......... ENG m  2390 b24=  w46=  b25+  w22+  b33+  4   3  2½ 2198  2.25  0.25
  9 ROWSON,Jonathan.......... SCO g  2547 w73+  b10-  w61+  b58+  w27+  4   4  3  2228  3.48 -0.48
 10 SHERWIN,James T.......... USA m  2309 w58+   w9+  b18+  w14+   b1-  4   5  4  2279  2.70  1.30
 11 WALL,Gavin............... IRL m  2413 w71+  b40=  w17+  b36=  w31+  4   5  4  2168  4.00  0.00

 12 ASHTON,Adam.............. ENG    2249 w26+   b1-  w45+  b67+  w13=  3½  3  1½ 2290  1.32  0.18
 13 BAKER,Christopher........ ENG m  2369 b20=  w29+  b48=  w50+  b12=  3½  3  2  2135  2.37 -0.37
 14 BURROWS,Martin........... ENG    2242 bye=  b65+  w57+  b10-  w47+  3½  2  1  2179  1.18 -0.18
 15 HORTON,Justin............ ENG    2056  b7=  w52+  b78+  w28+   w3-  3½  4  2½ 2217  1.16  1.34
 16 HOWELL,David............. ENG f  2332 w53+  b50+   w3-  b47=  w41+  3½  5  3½ 2170  3.55 -0.05
 17 LAM,Paul................. ENG    1973 b37=  w35+  b11-  w85+  b40+  3½  4  2½ 2210  0.80  1.70
 18 MANSSON,James............ ENG    2085  w6=  b44+  w10-  b43+  w64+  3½  2   ½ 2314  0.42  0.08
 19 WALTON,Alan.............. ENG c  2126  b2-  w49+  b63=  w84+  b52+  3½  2  1  2154  0.92  0.08

 20 BARUCH,Andrew............ ENG    2106 w13=  w89+  b77+   b5=   w6-  3   3  1  2321  0.69  0.31
 21 BRISCOE,Christopher...... ENG    2171  b4-  w63+  b56+  w37+   b7-  3   3  1  2333  0.87  0.13
 22 BUCKLEY,David E.......... ENG    2203 w82+   w2-  b70+   b8-  w61+  3   3  1  2231  1.38 -0.38
 23 GIAMPIERO,Amato.......... ITA         w65-  b51-  w76+  b70+  w71+  3   1  1
 24 GILBERT,Jessie........... ENG wf 2133  w8=  b59=  w60=  b64=  w65+  3   2  1  2209  0.80  0.20
 25 GILL,Oliver.............. ENG         w83+  b34-   w8-  b74+  w58+  3   3  1  2239        2114
 26 HAWKINS,J Nick........... ENG    2045 b12-  w74=  bye=  b77+  w67+  3   1  0  2249  0.24 -0.24
 27 JAMES,Russell............ ENG    2209 b52=  w79=  b38+  w29+   b9-  3   2   ½ 2240  0.92 -0.42
 28 LYELL,Mark............... ENG f  2254 b42+   w4+   w1=  b15-  w35=  3   5  3  2225  2.70  0.30
 29 PAFURA,Godfrey........... UGA         w32+  b13-  w59+  b27-  w73+  3   4  2  2197        2197
 30 PEMBERTON,Clive.......... ENG         b89-  w90+  b42+  w33-  b59+  3   3  2  2111   --   2124
 31 RADOVANOVIC,Jovica....... SCG    2189 w44=  b68+  w85+   b6=  b11-  3   2   ½ 2366  0.54 -0.04
 32 RUFFLE,Alan.............. ENG         b29-  w87+  b33-  w89+  b63+  3   1  0
 33 STONE,Andrew M........... ENG    2257 w47+   b3-  w32+  b30+   w8-  3   3  1  2328  1.20 -0.20
 34 THOMAS,Nicholas.......... ENG    2263 b50-  w25+  b54+  w48+   b2-  3   2  0  2213  1.14 -1.14
 35 WINFRIDSSON,Ola.......... SWE    2057  w5=  b17-  w72+  w51+  b28=  3   3  1  2167  1.05 -0.05
 36 WU,Li.................... ENG    2197 b48=  w70+  b79+  w11=   b4-  3   2   ½ 2460  0.36  0.14

