NEWS & UPDATES - Archive 2024

Russell Granat: Strategic Magician

We were very fortunate in having Russell Granat join the Club in 2021 on his retirement as a chartered accountant to Worthing after many years as a leading member of the Wimbledon Chess Club, where his roles included those of match captain and treasurer. There, Russell's style of play earned him the title of The Strategic Magician. He joined Wimbledon in 1972 with his sister Helen, who two years later became the British Girls Under 14 Champion.

During his chess career Russell has competed against many international players and has achieved wins not only against International Masters but also against several Grandmasters, including James Plaskett and William Watson; and he scored 2½:½ in games against GM Murray Chandler, a former New Zealand Champion and a member of the Rest of the World Team in the 1984 match against the Soviet Union. Among Russell’s other successes while based at Wimbledon, where his ELO rating peaked at 2355, was winning the Surrey County Championship a staggering seven times.

To that achievement Russell has now, at the first attempt, added the Sussex County Individual Championship of 2023-24, and in doing so gained a rating of 2524 for the competition. Also, since joining our Club, Russell became joint Club Champion in 2021-22 (with Dave Graham) and sole Club Champion in 2022-23 and 2023-24, and has taken on the role of captain of the first team in the Sussex League since the 2022-23 season. But perhaps the achievement which gives him most satisfaction is his draw with the black pieces against eight-times British Champion, Grandmaster Michael Adams, in the first round of the World Senior Team Championship in 2023. Russell was on Board 1 of England's 3rd Team, while Michael Adams was on Board 1 of the 1st Team.

White: Grandmaster Michael Adams
Black: Russell Granat
Event: World Senior Team Championship (50+) 2023
Opening: C65: Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bb5 Nf6
The Berlin Defence, as used by Kramnik in his match against Kasparov in 2000.

4.Qe2 ...
A relatively rare response, more usual being 4.0-0.

4. ... Bc5
5.c3 0-0
6.d3 d5
The most active move, alternatives being 6... h6 and 6...d6.

7.Bg5 dxe4
8.dxe4 Qe7
9.Nbd2 Nb8
Anticipating White's Nd2-c4, which could now be met by ...a6 (or ...c6) followed by ... b5, winning a piece.

10.0-0 a5
To safeguard the position of the dark squared bishop.

11.Rfd1 h6
12.Bh4 b6
Instead, 12...g5, 13.Bg3 Nh5 would have achieved the exchange of White's dark-squared bishop, but at the cost of weakening Black's kingside. Also for consideration was the immediate 12...c6, played next move.

13.Nf1 c6
14.Ba4 Re8
An opportunity for gaining space on the queenside was 14...Ba6, 15.Qe1 Bxf1 (the bishop is exchanged because the queenside pawns will be on white squares) 16.Qxf1 b5, 17.Bc2 a4.

15.h3 b5
16.Bc2 Nbd7
One idea now being to transfer the knight via f8 to g6, from where it will defend the e5-pawn and eye the f4-square.

17.a4 b4
18.cxb4 Bxb4
19.Rac1 Ba6
20.Bd3    Bxd3
21.Rxd3 Nc5
Black has established complete equality and now gradually improves his position.

22.Re3    Qe6
23.Bxf6 Qxf6
24.b3 Rac8
25.Qc4 Ne6
26.g3 Red8
27.Kg2 c5
28.h4 Rd6
29.h5 Rcd8
30.N1h2 Qe7

Position after 30...Qe7,

from Black's perspective

31.Rh1 ...
Black now has the initiative. Instead of the text move, 31.Nh4 (aiming to fork Black's queen and rook) would be well met by 31... Rd4 (31... Nf4+ or 31... Qg5 also lead to lively play) when a sample line is 32.Nf5 Qb7, 33.Nxd4 cxd4, 34.Re2 d3, 35.Re3 Bd2, 36.Rd1 Bxe3, 37.fxe3 Qd7 followed by ...Ng5 with a winning advantage.

31...    Nd4

32.Rd1 Kh7
Stepping out of the White queen's line of fire.

33.Rf1 f6
34.Nh4 Qb7
Preventing the immediate Nh4-f5.

35.N2f3 Qd7
Again preventing Nh4-f5, while establishing dominance of the only open file.

