GM Simon Williams shines
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
Simon has a very sharp style and is a soul-mate of mine: we both play the Dutch Defence! But his style is much more aggressive than mine and that makes for some very entertaining chess for the spectators. In the team championship I present 3 examples to prove this point.
The French Team Championship is taking place right now and many of the world’s top GMs are participating. I spent a few hours playing over the games and enjoying–especially–the games of the English GM Simon Williams (born 1979).
Williams and friend
Simon has a very sharp style and is a soul-mate of mine: we both play the Dutch Defence! But his style is much more aggressive than mine and that makes for some very entertaining chess for the spectators. In the team championship I present 3 examples to prove this point.
I also recommend the reader to visit Simon’s website. It is really very entertaining also!
White does not relent! Amongst other threats, 33.Bf6! is a tough act to follow. Eljanov does the only thing he can do: resist with
POSITION AFTER 30 MOVES:
GM ELJANOV
GM WILLIAMS
White has built up a strong attacking position against Eljanov, one of the strongest GMs in the world at present. White’s powerful Bishop on c2 is begging to get into play. Williams makes the stock sacrifice on h6
31. Rxh6!
Black saw this coming, ofcourse, but he could not prevent it. Now Black should not take the Rook because after 32.Qxh6 it is all over. And 31…Rxe7 fails to the intermediate 32.Bh7-ch! which wins in all lines. So Black has no choice but to swallow his pride and try to hold his Kingside together with….
31…Nf8!? 32.Qg5!
White does not relent! Amongst other threats, 33.Bf6! is a tough act to follow. Eljanov does the only thing he can do: resist with
32…f6!? 33.Rxf6!
Ouch! Talk about ripping open the King side…. the game is quickly decided:
33…Rxe7 34.Rxc6! QxR 35.Rxe7!
Black resigns! He either loses material or gets mated: 35…Qf6 36.Qxd5-ch Kh8 37.Rf7 Qd8 38.Rxf8-ch!
A smashing finish!
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POSITION AFTER WHITE’S 12th MOVE (12.Nb5):
GM WILLIAMS
GM WOJTASZEK
White is attacking the c-pawn with his Knight. Typical of this line is for black to reply 12…Bd8, which is a bit awkward but it keeps all of the marbles in play. Probably White would be a bit better after it.
HOWEVER, Simon Williams has a surprise for his 2700-opponent:
12…Qh5!? gambitting the pawn for the initiative. 13. Nxc7 why not?
AND NOW THE REAL SURPRISE!
13…f4!!??
Sacrificing the Rook for a speculative attack, but threatening scary stuff like ….Bh3, ….Ng4 and/or …Bc5You have to see how it finished!
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POSITION AFTER WHITE’S 22nd MOVE (22.Qd2):
GM WILLIAMS
GM KRASENKOV
24…Rb3-ch!!
POSITION AFTER WHITE’S 22nd MOVE (22.Qd2):
GM WILLIAMS
It has been a crazy, chaotic game up to now with both sides fighting hand to hand combat. It seems as though the smoke is finally clearing…White plans to take the pawn on d4 and then Black will probably have the worse of it after that. Williams found an ingenious idea that gives him atleast a draw (well, ok, just a draw but White must play correctly to get it)
22….Nc3-ch! A shocker! 23.PxN RxP 24.Qxd4 (what else?)
24…Rb3-ch!!
The White King can not move to the c-file because of a Rook check on c8, and he mustn’t go to a2 because of a nasty discovered check with the Rook. So White finds that he has nothing better than going to a1 when Black always has a perpetual with the Rook after taking on a3 and then giving check on b3 again.