The Star E-dition

CHESS BY VICTOR STRUGO

In To help develop young talent, the Western Cape Chess Association is setting up a chess training programme comprising online and face-to-face sessions for U11, U13 and U15 boys and girls who cannot access or afford formal training. Keen candidates who are serious enough to engage in and commit to staying the whole course should email Burton van Staaden (president@chesswp.co.za). Twelve successful applicants will be trained by coach Reuben Salimu.

A subsidy from the African Chess Federation allowed Cape-based FM Calvin Klaasen to play in the Challengers section of the Sharjah Masters Cup. This 56-player Swiss was won by Egyptian IM Mohsen Elgabry with 7.5/9 points, followed by IM Sultan Ebrahim (UAE). Klaasen tied 7-9th with 6 points.

Boasting 62 IGMS among 80 entrants, the heavyweight Masters section was jointly won by the rising Uzbek star Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Saleh Salem (UAE).

Klaasen, C – Mohamed, SL (Caro-kann

Defence): 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 4 dxc5 e6 5 a3 Nc6 6 Nf3 Bxc5 7 b4 Bb6 8 Bd3 Nge7 9 O-O Ng6 10 Re1 O-O 11 Bb2 Qe7 12 Nbd2 Rd8 13 g3 a6 14 Qe2 Ba7 (White has done well from Black’s passive play and cramped position) 15 c4 dxc4 16 Nxc4 b5 17 Be4? (Too cute. The simple 17 Nd6 is better as 17 … Ncxe5 18 Bxe5 Nxe5 19 Nxe5! Qxd6? loses to 20 Bxh7+!) 17 ... Bd7? (Here too the obvious move was better: 17 bxc4 18 Bxc6 Bb7 19 Bxb7 Qxb7 20 Nd2 a5 21 Nxc4 axb4 and Black is fine) 18 Nd6 f5? 19 Bc2?! (OK but much stronger was 19 exf6! Qxd6 [19 … gxf6 20 Rad1] 20 Rad1 Qc7 21 Ng5 with a crushing attack) 19 Be8 20 Rad1 Bb8 21 Bb3 Bf7? 22 Nxf7 Kxf7 23 Rc1 Rc8 (Other moves also lose but now Calvin can finish neatly) 24 Bxe6+! Kxe6 $1 25 Rxc6+ $1 Rxc6 26 Nd4+ Kf7 (26 Kd7 27 Nxc6 Kxc6 28 Qf3+ Kd7 29 Rd1+ Ke8 30 Qxa8) 27 Nxc6 Qe8 28 e6+ Kg8 29 e7 Bc7 30 Qe6+ Kh8 31 Nd4

Be5 32 Rxe5 Nxe5 33 Qxe5 Qd7 34 Nxf5 1-0

There’s still time to enter the SA Open which starts in Goodwood on 9th July. Register at https://bit.ly/saopen22.

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2022-06-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-06-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://thestar.pressreader.com/article/282282438979922

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