JULY 9, 1995

Fifth-hour victory for Exeter Chess Champions

A last-minute win by Richard Towers brought Exeter Chess Club victory

in the Major Plate competition, part of the Leigh Interests National Club Championships. All the finals for each competition were played last weekend in Birmingham, where we had a chance to rub shoulders with Grandmasters Sadler and Watson amongst others.

 Over the five boards, first one, then another were drawn, until after four hours play four boards had agreed draws. Meanwhile, the last board game had fluctuated a good deal and even looked as if it may go for a draw by perpetual check. A quick word with the British Chess Federation organisers revealed what we had feared, that if this too was drawn, we all had to sit down and play a half-hour speed match to decide it!

 In the end Richard's control over board and clock was better than might have appeared at first sight, and he emerged victorious finding a mid-board mate with both players down to their last few minutes of allowed time. We won a handsome plate, individual shields and a clock for the club.

 Our thanks go to John Leake and his team of organisers, and to Leigh Interests for sponsoring the event.

 The decisive game, which found its way into a line of the Sicilian Defence, which Richard had never played before. You will see a lot of quick White wins in the Sicilian where White thunders down the King's-side with a decisive attack, and might be forgiven for thinking that the Sicilian is an unacceptably risky defence for Black. But for each of these quick White wins there is a rather longer Black win which is too long for most magazines to publish!

 In the position at the first diagram, White looks well-placed for a highly publishable King's-side attack. White's pieces are posted nicely and there is a veritable tidal wave of pawns sweeping up towards the Black King.

 But by the second diagram, Black has succeeded in exhanging many pieces, has blocked the King's-side, has gained the exchange (rook for bishop) and White's King's-side pawn advances have left the White King very exposed. White still has a dangerous-looking passed pawn and bishop glaring at the Black King, but Richard deftly consolidates his extra material and finishes off neatly.

 Cameron,P (Coddon) - Towers,RC (Exeter), National Plate Final, 1995

 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 c5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. e4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 d6 7. Be2 a6 8. O-O Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. f4 Bd7 11. Rf2 Qc8 12. Nc2 Qc7 13. Qd3 Rad8 14. Raf1 Bc8 15. Bf3 Nd7 16. g4

 

-+lT-Tj+
+xDsLxXx
x+sXx+-+
+-+-+-+-
-+p+pPp+
+-NqBb+-
pPn+-R-P
+-+-+rK-
DIAGRAM 1 16... Nc5 17. Qe2 Bf6 18. e5 Be7 19. b4 Nd7

 (it still looks dangerous, but signs of over-reaching are beginning to show)

 20. exd6 Bxd6 21. c5 Be7 22. Ne4 Nf6 23. Nxf6+ Bxf6 24. Be4 Nd4 25. Nxd4 Bxd4 26. g5 g6 27. h4 e5 28. f5 Bd7 29. fxg6 hxg6 30. Rf6 Bb5 (picks up the exchange) 31. Qf3 Bxf1 32. Kxf1 Bxe3 33. Qxe3 Qd7 34. Rd6 Qb5+ 35. Bd3 Qxb4 36. Qxe5 Rxd6 37. cxd6 DIAGRAM 2

 

-+-+-Tj+
+x+-+x+-
x+-P-+x+
+-+-Q-P-
-D-+-+-P
+-+b+-+-
p+-+-+-+
+-+-+k+-
37... Qd2 38. Bc4?? Qd1+? [38... Qc1+] 39. Kf2 Qd2+

 (this is where we were worrying about a draw through perpetual check, with both players needing to reach the time control at #40)

 40. Kg3 b5 41. Bd5 Qd3+ 42. Kg4 Qd1+ 43. Kg3 Qg1+ 44. Kf3 Qf1+ 45. Kg4 Rd8! 46. Qe7 Qf5+ 47. Kg3 Rd7 [47... Rc8!? 48. Bc6!] 48. Qe8+ Kg7 49. Bf3 Qe6!

 (Decisive.)

 50. Qc8 Qxd6+ [50... Rxd6 51. Qc5 is also good] 51. Kf2 [51. Kg4 Qe6+ 52. Kg3 Qe1+ 53. Kh3 Rd4 -+] 51... Qh2+ 52. Ke3 Qd2+ 53. Ke4 Re7+ [53... Qd4#] 0-1

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