CHESS

CHRIS STRATFORD, playing Black here against Martin Worrell in the recent Leyland Congress, is unfamiliar with the opening and gets a bad position early on.

However, he earns a reprieve when his opponent disobeys one of the most basic principles and fails to castle after developing his pieces.

1.e4 c6

2.d4 d5

3.e5 c5

4.c3 e6

5.Nf3 Nc6

6.Bd3 cxd4

The game has transposed from a Caro Kann into an advanced French. Black fails to grasp it is better to keep the tension and not capture the dpawn and that it is acceptable to allow his King's Knight to be taken should he develop it to

h6.7.cxd4 Qa5+

8.Nc3 Bb4

9.Bd2 Bxc3

10.bxc3 Qc7

11.Qa4

White would have had a significant advantage had he castled here, but unfortunately for him he does not - and lives to regret it.

11 ... Bd7

12.Bb5 Nge7

13.c4 a6

14.cxd5 Nxd5

15.Rc1 0-0

Black misses a move to win substantial material. See if you can spot it (answer below).

16.Bxc6 Bxc6

17.Qc2 h6

18.g4 Rac8

19.Qb3 Qd7

20.h4 Ba4

21.Qa3 Rxc1+

22.Bxc1 Qb5

23.Nd2 Nf4

Black identifies d3 as a potentially important square upon which to place his Knight with check. However, he fails to spot that manoeuvring the Knight via b4 would be even stronger as this opens the possibility of checking on c2, which would fork King and Queen as things stand.

24.Qe3

Black is seduced by the prospect of winning material via a discovered check and fails to notice the mate in one at g2. Doh!

24 ... Nd3+

25.Kf1 Nxc1+

26.Kg2 Rc8

27.h5 Nxa2

28.g5 Rc3

29.Qf4 hxg5

30.Qxg5 Qd3

31.h6 Bc6+

32.f3 Bxf3+

33.Nxf3 Qxf3+

34.Kg1 Rc1+

35.Qxc1 Nxc1

36.Kh2 Ne2

37.h7+ Kxh7

38.Rf1 Qxf1

39.d5 Nf4

40.dxe6 Qg2# 0-1

15... Nb6 would have won material as it both threatens the Queen and protects the Rook on a8, meaning White's Bishop on b5 is now genuinely en prise.

SPENCER TILBROOK

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