 37 BENTLEY,John............. ENG    2218 w17=  b67-  w49+  b21-  w79+  2½  2   ½ 2072  1.40 -0.90
 38 BULLOCK,Andrew........... ENG         w57-  b76+  w27-  b88+  w48=  2½  1  0
 39 CHAKANYUKA,Charles....... ZIM    2160  w1-  b61=  w62+  b57+   w5-  2½  2  0  2366  0.48 -0.48
 40 CHARLESHOUSE,Glenn....... ENG f  2240 b98+  w11=  b51+   b1-  w17-  2½  4  1½ 2213  2.16 -0.66
 41 DUNN,Alan................ NZL    2111 bye=  w48-  b86+  w60+  b16-  2½  1  0  2332  0.22 -0.22
 42 DUPRE,Paul............... ENG    2048 w28-  b72+  w30-  b68+  w44=  2½  1  0  2254  0.24 -0.24
 43 GOODWIN,Ed............... ENG         w60+   b5-  w82=  w18-  b85+  2½  3   ½
 44 GOSTELOW,David........... ENG         b31=  w18-  b95+  w63=  b42=  2½  3  1  2107        1982
 45 HARDY,Otto............... ENG         b64-  w92+  b12-  w80+  b46=  2½  1  0
 46 HICKMAN,Alexander........ ENG         w55+   b8=   w6-  b71=  w45=  2½  3  1  2287        2162
 47 HILL,David............... ENG    2049 b33-  w81+  b80+  w16=  b14-  2½  3   ½ 2277  0.63 -0.13
 48 HUNT,Malcolm............. ENG         w36=  b41+  w13=  b34-  b38=  2½  4  2  2235        2235
 49 IRELAND,David J.......... ENG         w84=  b19-  b37-  w96+  b78+  2½  3  1  2092        1967
 50 MCKEOWN,Paul............. IRL    2050 w34+  w16-  b89+  b13-  w55=  2½  3  1  2321  0.51  0.49
 51 MCNALLY,Richard.......... ENG         b66=  w23+  w40-  b35-  w77+  2½  2  0
 52 MILLS,Paul............... ENG    1933 w27=  b15-  w94+  b79+  w19-  2½  3   ½ 2130  0.75 -0.25
 53 PLANT,Paul............... ENG    2097 b16-  w62+  b69+   w7-  b54=  2½  2  0  2303  0.48 -0.48
 54 PRICE,Andrew............. ENG         bye=  b71=  w34-  b82+  w53=  2½  4  2  2111        2111
 55 SONG,Jinwoo.............. ENG         b46-  w95+   b7-  w75+  b50=  2½  2   ½

 56 BULL,Phil................ ENG         w76+  b73-  w21-  b61-  w87+  2   2  0
 57 BURNELL,Steve............ ENG         b38+   w7=  b14-  w39-  b66=  2   3   ½
 58 COX,Tristan.............. ENG    2064 b10-  w66+  b75+   w9-  b25-  2   2  0  2362  0.30 -0.30
 59 FORMAN,Karl.............. ENG    2028 bye=  w24=  b29-  w78+  w30-  2   1   ½ 2133  0.36  0.14
 60 FOWKES,Adrian............ ENG         b43-  w97+  b24=  b41-  w72=  2   2   ½
 61 GIBSON,Christopher....... ENG         b74=  w39=   b9-  w56+  b22-  2   3   ½
 62 GLOVER,John.............. ENG         w93=  b53-  b39-  w95+  b68=  2   2  0
 63 HODGSKIN,Paul............ ENG         w88+  b21-  w19=  b44=  w32-  2   2   ½
 64 ILETT,Raymond............ ENG         w45+   b6-  w68=  w24=  b18-  2   3   ½
 65 KELLY,Paul............... WLS         b23+  w14-   b4-  w69+  b24-  2   3  0
 66 KHOO,Selina.............. ENG         w51=  b58-  w71-  b94+  w57=  2   2  0
 67 LEE,Jia Shen............. ENG         b92+  w37+   b2-  w12-  b26-  2   4  1  2222        2029
 68 LOBO,Richard............. ENG         b80+  w31-  b64=  w42-  w62=  2   2  0
 69 PARMAR,Amisha............ ENG w       w85=  b82=  w53-  b65-  w88+  2   2   ½
 70 RASHLEIGH,Jonathan....... ENG         w87+  b36-  w22-  w23-  b89+  2   2  0
 71 REUBEN,Stewart........... ENG c  2153 b11-  w54=  b66+  w46=  b23-  2   1  0  2413  0.18 -0.18
 72 SOMERFIELD,Adrian........ ENG         b78=  w42-  b35-  w90+  b60=  2   2  0
 73 TALBOT,Andrew R.......... ENG    2181  b9-  w56+  b74+   w4-  b29-  2   2  0  2519  0.24 -0.24
 74 WILLIAMS,Peter........... ENG         w61=  b26=  w73-  w25-  b90+  2   2   ½
 75 ZHOU,Yang-Fan............ ENG         b79-  b88+  w58-  b55-  w94+  2   1  0

