Chess from Malcolm Pein Chess for Wednesday January 25th 2006

Alexei Shirov heads a quality field that will contest the Gibtelecom masters which begins at the Caleta Hotel in Gibraltar today. This event has been tailored to leading players and amateurs alike with a series of master classes taking place alongside the ten round open tournament. Nigel Short, Shirov and Viktor Bologan are among the GMs offering instruction and for those who cannot get to the tournament there is Grandmaster commentary on the games as they are broadcast live on www.gibraltarchesscongress.com

The tournament is run under the auspices of the English Chess Federation, now a separate entity now that the British Chess Federation has been disbanded. The prize fund has been substantially increased and is now over £30,000

The English challenge is led by Jon Speelman, Mark Hebden and Danny Gormally who defeated the Russian international Alexey Dreev at this tournament last year. Simon Williams will be hoping to gain rating points that will propel him to 2500, the only impediment to him being awarded the GM title.

More from the Corus B group.

The surprise winner of the 2005 Dortmund tournament botched a winning position against Magnus Carlsen in round 6 and lost from a promising position in round 7 so he was probably thoroughly fed up and over-presses in the following game.

A Naiditsch - A Motylev
Corus B Wijk aan Zee (8)

1.e4 c6 (The Caro Kann Defence a good choice against an opponent who wants to win badly and might overreach) 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Bc4 e6 7.N1e2 Bd6 8.h4 h6 9.Nf4 Bxf4 10.Bxf4 Nf6 11.Qe2 Nd5 12.Be5 (A deceptive position. With a lead in development, the bishop pair and a kingside attack ready to go you have to favour white but the Caro Kann is a tough defence to breach particularly when the knight is anchored on d5.) 12...0-0 13.0-0-0 Nd7 14.Ne4 (Not the best as Black's counterplay is about to start The prophylactic Kb1 always a sensible move after 0-0-0 deserved consideration but Black seems to be fine 14.Kb1 b5 15.Bb3 a5 16.a3 a4 17.Ba2 b4!; 14.Kb1 b5 15.Bd3 Nxe5 16.Qxe5 Bxd3 17.Rxd3 Qf6 is equal) 14...b5 15.Bd3 Qa5 16.h5 Bh7 (The Nd5 now becomes a threat to the white king and Black takes the initiative) 17.a3 Nxe5 18.dxe5 b4! (When one side opens a file in an attackiing race it is often decisive) 19.Qe1 (19.Qd2 Bxe4 20.Bxe4 Nc3 21.bxc3? Qxa3+ 22.Kb1 bxc3) 19...Nf4 20.Nf6+ (An attempt to confuse matters but Motylev, a former Russian champion, clinically finishes White off. The only chance was 20.Qxb4 Nxd3+ 21.cxd3 Qxe5 22.Qc5 hoping to reach an endgame 22...Qc7 23.Qd6 Qb7! ) 20...gxf6 21.Bxh7+ Kxh7 22.Qe4+ f5! ( Simple but hard to foresee. White's attack ends and his own king is undefended) 23.Qxf4 bxa3 24.b4 a2 25.Kb2 Rab8 26.c3 c5 27.Ka1 cxb4 28.cxb4 Rxb4 0-1

Motylev

Naiditsch

Final position after 28...Rxb4 After queen moves Rfb8 intends 29...Rb1+ 30.Rxb1 axb1(Q)+ and mate.