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NZers do well at Olympiad
• Chess
By Tony Dowden
New Zealand has competed in
the biennial Olympiad in Calvia, Spain, where amateurs from all parts of
the world enjoy a rare opportunity to play alongside seasoned professionals.
The Ukraine won the open event and China won the women’s event.
The New Zealand Open team was placed a respectable
84th in a field of 129. The standout performances came from International
Master Russell Dive (38), of Wellington, on board 3 with 7/11, and debutant
Puchen Wang (14), of Auckland, on board 5 with 5.5/9.
Other scores were: IM Anthony Ker on board 1 with
4.5/11, FIDE Master Roger Nokes on board 2 with 4.5/10, FM Bob Smith on board
4 with a winless 2.5/8 and FM Peter Green on board 6 with 2.5/7. The veteran
Auckland pair of Smith and Green have probably played in their last Olympiad
but will be remembered for their gritty fighting qualities.
The New Zealand women’s team was placed among the
minnows on 78th in a field of 87 teams. Evgenia Charamova and Viv Smith scored
solidly with 5.5/11 on the top two boards. Youngster Sue Mararoa (14) achieved
a creditable 5.0/9 on board 3 and veteran Helen Courtney scored a plucky
but unsuccessful 0.5/8 on board 4.
Today’s game features a rare Kiwi victory against
a grandmaster. Roger Nokes has the black pieces against GM Rodrigo Vasquez, of
Chile. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. c3 A tame variation of
the Sicilian. White avoids the heavily trodden theoretical paths of the Open
Sicilian but allows Black an easy game. 5. — Nf6 6. Re1 O-O 7. d3 a6 8. Ba4
b5 9. Bb3 d6 10. h3 Qc7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Nf1 Rad8 13. Ng3 e5! Now the game
resembles a Ruy Lopez except that White has little prospect of a kingside
attack. Black is comfortable. 14.
Bg5 h6 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Bd5 Bc8 17. a4 Ne7 18. Ba2 Bg7 19. axb5 axb5 20.
Nf1 d5 21. Qe2 dxe4 22. dxe4 c4! Limiting the range of the White bishop. The
grandmaster is having an off day. 23. b3 Be6 24. bxc4 bxc4 25. Red1 Nc8 26.
Ne3 Nb6 27. Rab1 Rd3 28. Rb4 Ra8 29. Rdb1 Na4 30. Nxc4 Nxc3 31. Qxd3 Nxa2
32. Ne3 Nxb4 33. Rxb4 Bf8 34. Rb1 Ra3 Black has emerged from the complications
with a small advantage. 35. Qb5 Ra2 36. Qe8 Qe7 37. Qb5 Qc5 38. Nxe5?? — Blundering
a piece. 38. — Ra1! 39. Kh2 Rxb1 40. Qxb1 Qxe5+ 41. g3 Qh5 42. g4 Qe5+ 43.
Kg2 Bd6 And White resigned a few moves later.
0-1 SOLUTION:
1 — Rd5! 2. Rxh7 b5+ 3. Kc3 Na2#.
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