MARK RUBERY CHESS

WHITE TO PLAY AND DRAW SEE DIAGRAM

The day after the destruction of the World Trade Centre (9/11) the chess world was also shocked to learn of the death of GM Tony Miles (1955-2001) at the tragically early age of 46. Miles became England’s grandmaster in 1976 and went on to become one of active and popular players on the circuit. In 1979 he visited South Africa where (along with Korchnoi) he played in the Oude Meester Grand Prix. Perhaps Miles’ most celebrated game was his victory in the 1980 European Team Championship over the then practically invincible, Anatoly Karpov. Karpov,A (2725) - Miles,A (2545) [B00] EU-chT Skara (1), 1980

1.e4 a6 (Only Miles would have had the audacity to play such a move against the World Champion) 2.d4 b5 3.Nf3 Bb7 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.Qe2 e6 6.a4 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Nbd2 b4 9.e5 Nd5 10.Ne4 Be7 11.0-0 Nc6 12.Bd2 Qc7 13.c4 bxc3 14.Nxc3 Nxc3 15.Bxc3 Nb4 16.Bxb4 Bxb4 17.Rac1 Qb6 18.Be4 0-0 19.Ng5 (Miles has judged his opponent correctly. The ‘Greek gift’ sacrifice 19 Bxh7+ was found to be the strongest continuation, but it was well know the Karpov dislikes taking

uneccessary risks) .... h6 20.Bh7+ Kh8 21.Bb1 Be7 22.Ne4 Rac8 23.Qd3 Rxc1 24.Rxc1 Qxb2 25.Re1 Qxe5 26.Qxd7 Bb4 27.Re3 Qd5 28.Qxd5 Bxd5 29.Nc3 Rc8 30.Ne2 g5 31.h4 Kg7 32.hxg5 hxg5 33.Bd3 a5 34.Rg3 Kf6 35.Rg4 Bd6 36.Kf1 Be5 37.Ke1 Rh8 38.f4 gxf4 39.Nxf4 Bc6 40.Ne2 Rh1+ 41.Kd2 Rh2 42.g3 Bf3 43.Rg8 Rg2 44.Ke1 Bxe2 45.Bxe2 Rxg3 46.Ra8 Bc7 0-1

The English GM was also an entertaining writer on the game and his monthly ‘Miles Report’ (www.chesscafe.com) was a sardonic look at the chess world that is sorely missed. The following puzzle was solved in less than five minutes by the regular solvers at the Madeira Bar. The worst result in a simultaneous exhibition given by a master occurred in 1951, when International Master Robert Wade gave a simultaneous exhibition against 30 Russian schoolboys, aged 14 and under. After 7 hours of play, Wade had lost 20 games and drawn the remaining 10 (16.7%)