Chess

MATTHEW SADLER has taken the lead in the Smith & Williamson British Championship in Torquay with a good win in the seventh round against Tony Miles. Nigel Short was held to a draw by the 16-year-old Indian International Master Krishnan Sasikiran and now shares second place. Leading scores: Sadler 6; Short, Speelman and Rowson 51/2; Conquest, Thipsay, Ward, Hebden, Wells, Sasikiran and Arkell 5.

Sadler's win against Miles (who, incidentally, won the World Junior Championship in the year Sadler was born) was an excellent display of controlled positional chess. Playing White, Sadler nurtured a space advantage from the opening, then broke open the position to leave his pieces better placed to exploit weaknesses among his opponent's pawns. Miles eventually wilted under the pressure and had to lose a piece for two pawns, after which Sadler polished off the game efficiently.

The following game from round three is one of the most exciting of the event so far, with chris Ward once again showing that his favourite Dragon Sicilian can still breath fire. Black's 17...Nxd5! looks at first sight impossible, then, on closer inspection, possible but outrageous. How can Black allow White's bishop and queen to invade g7 and h6? After 20.Rd4, White only needed time to play Rh4 and Black would be unable to avoid mate. Unfortunately for him, he was never allowed the breathing space to do it. Black gave up a knight, then a rook, in order to get at White's king, which was finally unable to defend itself.

White: David Tebb

Black: Chris Ward

British Championship 1998

1 e4 c5 18 Bxg7 Nb6

2 Nf3 d6 19 Qh6 Nxa4

3 d4 cxd4 20 Rd4 Nc3+

4 Nxd4 Nf6 21 Ka1 Qa5

5 Nc3 g6 22 bxc3 b3

6 Be3 Bg7 23 cxb3 Qxc3+

7 f3 0-0 24 Kb1 Rxb3+

8 Qd2 Nc6 25 axb3 Qxb3+

9 0-0-0 Nxd4 26 Kc1 Rc8+

10 Bxd4 Be6 27 Kd2 Rc2+

11 Kb1 Qc7 28 Ke1 Qe6+

12 Bb5 a6 29 Re4 Qa2

13 Ba4 b5 30 Kf1 Rf2+

14 Bb3 b4 31 Ke1 Rxg2

15 Nd5 Bxd5 32 Qc1 Qf2+

16 exd5 Rfb8 33 Kd1 Qxf3+

17 Ba4 Nxd5 White resigned