chess

Michael Adams had an encouraging finish at the Belgrade tournament, scoring 31/2 points from his last four games to recover from a disastrous start to the event. Today's game, however, sees him on the wrong side of a brilliantly imaginative performance by Jan Timman.

The first 15 moves have all been played before, but Timman's 16.b4!? is clearly the result of homework. After 16...cxb3 17.Bxb3 cxd5 18.Rac1, White will regain his piece with huge advantage. As the game went, White's knights invaded the black camp, but seemed to leave themselves no escape route. Timman's 19.Nxc6! was a delightful surprise, and 25.Nb6!! even more so. Charging once more into the enemy heartland, the white cavalry this time really had no escape, but after both knights had given their lives, everything became suddenly clear with 29.Rd8! Black's K-side men were stifled and the white rooks free to do their worst. An amazing game.

White: Jan Timman

Black: Michael Adams

1 e4 e5 19 Nxc6 Re8

2 Nf3 Nc6 20 Na7+ Kb8

3 Bb5 a6 21 Nxf4 Re7

4 Bxc6 dxc6 22 Nd5 Re8

5 0-0 f6 23 Nf4 Re7

6 d4 exd4 24 Nd5 Re8

7 Nxd4 c5 25 Nb6 Be6

8 Nb3 Qxd1 26 Nc6+ Kc7

9 Rxd1 Bg4 27 Nd4 Kxb6

10 f3 Bd7 28 Nxe6 Rxe6

11 Bf4 0-0-0 29 Rd8 h5

12 Nc3 c4 30 Rad1 f5

13 Na5 Bc5+ 31 exf5 Reh6

14 Kf1 b5 32 Rb8+ Kc7

15 Nd5 c6 33 Rdd8 Rd6

16 b4 Ba7 34 Rbc8+ Kb7

17 Nc7 Bb8 35 Rxg8 Rxg8

18 Ne6 Bxf4 36 Rxg8 1-0