England’s over-65 team triumphed at the World Senior Team Championships, held in Prague last month. They began this event as second seeds behind the German team Lasker Schachstiftung, whose strongest player Artur Yusupov, originally from the Soviet Union, was once ranked third in the world. That crucial England-Germany match ended in a 2-2 tie, but England’s team of John Nunn, Glenn Flear, Tony Kosten, Peter Large and Terence Chapman scored more consistently against the rest of the field, helped by an outstanding 7/8 score for Peter Large.
In the game below, his primitive threat to the f7-pawn at move seven bears a funny resemblance to Scholar’s mate, which arises after 1 e4 e5 2 Qh5 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6?? 4 Qxf7 mate. Early queen development tends to backfire, as a decent player will parry the threat and later harass the queen. But Large’s move, used in many master games, is a venomous exception.
Peter Large-Leon Lederman
Fide World Senior Team Ch, Prague 2025
1 e4 c5 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 Bb5 Nd4 4 Nf3 g6 5 Bc4 Bg7 6 Nxd4 cxd4 7 Qf3 The natural defence 7…Nf6 runs into 8 Nb5 which attacks d4 and threatens e4-e5, and then 8…e5 allows 9 Nd6+ 7…e6 8 Nb5 The threat of Nb5-d6+ is awkward to meet. Best is 8…d5 9 exd5 a6 10 dxe6 fxe6 11 Na3 Nf6 when the wayward knight on a3 offers Black compensation for a pawn. But 8…Qb6 is outright bad, since 9 Qf4!, which a fork on c7. The move in the game runs into other unexpected tactics. 8…d6 9 Qa3 Ke7 Instead, 9…Bf8 sheds the pawn on d4, while 9…Be5 10 O-O threatens f4, with a huge advantage. 10 c3 e5 11 cxd4 exd4 12 Qf3! Back again. One beautiful point is that 12…Nf6 13 e5! dxe5 14 Qa3+ Ke8 15 Nd6+ is catastrophic. Be6 13 Bxe6 fxe6 14 e5 d5 15 Qa3+ Kf7 16 Nd6+ Kf8 17 Qf3+ And again! The queen and knight are a formidable attacking force. 17…Bf6 18 d3 Completing development is the simplest way to realise the advantage. Ke7 19 O-O Bxe5 20 Nf7 Qc7 21 Bg5+ Nf6 22 Rac1 Qb8 23 Nxe5 Qxe5 24 Bxf6+ Qxf6 25 Rc7+ Black resigns
England’s over-50s team, led by Michael Adams, also began as second seeds but finished just outside the medals. They amassed the highest game point tally of any team, but match points are what matter in team events. Scoring 4-0 then 2-2 counts for less than two 3-1 wins.
Michael Adams-Murtas Kazhgaleyev
Fide World Senior Team Ch, Prague 2025
30 h4! Qd8 30…Qh5 31 g4! Qxg4 32 Nxh6+ wins 31 Nxh6+ Kg7 32 Rxf7+ Kxh6 33 Qd2+ g5 34 hxg5+ Kg6 35 Qd3+ Kxf7 36 Qh7+ Ke6 37 Re1+ Kd5 38 Qf7+ Re6 39 Qxe6 mate
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