Chess

THE MONARCH Insurance Isle of Man Open in Port Erin ended in a tie between the Russian Sergei Shipov and the Israeli Emil Sutovsky on 6.5/9, after a torrid struggle.

After dominating the event to the tune of 5.5/6, Nigel Short faltered badly in round seven to lose against Mark Hebden. That left Short and Hebden joint first on 5.5/7 but both lost next day, Black against Shipov, White against Sutovsky - who now took over the joint lead.

In the final round, the two leaders drew quickly while Short could make no headway against Bogdan Lalic and Hebden lost again as Black against the Ukrainian Alexander Schneider. The rest of the chasing pack drew to produce an eight-way tie for third between Short, Psakhis, Tiviakov, Kiriakov, Parker, Schneider, Ward and Lalic, on 6/9.

In this splendidly violent encounter Rowson used a razor-sharp side line to avoid the main-line theory of his own favourite Grunfeld defence. Not 24 Rxc2? Rxc2 25 Kxc2, when Qc7+ is nasty, but Rowson could have won with 28 d6! and if Qxe3 (or 28 ...f6 29 dxc7 etc) 29 Rh8+! Bxh8 30 Qh7+ Kf8 31 Qxh8 mate! In the end Sutovsky forced perpetual check.

White: Jonathan Rowson

Black: Emil Sutovsky

"Anti-Grunfeld"

1 d4 Nf6

2 c4 g6

3 f3 d5

4 cxd5 Nxd5

5 e4 Nb6

6 Nc3 Bg7

7 Be3 0-0

8 Qd2 Nc6

9 0-0-0 e5

10 d5 Nd4

11 Nb5 Nxb5

12 Bxb5 Bd7

13 Be2 Qe7

14 Kb1 Rfc8

15 h4 c5

16 Rc1 c4

17 h5 Bb5

18 hxg6 hxg6

19 Qa5 Qd7

20 Nh3 Na4

21 Ng5 b6

22 Qe1 c3

23 b3 c2+

24 Ka1 Nc3

25 Bxb5 Qxb5

26 Rh7 Qe2

27 Qh1 Rc7

28 Ne6 Qxe3

29 Nxc7 Nxd5

30 Rxc2 Qd4+

31 Kb1 Nc3+

32 Kc1 Nxa2+

33 Rxa2 Qe3+

34 Kb2 Rc8

35 Nd5 Qd4+

36 Kb1 Qd3+

37 Ka1 Qd4+

38 Kb1 Qd3+

39 Ka1 Qd4+

40 Rb2 Rc2

41 Rxg7+ Kxg7

42 Qb1 Rc5

43 Qf1 Rc2

44 Qb1 Rc5

45 b4 Ra5+

46 bxa5 Qa4+

47 Qa2 Qd1+

48 Rb1 Qd4+

1/2-1/2