36.Rh1 Nxf3

37.Rxf3 ½ - ½

At this point Michael Adams proposed a draw, which Russell accepted. Stockfish 16 assesses the position as equal (0.00 at 44 ply). A great achievement by Russell.

Final position, from Black's perspective

The recent game which clinched the 2023-24 Sussex Championship highlighted Russell's individual playing style, which proved to be too much for Brighton's six times, and current, Club Champion.

White: Russell Granat
Black: Luke Rutherford
Event: Sussex Individual Championship 2023-24
Opening: C00: French Defence, Steiner Variation

1..e4 e6
2.c4 d5
3.cxd5 exd5
4.e5 ...
Within four moves the game is well off the beaten track, which is where Russell likes to play.

4... Bf5
Instead, 4...d4 would have hindered White's development.

5.f4    ...
5.d4 was a more natural way of supporting the e5-pawn.

5... c5
Black now has better control of the central squares.

6.Nf3 Nc6
7.d3 Nge2
8.Nc3 Qd7
No doubt already thinking of queenside castling. An alternative idea was 8...Be6, intending ...Nf5, allowing completion of development after ...Be7.

9.Be2 d4?!
Black is looking for somewhere to move his e7-knight, to help complete his kingside development, but this weakens his central control.

10.Ne4 Nd5
11.Ng3 Be7
12.0-0 h5
13.Ng5 ...
Moving the knight to e1 would have preserved the advanced e-pawn.

13... Bxg5
14.fxg5 Bg6
15.Nxh5 Bxh5
16.Bxh5 Nxe5
17.Qe2! ...

Position after 17.Qe2!

17... 0-0-0?
Instead, ...Kf8 was preferable, as will be seen.

18.Bf4 ...
As Russell pointed out afterwards, 18.Rxf7! would have won two pawns, because if ... Nxf7 the Black queen would be lost.

18...    Nxf4
The bishop had to go, as after, e.g., 18. ... Nxd3 (or 18. ...f6, 19.Bxe5) White was threatening to play Bh5-g4, winning Black's queen. Worse for Black would be 18... Rxh5, 19.Qxh5 (19.Qxe5 is also good) Nxd3 (better than ...Nxf4), 20.Bg3 g6, 21.Qh7.

19.Rxf4 Qd6
A multi-purpose move, defending the knight, getting off the dangerous h3-c8 diagonal, and (together with the h8-rook) eyeing the h2-pawn.

20.Raf1? ...
Instead of this natural-looking move, b2-b3 was called for, because now Black has the strong reply 20...c4!, when 21.Rc1, pinning the pawn, fails to 21... Kb8.

20... Rde8
Missing 20. ... c4, when Black's advanced pawns pose a strong threat.

21.h3 ...
With the h-file blocked, White is now threatening Bxf7

21... g6
Now, 21...c4 would not be as strong, e.g. 22.Bxf7 cxd3, 23.Qf2 Rd8, 24.g6, and White maintains a small advantage.

22.Bf3 Nc4?
Black tries to take advantage of the f4-rook not being directly defended, and that the knight move discovers an attack on White's queen. A double attack can often be a devastating weapon, but here Black overlooks the exposed position of his own king. Instead, it would have been a good idea to increase king safety by 22... Kb8.

23.Bxb7+! Kb8
Capturing the bishop does not help, e.g. 23...Kxb7, 24.Qf3+ Kb8, 25.dxc4 Re3, 26.Qf2 Rhe8, 27.Rxf7 d3, 28.Qf6 R3e6, 29.Rf8 Rxf6, 30.Rxe8+ Kc7, 31.gxf6 d2, 32.f7 d1(Q), 33.f8(Q) Q1d4+, 34.Kh1, when there remains tricky play, but Stockfish 16 assesses White's advantage at +4.28 (44 ply).

Position in analysis after 34.Kh1

24.Be4 Ne3

Position after 24...Ne3

25.R1f2 ...
Good, but even stronger would have been 25.Rf6 Re6, 26.Rxe6 fxe6, 27.Rf7.

25... Qe5
Instead, the aggressive 25. ...f5!?, 26.gxf6 g5, 27.f7 gxf4, 28.fxe8(Q)+ Rxe8, 29.Qh5 could continue with ... Rf8, 30.Qh7 Nd5, 31.Qg7 Nc7, 32.b3 when the danger to Black's king and the weakness of his f4-pawn restrict Black's options, while White will concentrate on advancing his h-pawn.

