Chess

Here's a jolly little game between two relative unknowns from the Open tournament in Pamplona at the end of last year. In a town where the locals think it fun to let bulls run loose in the street then run in front of them trying not to be gored, you might expect uncompromising play from the Spanish players. In this game Gomez Esteban and de la Villa Garcia do not disappoint.

Black's 5...Nh5, 7...dxc4 and 8...Be6 all looks rather dubious, but White allowed himself to get carried away when he played 11.Bf3. The sequence that followed left White a clear rook ahead, but after 15...Rd8 he was in deep trouble.

White has only two pieces capable of covering the b1-square and both can be readily exchanged or undermined. White did the best he could to reach an endgame only a pawn behind - but what a pawn! The beast on b2 was always going to win Black the game and he ended matters elegantly with 25...Rxd2+! and applied the final touch with 29...Nc3! Ole!

White: J Gomez Esteban

Black: J de la Villa Garcia

1 d4 Nf6 17 Bxf5 gxf5

2 c4 g6 18 Rb1 c3

3 Nc3 d5 19 Nf3 c2

4 Bf4 Bg7 20 Ke2 cxb1(Q)

5 Rc1 Nh5 21 Rxb1 Nc6

6 Bg5 h6 22 Nd2 Rd5

7 Bh4 dxc4 23 Bg3+ Kb7

8 e3 Be6 24 a3 Na5

9 Be2 c5 25 Bf4 Rxd2+

10 Bxh5 cxd4 26 Kxd2 Nc4+

11 Bf3 dxc3 27 Kd3 Nxa3

12 Qxd8+ Kxd8 28 Bxh6 Nxb1

13 Bxb7 cxb2 29 Bxg7 Nc3

14 Rd1+ Kc7 30 Bxc3 b1=Q+

15 Bxa8 Rd8 White resigns

16 Be4 Bf5