simultaneous display

Tom is the master again
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Tom is the master again

It was a pleasure to welcome back to the club Oxford University’s genial International Master Tom O’Gorman. Since his last visit two years ago Tom has clocked up several tournament successes, including an outstanding performance for Ireland in the last chess Olympiad.

On this occasion he took on 14 players, including most of our first team, and scored an impressive +12 =1 -1.

The most exciting game was against Oxford’s rising star Jan Murawski, who recently collected his Candidate Master title.

Tom O’Gorman – Jan Murawski

Oxford City simul, 03.02.2025

Polish Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 a6 3.Nc3 b5

This interesting gambit seems to have been invented by the creative Georgian Grandmaster Bukhuty Gurgenidze in the 1970s. Lately Dutch GM Thomas Beerdsen has been its main champion.

Tom has come prepared as he has seen Jan trying out the line in internet blitz games.

4.e4 b4 5.Nd5

5…Nxd5

An early master game went 5…Nxe4 6.Qf3 c6 7.Qxe4 cxd5 8.Qxd5 Nc6 9.Qe4 d5 10.cxd5 f5 11.Qe3 Qxd5 12.Nf3 g6 13.b3 Bg7 14.Bb2 Bb7 15.Bc4 Qe4 ½–½ Vaganian-Gurgenidze (Ordzhonikidze 1978).

6.exd5 e6

Chess engine Stockfish gives 6…c6 7.dxc6 dxc6 8.Nf3 g6 9.Be3 Bg7 10.Qd2 c5 11.d5 Qd6 12.Bh6 Bxh6 13.Qxh6±.

7.Nh3 Bb7 8.Nf4 c6 9.Bd3

Or 9.dxe6 dxe6 10.Be3 Nd7±.

9…cxd5 10.cxd5

10…g6?!

10…Bd6 is about level. Tom delays castling to probe Jan’s kingside.

11.h4 Bg7 12.Be3 Qa5 13.Qg4 b3+ 14.Bd2 Qb6 15.axb3 Bxd4

Stockfish gives 15…Bxd5 16.h5 Nc6 17.Nxd5 exd5 18.Qe2+ Ne7 19.0–0 with advantage to White.

16.0–0 e5 17.h5!?

This enterprising piece sacrifice gives Tom a clear advantage. It is instructive that the computer prefers two alternatives aimed at opening up the e-file to Black’s king: 17.Ra4!? exf4 18.Re1+ Kf8 19.Rxd4 Qxd4 20.Bxf4 Kg8 21.Re8+ Kg7 22.Be5+ +–; or 17.Ba5 Qd6 18.Ne2.

After the game Jan felt that he should have castled here; Tom agreed but was confident that that he would have kept a strong initiative after 17…0–0 18.hxg6 fxg6 19.Nxg6 hxg6 20.Bxg6 Qf6 21.Bh6. The computer agrees too!

17…exf4?

The engine recommends 17…a5 18.Ne2 Qxb3 19.Bc3 Bxc3 20.Nxc3 0–0 when White is still a lot better owing to the weak dark squares around Black’s king.

18.Rfe1+ Kf8 19.Qxf4 Bxd5 20.Ba5!

A powerful move. The queen is overloaded and must abandon a key defensive square or diagonal if she moves: 20…Qf6 21.Qh6+ Qg7 21.Bb4+ Kg8 22.Re8+ Qf8 23.Rxf8#.

 20…g5

Desperately hoping that exchanging queens and returning the piece will relieve some of the pressure. Tom shows no mercy.

21.Bxb6 gxf4 22.Bxd4 Rg8 23.Bc5+ Kg7 24.Re5 Bxg2 25.Rg5+

Black must lose material.

1–0

A powerful attacking display from Tom.

Prepared to apply pressure: Tom gains the upper hand against Jan
Tom’s toughest test: Gabriel conjures up a mighty exchange sacrifice.

Tom O’Gorman –  Gabriel Sherwood

Tom has nursed a small edge from the opening and can now collect a pawn by 26.Ra1 Qe6 (26…Qc4 27.Rd6 Be5 28.Rg6+! fxg6 29.Rxa7+ wins) 27.Qxe6 Rxe6 28.Rxa7.