26.Qf3 Qxg5
27.Rxf7 Re7
28.Rf8+ Rxf8
29.Qxf8+ Kc7
30.Rf6! 1-0

Final position, after30.R(f2)-f6!

Black resigned. Had he continued, play could have been 30. ...Nd5, 31.Bxd5 Re1+, 32.Kh2 Qe5+, 33.g3 Qxd5, 34.Rf7+ Kc6, 35. Qc8+ Kb5, 36.Qb8+ with either loss of Black's queen, or mate, or both.

JK

21.05.2024

An Historic Match

In 1971, during the period when the Worthing Chess Club met in a room at the Dome Cinema, and the Brighton Chess Club occupied rooms adjoining Brighton's Royal Pavilion, two Worthing members challenged any two members of the Brighton Club to a consultation game. The Worthing members were Keith Homeyard, then the Club Champion and later a Sussex Correspondence Champion; and John Knott, later to be Club Champion. Brighton accepted the challenge and fielded Geoffrey and Michael Nicholas. Geoffrey was the reigning Sussex County Champion, and Michael later won the Sussex Lightning Championship and the Brighton Club Championship among others.

It was likely to be a tough game, so the Worthing pair made special preparations. At that time they had been studying and playing the Latvian Gambit, assisted by analysis in a little-known magazine devoted to that opening. This was, of course, well before the time of personal computers and chess engines. Objectively, the Gambit is dubious, but it can give rise to very sharp play, where familiarity with its main lines can be expected to be crucial. The Gambit starts with the moves 1.e4 e5, 2.Nf3 f5!?, and is thus somewhat like a reversed King's Gambit played one move behind.

There was a complication. If Brighton gained the white pieces, all would be well, as we expected the Nicholas brothers to open with 1.e4. But if we had the white pieces, the preparation and its surprise value would be wasted. There was also another consideration. The game was due to be played on a Sunday afternoon at Brighton, where the Club occupied two rooms on the ground floor in Pavilion Parade. The teams would be in separate rooms, each with a board and pieces, and one of the players would walk between the two rooms when announcing moves. The room next to the street was the larger one, and was always busy at weekends; whereas the back room was generally less used and so could be expected to be quieter. So we devised a plan to secure the quiet room. Our scheme was to propose that whichever side won the spin of a coin could choose either which room they would use or the colour of their pieces, leaving the other team to make whatever choice was still available. In that way we expected to gain both the back room and also the black pieces, without alerting our opponents to the fact that we had made opening preparations.

The plan started well. The Brighton team gained the white pieces and we gained the back room. At the appointed time we started our opponents' clock and settled down to await the announcement of their first move, speculating as to how they would react to the Gambit. But perhaps we had aroused our opponents' suspicions, as to our dismay their opening move was 1.d4. We decided to respond with the King's Indian Defence, and announced our reply as 1...Nf6.

These are the moves of the game :

White: G.H. and M.D. Nicholas (Brighton)
Black: K.F. Homeyard and J.A. Knott (Worthing)
Venue: Brighton Chess Club, Sunday, 28 November 1971
Opening: King's Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variation (E70)
Rate of Play: 40 moves in 2 hours, then 20 in 1 hour

1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 g6
3.Nc3 Bg7
4.e4 0-0
Good, although usually ...d6 is played first. Castling here may have caused our opponents to waste time seeing if either side could exploit the difference, as they took about 5 minutes over their reply and then avoided the sharpest variations.

5.g3 d6
6.Bg2 e5
7.Nf3 Nc6
So far, this is a common position in the Fianchetto Variation. Black forces a decision in the centre in view of the threat of ...exd4 followed by ...Nxe4.

8.dxe5 ...
We had expected 8.d5 Ne7 and then probably 9.0-0.

8. ... Nxe5
Capturing with the knight, rather than with the d-pawn, is likely to lead to the exchange of a minor piece, which will ease Black's position. The alternative, 8...dxe5, 9.Bg5 Qxd1+, 10.Rxd1 Bg4, was also playable.

9.Nxe5 dxe5
10.Qe2 ...
Another surprise. We expected the exchange of queens followed by Nd5.

10. ... c6!
Black now has the slightly preferable pawn structure as only he can establish a knight in the centre of the board. He also liberates his queen and avoids weakening his kingside pawns in the event of Bc1-g5.

