Round 8 6th August 2002

There was a dramatic 8th round of the British Championships in Torquay which ended with Luke McShane as the sole leader. McShane defeated Danny Gormally after finding a clever tactic to win rook for bishop. He is now half a point clear of the field on 6.5/8.

The game of the day was between Matthew Turner and Jonathan Rowson. It culminated in a huge time scramble and a blunder from Turner that turned a win into a loss in one move. Turner, who had tricked top seed Krisnan Sasikiran in round six fell into Rowson's last trap after brilliantly outplaying his opponent.

Turner grabbed a pawn in the opening and then accepted a piece sacrifice which forced his king into the centre. With the threats mounting he calmly advanced his extra pawn, combining attack with defence and at that stage he was winning but both sides had very little time left. Rowson retreated but also introduced a threat. Turner had two winning continuations but blundered and went from being a piece ahead to a rook down.

John Speelman defended accurately to hold Abhijit Kunte to a draw.

Defending champion Joe Gallagher has moved into contention with a long win in round 7 and a short draw with black against Pentyla Harekrishna.

Turner,M (2519) - Rowson,J (2545) [D91]
British Chess Championships Torquay (8), 06.08.2002

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.Bg5 Ne4 6.cxd5 Nxg5 7.Nxg5 e6 8.Qd2 h6 9.Nh3 exd5 10.Nf4 0-0 11.e3 c5 12.dxc5 d4 13.exd4 Re8+ 14.Be2 Nc6 [ 14...Bxd4 15.Rd1 Nc6 16.0-0 Bf5 17.Bd3 Bg4 18.Be2 Bf5 1/2-1/2 Bratchenko,A-Eljanov,P/St Petersburg RUS 2001/The Week in Chess 364 (18). ] 15.0-0-0 Castling queenside is very bold but White's control of the centre protects his king from the black bishops which appear to be a deadly force. 15...Nxd4 16.Bc4 Qc7 17.Rhe1 Bf5 18.b4 b6 19.Nfd5 Qd7 20.Rxe8+ Rxe8 21.Qf4! bxc5 22.bxc5 Qc8 23.Qd6 Nc6 24.Bb5! Re6! 25.Qc7 Qf8! 26.Na4 [ 26.Bxc6 Qxc5!] 26...Nd4 27.Bc4 Bc2 28.Rxd4 Bxa4 29.Rd3 Kh7!? 30.Ne3 Re7 31.Qa5 Bd7 32.Nd5 Re4 33.Ne3

33...Qb8?! Turning down 33. ...Re7 repeating the position. This move should lose. 34.Rxd7 Qb2+ 35.Kd1 Qxf2 36.Qd2 Qg1+ 37.Ke2 Qxg2+ 38.Kd3 Qf3 39.c6! Re8!

40.Rxf7?? [ 40.Bxf7 or even better 40.Bd5 both won.] 40...Qe4+ 41.Ke2 Qxc4+ 0-1

Gormally,D (2525) - McShane,L (2544) [B33]
British Chess Championships Torquay (8), 06.08.2002

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 f5 11.exf5 Bxf5 12.c3 Bg7 13.Nc2 Be6 14.Nce3 Ne7 15.Nxe7 Qxe7 16.a4 [ 16.Qf3 0-0 17.Bd3 d5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Qxd5 Rad8 20.Qe4 f5 21.Qe2 e4 22.Bc2 Qg5 23.g3 Bh6 24.Bb3+ Kg7 25.Rd1 Rxd1+ 26.Bxd1 Rd8 27.f4 exf3 28.Qe5+ Qf6 29.Qxf6+ Kxf6 30.Bxf3 Rd2 31.0-0 Rxb2 32.Be4 Be3+ 33.Kh1 Bf2 34.Bxf5 Kxf5 35.Kg2 Rxa2 36.Rxf2+ Rxf2+ 37.Kxf2 a5 38.Ke3 a4 39.Kd3 Kg4 40.c4 bxc4+ 41.Kxc4 Kh3 0-1 Agamaliev,G-Jurkiewicz,K/Polanica Zdroj POL 1999 (41). ] 16...b4 17.Bc4 bxc3 18.bxc3 0-0 19.0-0 Rac8 20.Bxa6 Rxc3 21.Nd5 Bxd5 22.Qxd5 Rc5 23.Qb7 Qxb7 24.Bxb7 Rb8 25.Rfb1 e4 26.Bxe4

