Pursuits: Chess

England beat Australia only by 3-1 in round two of the Elista Olympiad; Sadler and Hebden won while Short and Miles drew. See Sadler's win below. But there are a further 11 rounds to go.

Among other round two results were the following: China vs Ukraine 2- 2, USA vs Kirgizhstan 31/2-1/2, India vs Russia 2-2, Bangladesh vs Holland 21/2-11/2, Mongolia vs Scotland 2-2, Angola vs Wales 2-2, South Africa vs Guernsey 4-0, Iraq vs Jersey 31/2-1/2 and Ireland vs Zimbabwe 1-3(!)

In round three England meets Azerbaijan.

In the parallel Women's Olympiad, in which three games per match are played, England suffered severely at the hands of Romania. Only Harriet Hunt managed a draw.

Others included: Russia vs Kazakhstan 2-1, Georgia vs Lithuania 21/2- 1/2, China vs Germany 21/2-1/2, Poland vs India 2-1, Scotland vs Australia 0-3, Wales vs Switzerland 11/2-11/2. The Englishwomen have another toughie in the Bangladeshis' next match.

Matthew Sadler's game demonstrates the iron grip he imposed from the opening.

Would he have had greater difficulty breaking through if his opponent had been content to block with 15... a5? The play culminates in a constructive demolition of the black pawns barring the advance of White's centre.

The game shown here is from round two of the Elista Olympiad.

White: Matthew Sadler

Black: Guy West (Australia)

Old Benoni

jspeelman@compuserve.com

1 d4 Nf6

2 c4 c5

3 d5 e5

4 Nc3 d6

5 e4 Nbd7

6 Bd3 g6

7 Nge2 h5

8 h4 Bh6

9 Bxh6 Rxh6

10 Qd2 Rh8

11 Nd1 Kf8

12 f3 Kg7

13 Ne3 a6

14 Nc3 Ne8

15 a4 Ndf6

16 a5 Bd7

17 Ke2 Rb8

18 b3 Nc7

19 Bc2 b5

20 axb6 Rxb6

21 Ncd1 Qe7

22 Nf2 Rbb8

23 Qc3 Rhc8

24 g3 Kg8

25 Kd2 Nfe8

26 f4 Qf6

27 Nd3 exf4

28 gxf4 Qxc3+

29 Kxc3 Nf6

30 e5 Ne4+

31 Kb2 Rb6

32 Rh2 Re8

33 Ra5 Bc8

34 Kc1 (see

diagram) f6

35 exd6 Nxd6

36 Rxc5 Ncb5

37 cxb5 Rxe3

38 Rc6 Rxc6

39 bxc6 Bf5

40 Nc5 Rc3

41 Nb7 Nb5

42 Kb2 Rxc2+

43 Rxc2 Bxc2

44 Kxc2 g5

45 Kd3 1-0