Position after 10...c6

11.0-0 Bg4
Provoking the reply actually made, which further restricts the scope of the g2-bishop.

12.f3 ...
The opening of the diagonal leading to the White king will become an important factor later on.

12. ... Be6
Black now has at least equality.

13.Be3 Nd7
Covering the c5-square and allowing a possible advance of the f-pawn. Black's long-term strategic plan, which was never completed, was to play his knight via f8 to e6, from where, if the situation was right, it could move to d4 (see note at move 10).

14.Rad1 Qa5
15.Nd5!? ...
Energetic and unexpected, leading to some sharp play. White had to play actively in view of the threat ...Qb4.

15. ... f6
Capturing the knight with the c-pawn would lead to loss of the bishop and would pass the initiative to White, e.g. 15....cxd5?!, 16.cxd5 Nc5, 17.Qc4 Rfc8, 18.b4!+/= (Or 16...Qxa2, 17.Ra1 Qb3, 18.Ra3+/=). By creating an escape for the bishop, the text move threatens ...cxd5 in favourable conditions; so the knight has to retreat. At f6, the pawn now creates a strong-point defence against the advance of White's f-pawn. Another idea was 15...Nb6, 16.Nxb6 axb6, 17.a3, which would leave Black's queen awkwardly placed.

16.b4 ...
Making the most of the knight's brief stay at d5, but leading to a weakening of White's queenside.

16. ... Qd8
17.Nc3 Qe7
Escaping from the eye of the d1-rook with gain of tempo.

18.c5 a5!

Position after 18...a5

19.Qb2?! ...
Preferable was the cheeky 19.Nd5!? which is best met by ...cxd5, 20.exd5 Bf7, 21.b5 f5, 22.c6, when clearest would be ...Qd6 (also playable is ...Nf6, but it gives White a dangerous initiative with good practical chances) 23.cxd7 Rfd8 with a small edge to Black. A simpler alternative for White than the move played, would have been 19.a3

19. ... axb4
20.Qxb4 b6
Even better was the preparatory ...Rfb8, not played until two moves later.

21.Rd6?! ...
This is too ambitious, and turns out badly for White. Instead, if 21.Na4, then ...Rfb8 is very strong. White's best try was probably 21.Rb1 bxc5, 22.Qb7 Rfc8, 23.Rfc1 Bf8, when Black retains an edge.

21 ... bxc5
From here, the next few moves are virtually forced. A main feature is that all Black's pieces participate, while White's f1-rook and g2-bishop remain out of play. There are several opportunities for Black to capture the a2-pawn, but they allow White more active piece play.

22.Bxc5 Rfb8!
White is unable to move his queen without loss, and his pieces are drawn inexorably along the path of our analysis.

23.Rxc6 Qe8
24.Nb5 ...
Alternatively, 24.Bb6 Bf8, 25.Qb5 Bc5+, 26.Kh1 Bxb6 when White is a piece down and his a-pawn is at severe risk.

24. ... Nxc5
25.Qxc5 Bf8!
26.Nd6 ...
We had foreseen this as a likely position when playing 21...bxc5.

Position after 26.Nd6

26. ... Ra5
Even stronger was 26...Qd7!, leading after e.g. 27.Rd1 Rc8, 28.Rc1 Rd8, 29.Rd1 Rac8 to a clearly winning position for Black.

27.Qc3 ...
Probably best for White was 27.Nxe8 Bxc5+, 28.Rxc5 Rxc5, 29.Nxf6 Kg7, when Black retains a clear advantage.

27. ... Bxd6?
This lets slip Black's large advantage. Instead, 27...Qd7! was now necessary, a possible continuation being 28.Rc7 Ra3, 29.Qxa3 Qxc7 when the White knight is lost. An alternative try, 29.Qc6 Qxd6, 30.Qxd6 Bxd6, 31.Rc6 Rb6!, 32.Rfc1 Raa6, also leaves Black a piece ahead.

Position after 32...Raa6 in analysis

28.Rxd6 Rxa2
29.Rfd1 Qe7
Preparing to play the b8-rook to the second rank, and positioning to give the queen access to the g1-a7 diagonal.

30.Qe3 Rbb2
We reckoned that this move would have the greatest psychological effect. With the heavy pieces of both sides operating against partly exposed kings, the end could come at any moment. A key factor is that Black has the more active bishop.

