Study the chess classics
Gawain Jones and Michael (Mickey) Adams (image created in Shutterstock)
My last column of 2024 covered the new teenage world champion, Gukesh from India. On the UK domestic front, the year ended with victory by a resurgent Gawain Jones in the 2024 London Chess Classic. Only a loss by last year’s winner, Mickey Adams, in his direct confrontation with British Champion Gawain, prevented the veteran from repeating his success from the previous year. Now 37, Gawain, who has enjoyed a sensationally successful twelve months, may represent the future of British chess, but an alternative future, Shreyas Royal, at 15, Britain’s youngest ever Grandmaster, suffered a disappointing setback. Being thrown into the lions’ den of the London Classic at such a tender age, might prove that Shreyas is not yet ready for prime time exposure.
First of all, let me remind readers of Mickey’s triumph at the end of 2023. In one of the greatest successes of his long and distinguished career, Adams finished ahead of Gukesh, the new World Champion.
2023 London Chess Classic – Final cross-table
And here is the full record of Gawain’s laurels in the latest version of this much loved event. As we shall see, only an uncharacteristic blunder by Mickey in an equal position against his arch rival for top honours, prevented Mickey from joining a tie for first prize.
2024 London Chess Classic – Final cross-table
London Chess Classic (2024), rd. 1, 29.11.24
1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 Ne4 6. Qe2 Nc5 7. c3 d3 8. Qe3 Be7 9. b4 Ne6 10. O-O d6 11. exd6 Bxd6 12. Nbd2 O-O 13. Ne4 Bf4 14. Qe1 TN
A new move which deviates from 14. Qxd3, played in Lucas-Demuth, French Team ch., Chartres, 2023, ½-½.
14… Bxc1 15. Qxc1 d2
To thrust a pawn so far into the heart of White’s camp looks impressive, but of course the bold footsoldier is ultimately doomed.
16.Qc2 Nf4 17. Rfd1 Bf5 18. Qxd2 Qxd2 19. Nexd2 Rfe8 20. g3 Ng6 21. Bd5 Nge7 22. Bb3 h6 23. Nc4 Ng6 24. Ba4 Bg4 25. Bxc6 bxc6 26. Kg2 c5 27. Ne3 Bxf3+ 28. Kxf3 cxb4 29. cxb4 c6 30. a4 a5 31. b5 Rab8 32. bxc6 Ne5+ 33. Kg2 Nxc6 34. Rac1 Re6 35. Rc5 Rb2 36. Nd5 Nb4 37. Nf4
37… Ra6??
Covered under the “seemed a good idea at the time” platitude, this overly defensive reaction turned out to be an unpardonable Christmas turkey.
Necessary here was 37… Rc6, when either:-
- a) 38. Rd8+ Kh7 39. Rf5 Rcc2 40. Nh3 f6 41. Rd7 Rd2 42. Ra7 Nd3 43. Rxf6 Ne1+ 44. Kh1 Nd3; or
- b) 38. Rxa5 Rcc2 39. Rf1 g5 40. Nh5 Nd3 41. Rf5 Re2 42. a5 Ra2 43. h3 Ne1+ 44. Kh1 Kf8 45. Nf6 Kg7; lead to stone-cold draws.
- Rc8+ Kh7 39. Rd7 Rc6 40. Rf8 Rf6 41. Rdd8 Black resigns 1-0
When the threat of 42. Rh8 checkmate forces Black to sacrifice the exchange after 41… Rxf4 42. gxf4 Kg6, it becomes a long, thankless and losing endgame that is declined.
Perhaps the highlight of the entire event, in terms of exciting games, came with the Queen sacrifice by the Elephant on the board, former and undefeated world champion, Scandiwegian Grandmaster, Magnus the Great.
Luke McShane vs. Magnus Carlsen
London Chess Classic (2024), demonstration game, 29.11.24
1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. Qe2 e5 6. O-O Be7 7. c3 O-O 8. Na3 Re8 9. d3 h6 10. h3!? TN
A somewhat speculative theoretical novelty in an already equalised position. Normally seen here are 10. Nc4 or Nc2 and less often, Rd1.
10… Bf8 11. Nh2?!
White does better after, 11. Nc4 d6, and then 12. Nh2 with, for example, 12… d5 13. exd5 Nxd5 14. Ng4 Nb6 15. Nge3 Qc7 16. a4, when he is no worse than equal.