26...Rbc8! Winning the exchange. 27.g3 Bxa1 28.Rxa1 Rc1+ 29.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 30.Kg2 Rc4 31.Kf3 Rxa4 32.Ke3 Kg7 33.Bd5 f5 34.h3 f4+ 35.Kf3 fxg3 36.fxg3 Kf6 37.h4 Kf5 38.Bg8 Ra3+ 39.Kg2 h6 40.Kh3 Re3 41.Bh7+ Ke5 0-1

Leading Round 8 Standings:
MCSHANE,Luke J........... ENG g  2544  6½  
GALLAGHER,Joseph G....... SUI g  2517  6   
HARIKRISHNA,Pentala...... IND g  2568  6   
ROWSON,Jonathan.......... SCO g  2545  6   
EMMS,John M.............. ENG g  2544  5½  
HASLINGER,Stewart G...... ENG    2310  5½  
KONERU,Humpy............. IND wg 2473  5½  
KUNTE,Abhijit............ IND g  2477  5½  
LALIC,Bogdan............. ENG g  2540  5½  
LANE,Gary................ AUS m  2446  5½  
PERT,Nicholas............ ENG m  2460  5½  
RAMESH,R.B............... IND m  2456  5½  
SPEELMAN,Jon............. ENG g  2583  5½  
WELLS,Peter.............. ENG g  2479  5½  
D'COSTA,Lorin............ ENG    2254  5   
FLEAR,Glenn C............ ENG g  2538  5   
GANGULY,Sura Sekhar...... IND m  2524  5   
GORMALLY,Daniel.......... ENG m  2525  5   
LITTLEWOOD,Paul E........ ENG m  2401  5   
SASIKIRAN,Krishnan....... IND g  2650  5   
TURNER,Matthew J......... ENG m  2519  5   
WARD,Chris G............. ENG g  2498  5   

