The British Chess Championships has always been a great event in the chess calendar to round off the season, and typically many Sussex juniors have attended to combine some top level chess with some relaxation by the sea.
The 2022 Championships began on the 8th with a week of junior age-group tournaments. Due to the hiatus in over the board chess caused by the Covid-19 pandemic this was the first chance to attend for many Sussex players; and the first exposure to national level standardplay for most.
Our biggest contingent was in the very strong Under 12 section where Sussex was represented by Henri Blin, Luke Freeman, Andy Nguyen, Nayan Keats Rastogi and George Tagg. Top scorer was Andy with 5/7 (4th=), followed by Nayan with 4/7. By the end of the week all had increased their confidence in standardplay, playing good long games.
Game highlights
Andy (black) to play:
1…Ne2+
2. Kf1 (Kh1 Nfg3+ wins the Queen)
2…Ng3+
3. Ke1 Qc3+
4. Rd2 Re8! a beautiful quiet move, White is defenceless. The game finished
5. Ng4 Nh1 Resigns
Black (Andy) to play:
1…Rf3+!
2. Kg1 (gf Qe2+, 3. Kg1 Rd1 mate)
2…Rf1+
3. Kh2 Rh1 mate
White (Nayan) to play – a pawn up but his R is passive, how did he make progress?
1. b6! Creating back rank mating threats
1…h6
2. Rd3! Initiating a Rook lift
2…h5 3. Rf3 and Black must allow mate or swap rooks and enter a lost King and Pawn ending
White to play, George is Black – in a difficult position George has been fighting hard
1. Ra3?? A blunder and George pounces
1…Rc1+ 2. Kh2 Rh1 mate
Black (Henri) to play
1… Ne3!
2. Qe3 Bd4! Pinning the Queen 3. Nd4 cd with a fork to win the Nc3 and Henri converted easily from here
White (Luke) to play. After outplaying his opponent in the opening Luke now struck with a series of hammer blows
1. e6! fe
2. Be6+ Kh8
3. Ng5! Targeting a fork on f7
3….Qe8
4. Qc4! A nice follow-up adding pressure to f7 and if Black tries Nd8 to defend there is Qc7
4…Nf6
5. Nf7+ Rf7 (Kg8 would allow a deadly discovery from the Nf7) 6. Bf7 and Luke won smoothly from here