 76 BULLIVANT,Ross........... ENG         b56-  w38-  b23-  w97+  b80=  1½  0  0
 77 CLAY,Terry............... ENG         b90+  bye=  w20-  w26-  b51-  1½  2  0
 78 DARBY,Robert............. ENG         w72=  b94+  w15-  b59-  w49-  1½  2  0
 79 DAVID,Murray............. ENG         w75+  b27=  w36-  w52-  b37-  1½  4   ½ 2139        1817
 80 KASAFIR,Nicholas......... ENG         w68-  b83+  w47-  b45-  w76=  1½  1  0
 81 MCINTRYE,Paul............ ENG         bye=  b47-  w83+              1½  1  0
 82 MCKENNA,James F.......... ENG    1929 b22-  w69=  b43=  w54-  b86=  1½  1  0  2203  0.17 -0.17
 83 MCKENNA,John............. ENG         b25-  w80-  b81-  w86=  b95+  1½  0  0
 84 PRIBANICH,Branko......... ENG         b49=  w91+   w5-  b19-        1½  3  1  2191        2066
 85 STEWART,Joseph........... ENG         b69=  w86+  b31-  b17-  w43-  1½  2  0
 86 WHITFIELD,Craig.......... ENG         bye=  b85-  w41-  b83=  w82=  1½  2   ½

 87 BANKAVS,Gunars........... ENG         b70-  b32-  w91-  b92+  b56-  1   1  0
 88 LEE,Jia Ping............. ENG         b63-  w75-  b97+  w38-  b69-  1   0  0
 89 MCCARTHY,Desmond......... ENG         w30+  b20-  w50-  b32-  w70-  1   2  0
 90 MURRAY,John.............. ENG         w77-  b30-  w92+  b72-  w74-  1   0  0
 91 TAYLOR,Robert K.......... ENG    2171  w3-  b84-  b87+              1   1  0  2521  0.11 -0.11
 92 VANDELAAR,Mike........... ENG         w67-  b45-  b90-  w87-  b97+  1   0  0

 93 DAWSON,Alastair.......... ENG         b62=                           ½  0  0
 94 LOVELL,Frank............. ENG         bye=  w78-  b52-  w66-  b75-   ½  1  0
 95 MANJULA,Manibharathi P... ENG         bye=  b55-  w44-  b62-  w83-   ½  0  0

 96 HOGARTH,Mark............. ENG    1932                   b49-        0   0  0
 97 LOBO,Robert.............. ENG         bye   b60-  w88-  b76-  w92-  0   0  0
 98 LYELL,Meri............... ARM wf 2010 w40-                          0   1  0  2240  0.21 -0.21

      

The Tournament Director's Prize was awarded to London player Mark Lyell, for the following brilliant attacking win against GM Keith Arkell.

