ETCETERA / Chess

ENGLAND'S leading woman player delivered a crushing blow to a top Hungarian at the European Team Championship.

White: I Madl

Black: S Arkell

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4

Until recently, this capture was thought to give Black a lifeless and passive game, but some recent games by such grandmasters as Bareyev and Speelman have introduced ideas that make it attractive for Black again.

5. Nxe4 Nbd7 6. Nf3 Be7 7. Bxf6

This suggests that my opponent was not prepared for my choice of opening. 7. Nxf6+ Bxf6 8. Qd2 or 8. h4 are the normal continuations, offering better chances to attack the king later.

7 . . . Nxf6 8. Bd3 c5]

This move is always the key to regaining the central space sacrificed with dxe4.

9. Nxc5 Bxc5 10. dxc5 Qa5+ 11. Qd2 Qxc5 12. 0-0-0 0-0 13. Rhe1 Bd7 14. Kb1 Rfd8

Now 15. Ne5 can be met by Bb5, forcing exchanges. Black's position is comfortable, but my ambitions did not extend beyond a draw. Fortunately my opponent wanted more.

15. Re5 Qc7 16. Rde1 Bc6 17. Qe2 Rac8

18. h3 a6 19. g4??

Playing White, and with kings on opposite wings, my opponent feels obliged to be aggressive. Black's last move prepares b5, so she does the same thing on the other side of the board. But it misses a tactical point.

19 . . . Rxd3]

This wins two pieces for the rook. After 20. cxd3 (or Qxd3) Bxf3 21. Qxf3 Qc2+ 22. Ka1 Qc1+ Black mates next move.

20. Qxd3 Bxf3 21. g5 Nd7 22. R5e3 Bh5]

It would have been safer to put the bishop on d5. Now I have to worry about a possible exchange of queens and rooks; my Q-side pawns can be hard to defend with the bishop offside on h5.

23. Qd2 Nb6 24. Rc3 Nc4 25. Qd4 b5]

26. b3 Rd8]

The obvious 26 . . . Na3+ 27. Kb2 Qxc3+ 28. Qxc3 Rxc3 29. Kxc3 a5 30. Kb2 b4 31. Re5 is far from clear.

27. Qh4 (see diagram)

Instead 27. Qe4 Nd2+ 28. Kb2 Qxc3+ leaves White a piece behind. Now, with two pieces attacked, it looks as though Black must lose material, but everything is under control.

27 . . . Qe5]]

The queen forks the white rooks, and 28. Rxe5 allows mate on d1. There is only one thing for White to do.

White resigns.

White's blunder at move 19 prevented this from being a very good game, but I think the final move redeemed it a little.

(Graphic omitted)