English grandmasters Michael Adams and John Nunn both won gold medals at the World Senior Championships in Palermo, which ended earlier this month. Adams was the top seed in the over-50 section, while Nunn was the top seed in the over-65s, and the reigning champion. With one round to go, both were half a point off the lead, so the double victory looked like a long shot. Both won, both finished on 8.5/11, and both finished in first place on tiebreak!
Adams won his final round game in style against a Slovakian grandmaster.
Martin Mrva-Michael Adams
Fide World Senior Championship, 50+, Nov 2023 (see left diagram)
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 d3 Bc5 5 c3 a6 6 a4 Ba7 7 O-O d6 8 Nbd2 O-O 9 h3 h6 10 Re1 Be6 11 b4 Ne7 12 Bxe6 fxe6 13 Nf1 Ng6 14 Be3 Bxe3 15 Rxe3 Rf7 16 Re1 Qe7 17 g3 Raf8 18 N1h2 d5 19 Kg2 c5! In a typical middlegame from the Italian Opening (signified by 3 Bc4), White’s kingside is well fortified against the massed Black forces. Adams finds a surprising way to increase the activity of his pieces. 20 bxc5 Qxc5 21 Qb3 Qc6 22 exd5 A safer choice was 22 Qb3-c2, securing the pawn on e4. Mrva had likely counted on 22…exd5 23 Rxe5! when capturing the rook walks into a knight fork on e5, but Adams’s response is far more venomous. Nxd5 23 Qc4 (see left diagram) The decisive mistake. 23 Re4 was still tenable, though 23…Ndf4+!? 24 gxf4 Nxf4+ 25 Kg1 Nxh3+ 26 Kg2 Nf4+ 27 Kg1 Nxd3 28 Qc4 Qd5!? continues to pose problems, with three pawns and ample activity for the knight. Rxf3! Everything falls into place. 24 Nxf3 Ndf4+ 25 gxf4 Nh4+ 26 Kf1 26 Kg1 was a decent try, since 26…Qxf3 is tempting but bad – after 27 Qxe6+ Kh8 28 Qg4, White is fine, since 28…Qxd3 won’t be check.
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