The Daily Telegraph (LONDON)
June 2, 2006 Friday
China threaten Armenia
by Malcolm Pein
AN astonishing 4-0 whitewash of Georgia has moved China to within a
point of the leaders Armenia with four rounds to play of the 37th
Chess Olympiad in Turin.
Armenia overcame Ukraine 2.5-1.5 while Russia’s misfortunes continued
as they lost to France with the world champion, Vladimir Kramnik,
comfortably held to a draw by Etienne Bacrot.
Ian Gourlay starred as Scotland held Peru to a 2-2 draw after
Jonathan Rowson had lost to Julio Granda Zuniga on top board. England
had another disaster as Jon Speelman misplayed the opening and missed
a tactical shot, but wins from Michael Adams, who had to work very
hard, and Nick Pert, who did not, produced a minimal 2.5-1.5 win over
Mexico.
I Gourlay – Cr Cruz
37th Olympiad Turin (9)
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.c4 d4 4.b4 (gaining queenside space but also
intending to pressure d4 with Bb2 when Nc6 can be met by b4-b5)
4…c5 (now the game is a Benko Gambit in reverse, usually reached by
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5) 5.Bg2 Qc7 (5…cxb4 6.a3 bxa3 7.Bxa3 Nc6
8.d3 gives pressure on the queenside files after White plays Nbd2,
0-0, Qa4 and Rfb1) 6.e3!? (very enterprising) 6…cxb4 (6…dxe3
7.fxe3 cxb4 8.0-0 Qxc4 9.Ne5 Qe6 10.d4 with reasonable compensation)
7.Nxd4 e5 (7…Qxc4 is not bad but Black thinks he can do better)
8.Nf3 e4 9.Nd4 Qxc4 10.Bb2 Nc6 (Black stands well after the
conservative 10…Be7 11.a3 0-0 12.axb4 Nc6 but this involves giving
back the extra pawn for a while; 10…Bg4!? 11.d3 Qa6) 11.d3! (White
takes his chance to activate his pieces. Another pawn is of no
consequence) 11…exd3 12.Nd2 Qa6 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Bxf6 (White always
has chances after this, the Black king cannot find total safety)
14…gxf6 15.Qf3 Bb7 16.0-0! (16.Qxf6 Rg8 17.0-0 Rg6) 16…Be7
17.Rfc1 Rd8 (17…Qb5!? 18.Nb3 0-0 19.Nd4 Qe5 20.Qg4+ Kh8 21.Qd7 Rab8
22.Nxc6 Bxc6 23.Bxc6 Rfd8 and the d pawn is very strong) 18.Nb3 Ba8
(unpinning the bishop in order to play c6-c5) 19.Qg4 Qb6? (19…Kf8!)
20.Qg7 Rf8 21.Qxh7 a5 (21…c5 22.Bxa8 Rxa8 23.Qxd3) 22.Nd4 c5
(22…Rxd4 23.exd4 Qxd4 24.Rd1 d2 25.Qc2) 23.Bxa8 Rxa8 (23…cxd4
24.Bc6+ Rd7 25.Qxd3) 24.Qe4! Ra7 25.Nf5 d2 (25…Rd7 26.Rd1 Qa6
27.Rac1 and Black will lose the d pawn with the c pawn to follow)
26.Rd1 Rd7 27.Rxd2! 1-0 in view of 27…Rxd2 28.Qxe7 mate.
Cruz
Gourlay
Position after 27.Rxd2! and if 27…Rxd2 28.Qxe7 mate. Or 27…Qa7
28.Qxe7+! Rxe7 29.Ng7 mat