Chess

The Scottish international master Jonathan Rowson has been confirming his reputation as Scotland's most promising young prospect in a series of challenge matches against English grandmasters. Earlier this year, he defeated Keith Arkell. Now he is taking on a stronger opponent in Julian Hodgson. Here are the moves of the first game:

White: Jonathan Rowson

Black: Julian Hodgson

1 d4 d5 22 Rxc4 axb4

2 c4 c6 23 axb4 Bb7

3 Nc3 Nf6 24 Ne5 Nb6

4 e3 a6 25 Rc3 Ba8

5 b3 e6 26 Rg3 Kh8

6 Nf3 c5 27 Qf4 Qe7

7 a3 Nc6 28 Qg4 g6

8 Bb2 cxd4 29 h4 Rg8

9 exd4 b6 30 Qf4 Rbf8

10 Be2 Bd6 31 Ng4 Nd5

11 0-0 0-0 32 Qe5+ Rg7

12 Na4 Rb8 33 Qg5 f6

13 Rc1 Bf4 34 Qd2 f5

14 Rc2 Na5 35 Ne5 f4

15 cxd5 Nxd5 36 Rh3 g5

16 b4 b5 37 h5 g4

17 Nc5 Nc4 38 Rh1 f3

18 Bc1 a5 39 g3 Rgg8

19 Bxf4 Nxf4 40 Ng6+ Rxh6

20 Bxc4 bxc4 41 hxg6 Nf6

21 Qd2 Nd5 Black resigned

Black's pawn sacrifice with 17...Nc4 was intended to gain white-square control and perhaps launch a later K-side attack, but Rowson cleverly ignored his own extra pawn and attacked on the K-side himself. Black's f- and g-pawn advances were too reckless, and the combination with 40.Ng6+ (40...hxg6 41.hxg6+ Kg7 42.Rh7+ costs Black his queen) was a just punishment.

But the second game earned Hodgson his revenge in good style. At the end, there is no defence to 32.Na6+ Ka8 33.Ra7 mate.

White: Jonathan Rowson

Black: Julian Hodgson

1 e4 c5 17 Be3 Ne7

2 Nc3 Nc6 18 Ba7 Rbe8

3 f4 g6 19 Rb3 b5

4 Nf3 Bg7 20 Nc5+ Kc8

5 Bb5 Nd4 21 Ra3 g5

6 0-0 Nxb5 22 Rxa6 gxf4

7 Nxb5 d5 23 a4 bxa4

8 e5 a6 24 Nd3 Kb7

9 Nc3 Bg4 25 R1xa4 Ra8

10 d4 cxd4 26 Rd6 Nf5

11 Qxd4 e6 27 Nc5+ Kc7

12 Qb4 Bxf3 28 Bb6+ Kb8

13 Rxf3 Qe7 29 Rxa8+ Kxa8

14 Qa4+ Qd7 30 Rd7 Kb8

15 Qxd7+ Kxd7 31 Rc7 resigns

16 Na4 Rb8