I was delighted to see that Gawain Jones has just won the English Championship. It has been a very difficult time for him recently, and this victory is a welcome return to the top level of chess. He began playing chess at the age of four, and in 1997 was featured in the Guardian when he became the youngest player ever to beat an international master in an official tournament. After several successes at home and abroad he was awarded the grandmaster title in 2007 at just 19 years of age, and it became obvious that he could potentially be a world-beater.
Here for example is a sparkling win against a very strong Dutch grandmaster.
G. Jones - L. Van Wely
Staunton Memorial 2007
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 Nd4 6.0-0 a6 7.Bd3 b5 8. Nxd4 Bxd4+ 9. Kh1 Bb7 10.e5 Ra7?! White has chosen a slightly unusual line against the Sicilian, but the simple 10...Qc7 is perfectly satisfactory for Black. For example, 11.a4 b4 12.Bc4 e6 13.Nb1 Qc6 14.Qe2 gives equal chances. Meanwhile the move chosen in the game looks a tad clumsy, and exposes the black rook to attack later on.
11.Be4 Bxc3 12.Bxb7 Bxb2 13.Bxb2 Rxb7 14.f5 Black has won a pawn but at the cost of his development, and White now generates a dangerous attack.
14…Nh6 15. Qf3 Qb6? The best chance was 15…Qb8, because if White continues as in the game with 16.e6 f6 17.fxg6 hxg6 18.Bxf6? then the counter-blow 18….Ng4! wins for Black. However, a decent looking line for White after 15..Qb8 is 16.Rae1 Nxf5 17.e6 f6 18.g4 Nd4 19.exd7+ Kd8 20.Qe4 Rxd7 21.c3 f5 22.Qg2 Nc2 23.Rc1, when White wins a piece. There are other possible variations, but White has a strong initiative whichever Black chooses.
16.e6 f6 If 16…0-0 then 17.fxg6 hxg6 18.Qh3 Kh7 19.Rxf7+ Rxf7 20.exf7 Rb8 21.Rf1 Rf8 22.Qc3 wins.
17.fxg6 hxg6 18.Bxf6! exf6 If 18…Rf8 then 19.Qg3 Rxf6 20.Rxf6 exf6 21.Qxg6+ Ke7 22.Qg7+ Kxe6 23.Rf1 Nf5 24.Qg8+ Ke7 25.Qh7+ Kd8 26.Qxf5, with a decisive advantage.
19.Qxf6 Rg8 20.Rae1 d5 21.Qg5 Re7 22.Qxh6 White has won the sacrificed material back, and is clearly winning. However, Black now makes another error which hastens the end.
22…..Qa5? Better was 22…Qd6 23.Rf6 Kd8 24.Qg5 Rh8 25.g3 Kc7 26.Rxg6 when White is easily winning, but at least Black has avoided getting checkmated!
23. Rf6 Qxa2 24.Rxg6 Rf8 25.Qxf8+! Black resigned, because it is mate after 25….Kxf8 26.Rf1+ Rf7 27.Rxf7+ Ke8 28.Rg8#.
A beautiful game by Gawain, who is now one of the strongest players in England, and I sincerely hope he will go on to challenge the world’s best in the next few years.
Meanwhile, if you have played any interesting games as a youngster that you would like to have published in my column then please send them to me at plittl@hotmail.com.
I cannot promise that they will appear, but I will give them every consideration.