Lyell,M (2254) - Arkell,K (2507) [B14]
1st Coventry Chess International (2), 17/04/2004
1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 c4 Nf6 5 Nc3 g6 6 Qb3 Bg7 7 cxd5 0-0 (This ...g6 defence to the Panov Attack has a slightly dubious reputation. The extra pawn on d5 may only be temporary, but it gives White time and space to develop his pieces to active squares.) 8 Be2 Na6 9 Bf4 Nc7 Perhaps 9...Qb6 is more normal here, but Arkell wishes to preserve the tension for now. 10 Bf3 Nfe8 11 Be5 Nd6 12 Bxg7 Kxg7 13 Nge2 b6 14 0-0 Ba6 15 Rfe1 Bc4 16 Qd1 Qd7 17 b3 Ba6 18 Qd2 Bb7 19 Nf4 Rae8 20 Re5 Both sides follow the teachings of Nimzowitsch: Lyell "over-protects" the key d5 square, while Arkell maintains a secure blockade on d6. 20...Ncb5 21 Nxb5 Nxb5 22 Rae1 Nd6 23 h4! All White's pieces are in play, so he seeks to open lines against the king, while his opponent remains cramped. 23...Qc7 24 h5 [24 Nh5+ Kh8] 24...Bc8 25 Be4 Fearlessly cutting off the rook's retreat. In view of what follows, perhaps Black should try 25...Nxe4 and start grovelling. 25...f6 26 hxg6 hxg6 [26...fxe5 27 Nh5+ Kg8 28 gxh7+ Kh8 29 Qg5] 27 Rh5!! Rh8 [Arkell had intended to play 27...gxh5 28 Nxh5+ A) 28...Kg8 29 Qh6 Rf7 30 Bg6! (30 Qg6+ Kh8 31 Qh6+ forces the draw by repetition, but White can do better.) 30...Ref8 31 Re3! brings the final piece into the attack and wins ; B) 28...Kf7 29 Qh6 Rg8 but realised at the last moment that White has a devastating reply: 30 Bg6+! Rxg6 31 Qh7+ Kf8 32 Qxg6 Nf5 33 Nxf6! Ng7 34 Qxg7+! Kxg7 35 Nxe8+ Unfortunately for him, everything else loses too - the sacrifice cannot be declined either!] 28 Bxg6 Reg8 29 Qd3 Rxh5 30 Nxh5+ Kf8 31 Nf4 Nb5 32 g3 [Even the tricks don't work for Black any more: 32 Qxb5! Bd7 33 Qc6!!] 32...Qc3 33 Qxc3 1-0

Latvian IM Roland Berzinsh impressed throughout, starting with a fine demonstration of attacking play with opposite coloured bishops.

Chakanyuka,C (2160) - Berzinsh,R (2456) [C45]
1st Coventry Chess International (1), 16/04/2004
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Bc5 5 Be3 Qf6 An ancient variation, first played by Steinitz in 1862, which has become a favourite of many strong Russian GMs. 6 c3 Nge7 7 Bc4 Ne5 8 Be2 d5 9 f4 [9 0-0 is considered strongest here.] 9...Ng4 10 Bxg4 Qh4+ 11 g3 Qxg4 12 Qd3 White comes to regret keeping the queens on, having weakened his white squares with 11 g3. 12...0-0 13 0-0 dxe4 14 Qxe4 Nf5 15 Bf2 Bxd4!? Black has no qualms about giving up the bishop pair, reasoning that the knight is White's most important defensive piece. 16 Bxd4 Nd6 17 Qg2 b6! 18 Nd2 [18 Qxa8 Bb7 19 Qxa7 (19 Qxf8+ Kxf8 20 Nd2 Nf5 leaves White no good defence to the brutal threat of 21...Nxg3.) 19...Qe2! 20 Rf2 Qe4 forces White to give up his queen.] 18...Bb7 19 Qf2 c5 20 Be5 Nf5 with an incidental threat to trap the bishop by 21...f6 and 22...Rac8. 21 c4 h5! 22 Rfe1 Rfe8 23 a4 Perhaps White hoped to defend with Ra3, but he can no longer contain the opponent's initiative. 23...h4 24 Nf1 Re6 [24...Qg6! 25 Red1 Rad8! intending 26...Qc6 and mate on h1 may even be stronger, though hard to find over the board.] 25 Ne3 Nxe3 26 Rxe3 f6 27 Bc3 Rxe3 28 Qxe3 Qh3 29 Qf2 Rd8 With the simple threat of 30...Rd3 and 31...hxg3 winning. White is powerless to defend his light squares. 30 Re1 Rd3 31 Re8+ Kf7 32 Qe2 Rd1+ 33 Kf2 Qxh2+ 0-1

Top seeded GM Jonathan Rowson went down to the veteran American IM James Sherwin in round 2.

