Chess

IN MY game with the Polish No 1 with 7 Qc2, he varied from 7 Ng3 played by Chernin in an earlier round. I could have had good compensation for the pawn simply with 11 ...0-0-0. After 11 ...Qxe2 I missed 14 b3!

by which White can organise a defensive set-up.

Interesting tries are 15 Qxh7, 32 Qxe7 and 35 dxc6. I had some drawing hopes after 40 ...Kc7. From the diagram 55 ...Rg5! leads to an exciting finale. If 56 g8Q either Rxg8 draws. New queens appear on the board.

White: Michal Krasenkow

Black: Jonathan Speelman

English ...b6 Defence

In the second-last round at Batumi, England's men, slightly outrated, lost to Israel 1.5-2.5. Nigel Short drew with Boris Gelfand, and John Emms lost to Ilia Smirin and Stuart Conquest to Boris Avrukh. Those who criticised the inclusion of Murray Chandler in the team had another setback; he beat Alexander Huzman stylishly in 91 moves.

Surprise leader is Armenia, with 20.5 points from 32 games. The Armenians are always underestimated, but they have exceptional team players. They are paired with the Germans in the final round, while the Dutch renew their years of friendly rivalry with the English.

England's women drew with Russia 1-1; Harriet Hunt drew to bring her total to six out of eight games. Scotland beat Finland 1.5-0.5.

Even more of a surprise is that almost unknowns from Slovakia are leading the women's championship; they have 12 points to the 10.5 of Yugoslavia and Romania, and the 10 of Georgia I and Spain. England has 9 and Scotland 7.5.

1 c4 e6

2 Nc3 b6

3 e4 Bb7

4 Nf3 Bb4

5 Bd3 Ne7

6 Ne2 f5

7 Qc2!? Nbc6

8 exf5 Nxf5

9 Bxf5 exf5

10 Qxf5 Qe7

11 0-0 Qxe2?

12 Re1 Qxe1+

13 Nxe1 0-0-0

14 b3! Rhf8

15 Qh3 Bc5

16 Nd3 Nd4

17 Bb2 Ne2+

18 Kf1 Nf4

19 Nxf4 Rxf4

20 d4 Rdf8

21 Qe3! Be7

22 Re1 Bh4

23 g3 Rf3

24 Qe2 Bd8

25 d5 R3f7

26 Ba3?! d6

27 Bb2 Kb8

28 Bd4 Bc8

29 Kg2 h6

30 h3 h5

31 Qd2 g5

32 Re2 a5!?

33 Qe1 Bd7

34 Re4?! c5

35 Be3 Bf5

36 Re6! Bxe6

37 dxe6 Rf6

38 Qd1 Rxe6

39 Qxh5 Ref6

40 Qd1 Kc7

41 Qd2 R6f7

42 f4 gxf4

43 Bxf4 Rd7

44 h4 Bf6

45 h5 Be5

46 Bxe5 dxe5

47 Qe3 Re8

48 h6 e4

49 g4 Rf7

50 g5 Rf3

51 Qe1 Rf5

52 Qg3+ Kb7

53 h7 e3

54 g6 e2

55 g7 Rg5

56 Qxg5! e1Q

57 g8Q Re2+

58 Kh3 Qh1+

59 Kg4 Rg2+

60 Kf5 Rf2+

61 Kg6 Qe4+

62 Kh6 Rh2+

63 Kg7 Qd4+

64 Kf8 Rf2+

65 Qf7+ Rxf7+

66 Kxf7 Ka6

67 Kg8

1-0

, ,g, ,

,a, , NH

n , , ,

n n ,g,

,H, , ,

,H, , X

H, ,h,A,