Chess

TIMING ONE'S resignation is as aspect of chess skill that is all too often neglected. If one is going to lose, it is important for one's self-respect that the position one resigns in should not be too awful. In the following game from the British Championship, White went on far too long, having missed several good opportunities to resign earlier.

White's attempts to attack on the K-side met with no success against good defence and Black increased his influence on the c-file and d-file. When White missed the elegant 28...Nxf2 he could almost have resigned on the spot, but perhaps it was sensible to take the knight, then look around to see whether anything could be done to salvage the situation. When he came out of it with only rook and knight for queen and two pawns, however, it was time to call it a day, yet White struggled on for another 25 pointless moves until Black had gained another queen.

His only claim to self-respect is his success in producing a game that fits perfectly into the column on the right.

White: K. Sashikiran

Black: P. Wells

1 d4 Nf6 31 Rxd5 Nxg4

2 Nf3 d5 32 Rd2 Qe3

3 c4 e6 33 Rc2 Nxe5

4 Nc3 c6 34 Nxe5 Qe1+

5 e3 Nbd7 35 Kh2 Qxe5+

6 Bd3 dxc4 36 Kg1 Ke7

7 Bxc4 b5 37 Kf1 a5

8 Bd3 Bb7 38 g4 Qa1+

9 e4 b4 39 Kg2 Qe5

10 Ne2 c5 40 Kf1 Kd8

11 e5 Nd5 41 Rd2+ Kc7

12 0-0 Rc8 42 Rc2+ Kb6

13 Re1 Qb6 43 Re2 Qd5

14 Bg5 h6 44 Rc2 f5

15 Bh4 Be7 45 gxf5 exf5

16 Bxe7 Nxe7 46 Rc4 Qf3

17 Ng3 cxd4 47 Rh4 Qc3

18 Be4 0-0 48 Rh3 Qa1+

19 Bxb7 Qxb7 49 Kg2 Qxa2

20 Qxd4 Nc5 50 Re3 a4

21 Rad1 Qb6 51 bxa4 b3

22 Qg4 Rfd8 52 a5+ Kxa5

23 h4 Nd3 53 Re7 Kb6

24 Re2 Rd5 54 Rxg7 b2

25 Ne4 Kf8 55 Rg6+ Kc7

26 Red2 Rcd8 56 Rxh6 b1=Q

27 b3 Nf5 57 Rh7+ Kd6

28 h5 Nxf2 58 Rh6+ Kd5

29 Nxf2 Ne3 White resigned

30 Rxd5 Rxd5