The indefatigable Michael Basman continues to identify future chess superstars with his annual Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge for schoolchildren. Eight-year-old Alex Golding won an astounding £1,000 prize in the most recent edition of the challenge, which attracts a world record entry of 60,000 every year. Brandon Clarke emerged as the overall winner of the event.
In this game young Alex found himself on the losing side for once.
Clarke-Golding: Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge; Bird’s Opening
1 e3 d5 2 f4 Nf6 3 Nf3 c5 4 Be2 Nc6 5 0-0 e6 White is playing the Bird’s opening, but it is more a reverse Dutch. One of the most attractive lines in this opening is to fianchetto the white bishop at b2 where it controls the central diagonal, reinforced by the pawns at e3 and f4. Yet sometimes this line becomes too rigid, and white has difficulty in finding a clear plan of attack. Brandon chooses a more flexible line, and soon the opening turns into a form of the Sicilian, because white is able to play pawn to e4. 6 d3 Bd6 7 Nc3 Qc7 8 Qe1 Ne7 9 Nb5 Qb6 10 Nxd6+ Qxd6 11 e4 The delayed advance is all the stronger, and now white threatens a fork with pawn to e5. 11 … Qb6 12 a4 dxe4 13 dxe4 c4+ 14 Kh1 Nxe4 Again, positionally unwise; the bishops will prefer the open position, unobstructed by their own pawns. 15 Bxc4 Nd6 16 Bd3 Ndf5 (see diagram 1) 17 Ra3 An original way to develop the rook, most players being hung up on putting the rook on an open file. This rook will prove to be the wrecking ball to the black position.
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in