Raymond Keene

Class club

The annual Hamilton-Russell competition for London Clubs has been won by the Royal Automobile Club, with the Marylebone Cricket Club in close contention. On Tuesday 17 April, the awards ceremony will take place in the Mountbatten Room of the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, combined with the annual dinner for notables of the contesting teams. It is the premier annual social event of the London chess scene.
 
This week, a game won by Dominic Lawson from this year’s closely run event.
 
Lawson-Shankland: Hamilton-Russell Cup 2018; Scotch Gambit
 
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 c3 dxc3 5 Bc4 cxb2 This is certainly playable but capturing so many pawns is dangerous. 5 … d6 and 5 … Nf6 are safer lines. 6 Bxb2 Bb4+ 7 Nc3 Nf6 8 e5 Acting immediately in the centre. After 8 0-0 0-0 it is hard for White to generate much play for the pawn as 9 Nd5 is comfortably met by 9 … Be7. (see diagram 1) 8 … Ng4 This allows White to generate a useful initiative. Better is the natural central counter 8 … d5, which is based on the tactical point 9 exf6 Qxf6! when although Black is a piece down, he will regain it due to the double threats against the Bc4 and Nc3. The game Stein-Spassky, Tallinn 1959 continued 10 0-0 Bxc3 11 Bxc3 Qxc3 12 Qe2+ Be6 13 Bxd5 0-0 and was soon drawn. 9 0-0 0-0 Unsurprisingly, 9 … Ngxe5 is too greedy. After 10 Nxe5 Nxe5 11 Nd5! Nxc4 12 Bxg7! White wins. 10 Nd5 d6 11 Nxb4 Nxb4 12 exd6 Qxd6 12 … cxd6 is safer. 13 Qb3 13 … Be6 Black is anxious to complete development, but this is a losing blunder. 13 … c5 14 Rad1 Qb6 is playable for Black although after 15 Rfe1 White is very active.





Already a subscriber? Log in

Keep reading with a free trial

Subscribe and get your first month of online and app access for free. After that it’s just £1 a week.

There’s no commitment, you can cancel any time.

Or

Unlock more articles

REGISTER

Comments

Don't miss out

Join the conversation with other Spectator readers. Subscribe to leave a comment.

Already a subscriber? Log in