11… d5 12. Ng4 d4 13. Nxf6+ Qxf6 14. Kh2 Be6 15. c4 a6 16. f4 exf4 17. gxf4 Qh4 18. Nc2 f5?!
A rare misstep from the world’s number one player, allowing White some small respite and marginal advantage. Black retains his initiative after both:
a) .. b5 19. b3 Rab8 20. Ne1 Rb6 21. Bd2 bxc4; and
b) 18… Rab8 19. Ne1 b5 20. Nf3 Qd8 21. b3 bxc4.
19.e5 Kh7 20. Bd2 Rac8 21. Ne1
Slightly relaxing his positional edge, White’s momentum is instead maintained after: 21. Bd5 Qe7 (21… Qd8 22. Qg2 Qd7 23. Rg1 Ne7 24. Bf3 b5 25. b3 Rb8 transposes) 22. Rg1 Qd7 23. Qg2 b5 24. b3 Ne7 25. Bf3 Rb8 26. h4 bxc4 27. dxc4, with a small but tangible advantage.
21… Qd8 22. Nf3 Be7 23. Qf2 Rg8 24. h4 Qe8 25. Bh3 Qh5 26. Rg1 Nd8 27. Rg2?!
White is wedded to the strategy of doubling rooks along the g-file. Preferable is either:
a) 27. Bf1 Bd7 28. Qg3 Qe8 29. Bh3 Qh5; or
b) 27. Qg3 Bd7 28. Bf1 Qe8 29. Bh3; with complete equality.
27… Bd7 28. Rag1?
Although this looks a natural move, it leaves White’s king entombed, without a escape route, and should the h4-pawn disappear, White will be in mortal danger.
White has ready equality after either, 28. Kg1 b5 29. Rh2 Qf7 30. b3 g6 31. Bg2 Rg7 32. Ne1 Bc6 33. Bxc6 Nxc6 34. Qg2; or, 28. Rh1 Kh8 29. Qe2 g6 30. Ne1 Qxe2 31. Rxe2 Bxh4 32. Bg2 b5 33. Bd5 Bxe1 34. Rexe1, according to the engine.
28… g6 29. Rg3 Bxh4 30. Nxh4 Qxh4 31. Rh1?
After the text, White is much worse. His best chance lies after, 31. Kg2 Qe7 32. Kf1 Qe6 33. b4 b6 34. Bg2 Bc6 35. Rh3 Nf7 36. a3 b5 37. Bxc6 Rxc6 38. cxb5 axb5, when he can still fight.
31… Bc6 32. Rf1 Ne6 33. b4?!
A small but telling inaccuracy. According to the engine, best is, 33. Rg2 Qh5 34. Qe2 Qxe2 35. Rxe2 Rb8 36. b3 b5 37. Bg2 Bxg2 38. Rxg2, when White is still holding on.
33… cxb4 34. Bxb4 Rc7 35. Be1 Rf7 36. Qd2?
After the text, there is no remission for White. Both 36. Rgg1 and Rg2 are better tries, but nothing like enough to save this disaster.
36… Qh5 37. Qb4?!
And the end comes into sight after this final misdemeanour.
37… g5 38. Qd6 Rg6 39. fxg5 Nxg5 40. e6 Nxh3 41. exf7 Nf4+ 42. Kg1 Qh1+ 43. Kf2
43… Qf3+ 44. Rxf3 Rg2 checkmate 0-1
Carlsen’s cute Q sac at the end was merely one way of forcing mate, the others being, 43… Qg2+ and 43… Qh2+, both which force mate in two moves.
In congratulating Gawain Jones on his splendid London Classic result, following on his victory in the British Championship, it should be noted that Gawain managed thereby to better Mickey Adams for the first time since the two first met in the 2007 Staunton Memorial.
Ray’s 206th book, “ Chess in the Year of the King ”, written in collaboration with Adam Black, and his 207th, “ Napoleon and Goethe: The Touchstone of Genius ” (which discusses their relationship with chess) can be ordered from both Amazon and Blackwells. His 208th, the world record for chess books, written jointly with chess playing artist Barry Martin, Chess through the Looking Glass, will be available from Amazon before Christmas.
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