Sherwin,J (2309) - Rowson,J (2547) [D73]
1st Coventry Chess International (2), 17/04/2004
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 d4 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 g3 d5 5 cxd5 Nxd5 6 Bg2 Nb6 7 0-0 Nc6 8 e3 e5 9 Nxe5 Nxe5 10 dxe5 Qxd1 11 Rxd1 Bxe5 12 Nc3 c6 Rowson is a renowned expert on the Grunfeld opening, and this line has proven very comfortable for Black. In principle, his strategy is to seize control of the d-file and mobilise his queenside pawn majority. 13 e4 Be6 14 Bh6 Ke7 15 Be3 Rhd8 16 f4 Bxc3 Trading in his bishop to split the enemy pawns. 17 bxc3 Na4 18 Rdb1 Rd7 19 Re1!? A radical solution, simply leaving c3 undefended, but is it a bluff? 19...Kf8 [Grabbing the pawn appears irresistible to a chess program, but decidedly risky to the human GM. A sample continuation might be 19...Nxc3 20 Bc5+ (20 f5 Bc4 21 Rac1? Ne2+) 20...Ke8 21 a4 b5 22 f5 Bc4 23 e5 Bd5 24 e6 with continuing complications. Rowson prefers to maintain a slight, but controlled, positional edge.] 20 Bd4 c5 21 Bf6 Rb8 22 Re2 b5 23 a3 Rb6 24 Re3 Rbd6 25 Rae1 Bc4 26 Bh3 Rb7 27 e5 Rd2 28 f5 Nb6 29 Re4 Nd5 30 Rh4 h5 31 Bg5 Re2 32 Rxe2 Bxe2 33 Bg2 Rd7 34 e6 fxe6 35 fxe6 Rd6 36 e7+ Ke8 37 Re4 Bc4 38 Re5 Nf6 39 Rxc5 Sherwin has defended tenaciously, and Black should now acquiesce to the draw with 39...Kxe7. However, with only a minute to reach the time control after move 40, Rowson commits himself to a checking sequence, with unfortunate consequences. 39...Rd1+? 40 Kf2 Ng4+? It was objectively better to return with 40...Rd6, but clearly this was not Black's intention. 41 Kf3+- Suddenly White threatens 42 Rc8+ and 43 e8=Q, and there is no adequate defence. Sherwin finishes the job without further ado. 41...Be6 42 Ke2 Rd6 43 h3 Bc4+ 44 Rxc4 bxc4 45 hxg4 hxg4 46 Ke3 Kd7 47 Kf4 Re6 48 Bd5 Ke8 1-0

Coventry chess fans were delighted to see the local boy, 14 year old Li Wu, among the top boards in the final round, where he put up a gritty display before finally succumbing in a rook and pawn endgame to GM Keith Arkell.

Arkell,K (2507) - Wu,L (2197) [E63]
1st. Coventry Chess International (5), 18/04/2004
1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2 d6 6 0-0 Nc6 7 Nc3 a6 8 h3 e5 9 Be3 Rb8 10 Qd2 Bd7 11 Rad1 Qc8 12 Kh2 exd4 13 Nxd4 Re8 14 Nxc6 Bxc6 15 Ba7 Bxg2 16 Kxg2 Ra8 17 Bd4 Ne4 18 Nxe4 Rxe4 19 Bxg7 Kxg7 20 Qc3+ Kg8 21 e3 Qe6 22 b3 b6 23 Rd5 a5 24 Rfd1 Re8 25 a3 Re5 26 b4 axb4 27 axb4 Qf5 28 R1d4 Qb1 29 g4 Re4 30 c5 Rxd4 31 Rxd4 bxc5 32 bxc5 dxc5 33 Qxc5 Qb7+ 34 Kg3 Qb1 35 Kh2 Qb2 36 Rf4 Qe5 37 Qxe5 Rxe5 38 Rc4 Re7 39 Kg3 Kg7 40 Kf4 f6 41 h4 Kf7 42 Rc6 Kg7 43 e4 Rf7 44 Ke3 Kf8 45 g5 fxg5 46 hxg5 Kg7 47 f4 Rd7 48 f5 gxf5 49 exf5 Kf7 50 Kf4 Re7 51 Kg4 Rd7 52 Kh5 Kg7 53 Rc1 Kg8 54 f6 Kf7 55 Kh6 Kg8 56 Re1 1-0

GM Mark Hebden and IM Colin Crouch are renowned on the national weekend tournament circuit for their combative style, and once again they showed no mercy to their lower-ranked opponents, conceding half a point only when they met each other in round 4.

