CHESS

There are two rules of sound defence that have served me well throughout my career. One: never move any of the pawns in front of your king, except for the specific purpose of avoiding a back-rank mate; and, two: if perchance you have slipped into the trap of castling behind a bishop in fianchetto, you must never exchange that bishop for anything less than a queen, and even then you should think carefully. The following game underlines both points.

White: Daniel Gormally

Black: Krishnan Sashikiran

British Championship, Hove 1997

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 0-0

After the incautious 2...g6, Black had little choice but to castle behind the moved pawn. But he makes the best of it by later barricading in his bishop to avoid its exchange.

5.e4 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 Nh5 10.Re1 h6

Deliberately flouting rule one in order to ensure the safe application of rule two. If Black can play h6 and g5, his bishop on g7 will be so bad that White will surely not exchange it for anything.

11.Nd2 Nf4 12.Bf1 g5 13.c5 f5 14.g3

A nervous twitch, flicking away the irritating knight. But he should have kept the defensive pawn front intact with 14.Nc4.

14...Nfg6 15.Nc4 f4 16.Be2?

The start of a horrendous idea. White thinks that he will exchange this bishop and dominate the white squares. Yet as he soon discovers, the piece is vital to his defence.

16...Rf6 17.Bg4? Bd7 18.a4 Qc8 19.Be2

White recognises the folly of his ways. Instead 19.Bxd7 Qxd7 gives free rein to Black's K-side attack with moves such as Raf8, Qh3 and fxg3 or f3.

19...Bh3 20.Ra2 Qd7 21.Na5

Fiddling while his K-side burns. But at least this gives White something to do while waiting for his execution.

21...Raf8 22.Nxb7 Nh4

Too easy an idea to deserve an exclamation mark. 23.gxh4 f3 is fatal to White.

23.Na5 fxg3 24.hxg3 (See diagram.)

White hopes for 24...Rxf2 25.Bb5, but there is a far stronger move available.

24...Rf3! White resigned

25.Bxf3 Nxf3+ 26.Kh1 Bf1 is fatal, while other moves are mated by Bg2 and Qh3.