A Spider on the Stairs

Peter Shaw – Michael Adams
103rd British Chess Championship; Bournemouth, July 25, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D52

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Nf3 Qa5 7. Nd2 Bb4 8. Qc2 0-0 9. Be2 e5 10. dxe5 Ne4 11. Ndxe4 dxe4 12. 0-0 Bxc3 13. Qxc3. By moving thus, Edward Lasker vainly hoped to “pacify” the ferocious will to win of the great – and possibly greatest World Chess Champion ever – Emanuel Lasker. 13. ... Qxc3 14. bxc3 Nxe5 15. Bf4 Nd3!? The Spider brings his own personal style to bear on the German giant’s masterpiece: 15. ... Re8 16. c5 Nd7 17. Bd6 b6 18. cxb6 axb6 19. Rfd1 Ba6 20. Bxa6 Rxa6 21. a4 Rea8 22. Kf1 f5 23. Rab1 R8a7 24. g4 fxg4 25. Rb4 Nf6 26. Bb8 Ra8 27. Rd8+ Kf7 28. Bc7 Rxa4 29. Rxa8 Rxa8 30. Rxb6 Nd5 31. Rb7 Ke6 32. c4 Ne7 33. Rb4 Ra1+ 34. Ke2 Ra2+ 35. Ke1 Nf5 36. Rb6 Kd7 37. Be5 Ra4 38. c5 Ke6 39. Bd6 Kd5 40. Rb7 h5 41. Bf8 g6 42. Rd7+ Kc4 43. Rd1 Ra3 44. Rd8 Nh4 45. Bg7 Nf3+ 46. Ke2 Ra2+ 47. Kf1 Rd2 48. Rxd2 Nxd2+ 49. Kg2 Kxc5 50. h3 gxh3+ 51. Kxh3 g5 0 : 1 Ed. Lasker – Em. Lasker, New York 1924. 16. Bd6 Rd8 17. c5 Be6. Some things old, quite a bit new in Michael’s solo performance of Emanuel Lasker’s violin concerto. The rest is pure pleasure. 18. a3 Bc4 19. Rfd1 b5 20. Bxd3 exd3 21. f3 f5 22. Kf2 Re8 23. Rd2 Re6 24. Re1 Rae8 25. Rb2 g5 26. Bc7 Kf7 27. Bd6 Kg6 28. Bc7 h6 29. Bd6 a5 30. Bc7 a4 31. Bd6 Bb3 32. Rd2 Bc2 33. Bc7 Kf7 34. Bd6 Kf6 35. h3 h5 36. Bc7 h4 37. Bd6 Kg6 38. Bc7 Kh5 39. Bd6 Rf6 40. Rh1 Rf7 41. Re1 Re6 42. Rh1 Kg6 43. Ra1 Re8 44. Rh1 Rf6 45. Rg1 Rfe6 46. Re1 Kf7 47. Bc7 Rf6 48. Bd6 Ree6 49. Bc7 Ke8 50. Rc1 Rf7 51. Bd6

51. ... g4 52. hxg4 fxg4 53. Rh1 g3+ 54. Kf1 Re4 55. Bf4 Rexf4 56. exf4 Rxf4 57. Ke1 Kf7 58. Rg1 Kf6 59. Rxc2 dxc2 60. Kd2 h3 61. gxh3 Rxf3 62. Kxc2 Kg5 0 : 1.

Michael Adams
Photo: Brendan O’Gorman