Round 8 Results

Bd  WHITE                      Result  BLACK                     
  1 HARIKRISHNA,Pentala   (5½)  ½ - ½  GALLAGHER,Joseph G    (5½)
  2 GORMALLY,Daniel       (5)   0 - 1  MCSHANE,Luke J        (5½)
  3 KUNTE,Abhijit         (5)   ½ - ½  SPEELMAN,Jon          (5) 
  4 TURNER,Matthew J      (5)   0 - 1  ROWSON,Jonathan       (5) 
  5 KONERU,Humpy          (5)   ½ - ½  LALIC,Bogdan          (5) 
  6 WARD,Chris G          (4½)  ½ - ½  SASIKIRAN,Krishnan    (4½)
  7 EMMS,John M           (4½)  1 - 0  BERRY,Neil M          (4½)
  8 BARUA,Dibyendu        (4½)  0 - 1  RAMESH,R.B            (4½)
  9 PERT,Nicholas         (4½)  1 - 0  HEBDEN,Mark           (4½)
 10 GANGULY,Sura Sekhar   (4½)  ½ - ½  D'COSTA,Lorin         (4½)
 11 SUMMERSCALE,Aaron     (4½)  0 - 1  HASLINGER,Stewart G   (4½)
 12 LANE,Gary             (4½)  1 - 0  SANDIPAN,Chandra      (4½)
 13 COLLINS,Sam           (4)   0 - 1  WELLS,Peter           (4½)
 14 FLEAR,Glenn C.        (4)   1 - 0  RUDD,Jack             (4) 
 15 COX,John              (4)   ½ - ½  WILLIAMS,Simon K      (4) 
 16 ADDISON,Bret C        (4)   ½ - ½  WOHL,Aleksander H     (4) 
 17 LITTLEWOOD,Paul E.    (4)   1 - 0  EVANS-QUEK,Suan Shiau (4) 
 18 KNOTT,Simon JB        (4)   ½ - ½  GRANT,Jonathan        (4) 
 19 TAN,Desmond           (4)   ½ - ½  LEE,Graham            (4) 
 20 HANLEY,Craig          (3½)  ½ - ½  RICHARDS,Heather      (4) 
 21 JONES,Richard S.      (3½)  1 - 0  VIJAYALAKSHMI,Subbara (3½)
 22 MCDONALD,Neil         (3½)  1 - 0  BIGG,Andrew J         (3½)
 23 SARAVANAN,Venkatachal (3½)  ½ - ½  WOODWARD,Timothy      (3½)
 24 SIMPSON,James         (3½)  0 - 1  WALL,Gavin            (3½)
 25 PERT,Richard          (3½)  1 - 0  GHATE,Swati           (3½)
 26 MEENAKSHI,Subbaraman  (3½)  1 - 0  SOWRAY,Peter          (3½)
 27 SNAPE,Ian L           (3½)  0 - 1  MUIR,Andrew J.        (3½)
 28 SHAW,David A          (3½)  0 - 1  LEDGER,Dave J         (3½)
 29 TAYLOR,Peter P.       (3)   ½ - ½  SHERWIN,James         (3) 
 30 DEVEREAUX,Maxim L     (3)   1 - 0  TRENT,Lawrence        (3) 
 31 RAMSAWAMY,Aarthie     (3)   ½ - ½  BUCKLEY,Simon         (3) 
 32 MASON,Don             (3)   1 - 0  NIXON,Thomas CM       (3) 
 33 DORRINGTON,Christophe (3)   ½ - ½  THIPSAY,Bhagyashree   (3) 
 34 WU,Li                 (3)   0 - 1  WEBB,Laurence         (3) 
 35 HUTCHINSON,Paul A.    (3)   1 - 0  WHEELER,John F.       (3) 
 36 WILLMOTH,Robert       (3)   0 - 1  THOMAS,Nicholas       (3) 
 37 BUCKLEY,Melanie       (2½)  ½ - ½  EAMES,Robert          (2½)
 38 JONES,Gawain C        (2½)  1 - 0  HUTCHINSON,Norman     (2½)
 39 DHAR-BARUA,Saheli     (2½)  1 - 0  EVANS-QUEK,Debbie     (2½)
 40 HOWELL,David W        (2½)  0 - 1  ASHTON,Adam           (2½)
 41 MUTTON,Jonathan B     (2½)  ½ - ½  HARBORNE,Matthew J    (2½)
 42 BURNETT,Jim           (2½)  0 - 1  GOLDBERG,Jeff         (2½)
 43 TAYLOR,Robert M.      (2½)  ½ - ½  COOTE,Trevor D.       (2½)
 44 DOUGLAS,Timothy       (2)   0 - 1  LYELL,Mark            (2) 
 45 GREGORY,Stephen J     (1½)  ½ - ½  MARTYN,Rafe           (2) 
 46 MCMASTER,Richard      (1½)  ½ - ½  WHITE,Ian R.          (1½)
 47 TRUMAN,Richard G.     (½)   1 - 0  TATLOW,Stephen        (1½)

