The Patience of the Spider

Michael Adams – Daniel W. Gormally
103rd British Chess Championship; Bournemouth, August 4, 2016
English Opening A20

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Bc5 4. Nc3 0-0 5. Nf3 d6 6. d4 exd4 7. Nxd4 Re8 8. 0-0 Nbd7 9. b3 a6 10. Bb2 Ne5 11. Qd2 Rb8 12. Nd5 c6 13. Nxf6+ Qxf6 14. Rac1 Qg6 15. b4 Ba7 16. Rfe1 Be6 17. Nxe6 Qxe6 18. Bd4 Bxd4 19. Qxd4 Rbd8 20. Red1 h6 21. a4 Qc8 22. h3 Qc7 23. e3 Rd7 24. b5 Rc8 25. Qb2 Rdd8 26. Qd2 Qb6 27. bxc6 bxc6 28. Qd4 Qc7 29. Qc3 a5 30. c5 d5 31. e4 dxe4 32. Bxe4 Re8 33. Rd6 Rb8 34. Rcd1 Rb4 35. R1d4 Qb8 36. Kg2. Clearly not 36. Bxc6?? on account of 36. ... Nxc6 37. Rxc6 Rb3 38. Qd2 (38. Qxa5? Rxg3+!) 38. ... Rxg3+! turning tables. 36. ... Nc4 37. Rxc4 Rxe4 38. Rxe4 Rxe4 39. Qf3. Rather than hurrying to take the a-Pawn, Adams cleverly sets a pretty little trap for his opponent, in Lasker’s best style.

39. ... Rxa4?? This is an awful blunder by Gormally, losing on the spot. Here 39. ... Re5 40. Qxc6 (on 40. Rxc6 Qb7 41. Rb6 Qxf3+ 42. Kxf3 Rxc5 43. Rb5 Rc3+ Black should easily draw) 40. ... Qb4 still leaves the situation rather unclear, in spite of Black’s Pawn deficit. The refutation of the text is easy but pretty: 40. Qd3! 1 : 0.