31.Rd8+ ...
Safest was 31.Bf1 when ...Kg7 maintains the balance; but not 31...Rxh2??, 32.Qb6! Kf7, 33.Rxe6 Qxe6, 34.Qc7+ etc. No better (after 32.Qb6) would be ...Bf7, 33.Rd7 Qa3, 34.Qb8+ Kg7, 35.Rxf7+

31. ... Kg7
32.R8d2? ...
A decisive error. White is understandably concerned about the pair of rooks firing along the second rank. Relatively best was 32.Bf1, but after ...Rxh2 Black has a clear advantage.

32. ... Qb4!
Devastating. This controls the key squares and forces open the second rank. White cannot move his rook without loss, and he cannot defend it adequately.

Position after 32...Qb4

33.Rd7+ ...
The alternative, 33.Rxb2 Qxb2, was clearly hopeless for White.

34.Rxd7+ Kg8
35.Bf1 Ra1!
36.Qd3 Qb6+
37.Kh1 Qb5!
Simplest. This prevents the White queen from accessing the c4-g8 diagonal and forces the exchange of queens, leaving White in a losing position.

38.Rd8+ Kg7
39.Rd7+ Kh6
40.Qe3+ g5

The White team resigned. They have no more useful checks, and will be mated within a few moves. Both sides just made the time control, with less than one minute to spare.

Final Position after 40...g5

Epilogue

The game, which was published by Julian Simpole in his chess column in the Brighton & Hove Gazette, was played more than 50 years ago. Of our opponents, we understand from Geoffrey James of the Brighton Club that Geoffrey Nicholas has moved away from the area and is not currently active in chess. His brother Michael, who became the Brighton Club President from 1985 to 1991, transferred his allegiance to the Worthing Club a few years ago and played in the first team. Sadly, he died in August 2022 from motor neurone disease.

The Worthing players, who had been friends back in the late 1960s and 1970s when they played well over 100 training games, lost contact when they both left the Club some years later, until they independently rejoined a few years ago. Since then, Keith moved to Thailand in late 2023, to be near two of his sons who emigrated there a while ago. John, who retired (for the second time) in 2016, continues to live locally and remains a member of the Club.

22.04.24

Russell Granat Simultaneous Chess Match Report

Monday 12th February

On Monday 12th February evening, our Club Champion, Russell Granat, took on 11 hopeful opponents in a simultaneous tournament, with alternating White and Black boards.

The majority of games had losing pieces however the last game to finish was against
Phil Crompton who achieved a draw after two hours of play.
While there was a lot of swapping off, there were some good tactical maneuvers in between :

[Event "Russell Granat Simultaneous Tournament"]
[Site "Worthing Chess Club"]
[Date "2024.02.12"]
[White "Granat, Russell"]
[Black "Crompton, Phil"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. e4 e6
2. c4 c5
3. Nc3 Nc6
4. d3 g6
5. Nf3 Bg7
6. Bf4 d6
7. Be2 Nd4
8. Nxd4 Bxd4
9. Nb5 Be5
10. Qd2 a6
11. Nc3 Bg7
12. O-O Nf6
13. e5 dxe5
14. Bxe5 O-O
15. Bf3 Qb6
16. Rab1 Nd7
17. Na4 Qb4
18. Qxb4 cxb4
19. Bd6 Rd8
20. Be7 Re8
21. Bxb4 Ne5
- Russell thought he had done well to pick up a pawn on Move 21 but the play by Black thereafter was strong.

22. Be2 Bd7
23. Nb6 Rad8
24. Rfd1 Bc6
25. Bc3 Rd6
26. d4 Be4
- Another Strong Move by Black, forking the Knight on b6 and the Rook on b1; however White is still a pawn ahead in material.

27. dxe5 Rxb6
28. Ra1 Bc2
29. Rd2 Ba4
30. Bf3 Bh6
31. Re2 Bc6
32. Bxc6 Rxc6
33. b3 b5
34. Re4 1/2-1/2
- In the final position, White is losing the extra pawn on c4, so a draw was fair.

So the final tally was Russell agreed a Draw with Phil Crompton and Won against the remaining 10 players ; 10.5 - 0.5

Russell Granat: Strategic Magician

An Historic Match

Russell Granat Simultaneous Chess Match Report