But he is tempted to undermine Black’s weakened kingside instead.

26.h4? 26…Rcxe3!

This timely exchange sacrifice completely turns the tables. It turns out that White’s king is even less secure than Black’s.

27.fxe3 Rxe3 28.Kh1

No better is 28.Qf2 Re2 29.Qf1 Qc4 30.Rb3 Bd4+ 31.Kh1 Qc6+ 32.Rf3 Rf2.

28…Rxg3?

This plausible move is not the best. Black can win by 28…Re2! 29.Qf1 (29.Qf3 Bd4!) 29…Qc2 30.Kg1 Qe4 31.Rb3 Bd4+.

29.Rg1 Qa3

30.Rxg3?

Missing a draw by 30.hxg5 hxg5 (30…Rh3+ 31.Kg2 Rg3+ 32.Kh2 Rxg5=) 31.Rxg3 Qxg3 32.Rf1=.

30…Qxg3 31.hxg5 Be5!

The point. The threat of mate on h2 gives White no time to organise counterplay on the f-file.

32.gxh6+ Kxh6 33.Qc2 Qh3+

0–1

34.Kg1 Bd4+ wins.

Fighting defence from Gabriel, well played!

Stuart White succumbed only after stiff resistance
More valuable experience for Adam, his second game against a master
Duncan Reith was one of the last to finish, defeated by some masterly endgame technique

Many thanks to Tom for making this such an enjoyable and memorable evening. We are all looking forward to his next visit.

Juniors shine in Yichen’s simul
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Juniors shine in Yichen’s simul

What better way to mark the start of the chess season than invite a strong master to give a simultaneous display?

Talented International Master Yichen Han has an Elo rating of 2429 and is still only 16 years old. Born in the Netherlands, he learned chess using the ‘Step Method’, improved rapidly and qualified for the IM title in 2022. Now a student at Oxford’s Magdalen College School, he is about to apply for a place at university to study mathematics and statistics.

“I’ll have no time to be bored!”

Yichen agreed to take on 17 of our members on Monday 14 October.

Most were facing a master over the board for the first time and played more in the hope than expectation of testing Yichen’s strength, but they were joined by a sprinkling of seasoned league players confident of snatching at least a half-point.

The addition of clocks (80 minutes + 10 seconds per move) upped the ante for the master. Yichen was relishing the challenge. “I prefer quick games and tend to get bored playing a classical time control. This way I’ll have no time to get bored!”.

In effect, Yichen would be playing 17 local league games at once against some of our strongest players, including junior stars Jan Murawski and Shambavi Hariharan. Jan had even beaten Yichen in a regular tournament game!

And how would Yichen fare against his 18th opponent, and arguably his strongest one: the clock?

Even our less experienced players were keen to put up a fight. There were no early baths even though the outcome of at least four or five games seemed decided out of the opening. That was by no means the end of the story though:  Yichen’s 18th opponent could do some heavy lifting for any defender able to stave off checkmate for a while.

Stewart defends as Jan looks on

Club regulars Stuart White and David Gubinelli were holding  their own; Cumnor’s Nigel Moyse seemed cruising comfortably to a draw; while Jan and Shambavi were starting to apply serious pressure and slowing Yichen down.

After an hour time began to tell. Yechu Zhang scored a surprise win on the clock, and Yichen rewarded David’s tough defence with a draw offer that was gratefully accepted.

Yichen took a draw from Jan who was beginning to build an advantage.

Shambavi offered the stiffest opposition and played a blinder, winning a pawn and frustrating Yichen’s attempts to muddy the waters. We’ll analyse her fine win in a future post.

Stuart also grabbed a pawn and made a well-timed draw offer in a position that was technically won for him.

Last man standing Nigel Moyse had a one-on-one blitz shootout with the master. He went astray in an even rook ending but Yichen sportingly made peace in a winning position.

Final score: 11½/17 (Won 9 Drawn 5 Lost 3)

Many thanks to Yichen for being such a good sport.  It was an enjoyable and instructive evening we are all keen to repeat.

Junior champion Shambavi Hariharan on her way to beating the master
Young Xander Scott stayed the course well past his bedtime