Crouch,C (2375) - Thomas,N (2263) [A96]
1st. Coventry Chess International (5), 18/04/2004
1 d4 e6 2 c4 f5 3 g3 Nf6 4 Bg2 d6 5 Nf3 Be7 6 0-0 0-0 7 e3 a5 8 b3 Ne4 9 Nfd2 Nxd2 10 Qxd2 e5 11 Nc3 c6 12 Bb2 Nd7 13 Rad1 Nf6 14 c5 Qc7 15 cxd6 Bxd6 16 d5 c5 17 Nb5 Qb6 18 Nxd6 Qxd6 19 f4 e4 20 Be5 Qd8 21 Rfe1 b6 22 Bf1 Ba6 23 Bxa6 Rxa6 24 Qe2 Ra7 25 Rd2 Rd7 26 Red1 Kh8 27 d6 Re8 28 Qc4 Ng4 29 Qc3 Re6 30 Rd5 Rh6 31 R1d2 Qe8 32 Bxg7+ Rxg7 33 d7 Qd8 34 Rxf5 Kg8 35 Qc4+ 1-0

Horton,EJ (2056) - Hebden,M (2544) [E63]
1st. Coventry Chess International (5), 18/04/2004
1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2 d6 6 0-0 Nc6 7 Nc3 Rb8 8 h3 a6 9 e4 b5 10 cxb5 axb5 11 Re1 e6 12 Bf1 b4 13 Nb5 Bb7 14 Bg5 Qd7 15 Rc1 Rfc8 16 d5 exd5 17 exd5 Ne7 18 Na7 Nfxd5 19 Nxc8 Nxc8 20 Qc2 Ncb6 21 Be3 c5 22 Bg2 Nxe3 23 fxe3 Bxf3 24 Bxf3 Qxh3 25 Kf2 Qh2+ 26 Bg2 Be5 0-1

Sherwin was the only player to enter the fifth round with a perfect score, but it was Berzinsh who had the last word as he held his nerve in a difficult position, and finally turned the tables on the American.

Berzinsh,R (2456) - Sherwin,J (2309) [B17]
1st. Coventry Chess International (5), 18/04/2004
1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nd7 5 Nf3 Ndf6 6 Ned2 Bf5 7 Be2 e6 8 c3 Bd6 9 Nc4 Bc7 10 Qb3 Rb8 11 Bg5 h6 12 Bh4 Ne7 13 Ne3 Bh7 14 Bxf6 gxf6 15 0-0 Rg8 16 Rad1 Nd5 17 Nxd5 cxd5 18 Qa4+ Ke7 19 Qxa7 Be4 20 Nh4 Ra8 21 Qc5+ Bd6 22 Qb5 Qc7 23 Bf3 Bxh2+ 24 Kh1 Bxf3 25 Nxf3 Bd6 26 a3 Rg4 27 Rde1 Rag8 28 g3 Kf8 29 Rg1 Kg7 30 Qd3 Kh8 31 Rg2 Qc6 32 Rh2 Bf8 33 Kg2 Qc7 34 Reh1 Qf4 35 Rh4 Qc7 36 Rxh6+ Bxh6 37 Rxh6+ Kg7 38 Qh7+ Kf8 39 Rxf6 R8g7 40 Qh6 R4g6 41 Rxg6 fxg6 42 Ne5 Kg8 43 Nxg6 Kf7 44 Ne5+ Kg8 45 Qxe6+ Kh7 46 Qxd5 Qe7 47 Qe4+ Kg8 48 c4 Rh7 49 Qg4+ Rg7 50 Qc8+ Kh7 51 Qf5+ Kg8 52 Ng4 Rg5 53 Nf6+ Kg7 1-0

Contacts and Further Information

www.coventrychess.org.uk

Should you require any further information about this event, please contact either:

Mark Hogarth (Tournament Director) mark.hogarth@btinternet.com

Jonathan Wilson (Publicity Officer) jonathan@bridgewater.it

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