Round 9 Pairings

Bd  WHITE                      Result  BLACK                     
  1 MCSHANE,Luke J        (6½)    -    HARIKRISHNA,Pentala   (6) 
  2 ROWSON,Jonathan       (6)     -    GALLAGHER,Joseph G    (6) 
  3 SPEELMAN,Jon          (5½)    -    KONERU,Humpy          (5½)
  4 WELLS,Peter           (5½)    -    EMMS,John M           (5½)
  5 LALIC,Bogdan          (5½)    -    PERT,Nicholas         (5½)
  6 RAMESH,R.B            (5½)    -    KUNTE,Abhijit         (5½)
  7 HASLINGER,Stewart G   (5½)    -    LANE,Gary             (5½)
  8 SASIKIRAN,Krishnan    (5)     -    LITTLEWOOD,Paul E.    (5) 
  9 D'COSTA,Lorin         (5)     -    FLEAR,Glenn C.        (5) 
 10 TURNER,Matthew J      (5)     -    GORMALLY,Daniel       (5) 
 11 WARD,Chris G          (5)     -    GANGULY,Sura Sekhar   (5) 
 12 RICHARDS,Heather      (4½)    -    BARUA,Dibyendu        (4½)
 13 HEBDEN,Mark           (4½)    -    MEENAKSHI,Subbaraman  (4½)
 14 LEDGER,Dave J         (4½)    -    SUMMERSCALE,Aaron     (4½)
 15 SANDIPAN,Chandra      (4½)    -    TAN,Desmond           (4½)
 16 WILLIAMS,Simon K      (4½)    -    PERT,Richard          (4½)
 17 WOHL,Aleksander H     (4½)    -    JONES,Richard S.      (4½)
 18 GRANT,Jonathan        (4½)    -    MCDONALD,Neil         (4½)
 19 BERRY,Neil M          (4½)    -    KNOTT,Simon JB        (4½)
 20 WALL,Gavin            (4½)    -    ADDISON,Bret C        (4½)
 21 LEE,Graham            (4½)    -    COX,John              (4½)
 22 MUIR,Andrew J.        (4½)    -    MASON,Don             (4) 
 23 WEBB,Laurence         (4)     -    SARAVANAN,Venkatachal (4) 
 24 RUDD,Jack             (4)     -    HANLEY,Craig          (4) 
 25 THOMAS,Nicholas       (4)     -    DEVEREAUX,Maxim L     (4) 
 26 WOODWARD,Timothy      (4)     -    COLLINS,Sam           (4) 
 27 EVANS-QUEK,Suan Shiau (4)     -    HUTCHINSON,Paul A.    (4) 
 28 VIJAYALAKSHMI,Subbara (3½)    -    JONES,Gawain C        (3½)
 29 SHERWIN,James         (3½)    -    DORRINGTON,Christophe (3½)
 30 SOWRAY,Peter          (3½)    -    TAYLOR,Peter P.       (3½)
 31 ASHTON,Adam           (3½)    -    RAMSAWAMY,Aarthie     (3½)
 32 THIPSAY,Bhagyashree   (3½)    -    SNAPE,Ian L           (3½)
 33 BIGG,Andrew J         (3½)    -    DHAR-BARUA,Saheli     (3½)
 34 GOLDBERG,Jeff         (3½)    -    SIMPSON,James         (3½)
 35 BUCKLEY,Simon         (3½)    -    SHAW,David A          (3½)
 36 GHATE,Swati           (3½)    -    WILLMOTH,Robert       (3) 
 37 EAMES,Robert          (3)     -    MUTTON,Jonathan B     (3) 
 38 LYELL,Mark            (3)     -    BUCKLEY,Melanie       (3) 
 39 TRENT,Lawrence        (3)     -    TAYLOR,Robert M.      (3) 
 40 WHEELER,John F.       (3)     -    COOTE,Trevor D.       (3) 
 41 HARBORNE,Matthew J    (3)     -    WU,Li                 (3) 
 42 NIXON,Thomas CM       (3)     -    BURNETT,Jim           (2½)
 43 HUTCHINSON,Norman     (2½)    -    HOWELL,David W        (2½)
 44 MARTYN,Rafe           (2½)    -    EVANS-QUEK,Debbie     (2½)
 45 MCMASTER,Richard      (2)     -    DOUGLAS,Timothy       (2) 
 46 TATLOW,Stephen        (1½)    -    GREGORY,Stephen J     (2) 
 47 WHITE,Ian R.          (2)     -    TRUMAN,Richard G.     (1½)