Howell still at the top in British Championship

David Howell retains lead
Malcolm Pein reports on the 100th British Chess Championships
By Malcolm Pein, Chess correspondent
6:26PM BST 07 Aug 2013

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk 

David Howell was held to a draw by Mark Hebden but still retained a half-point lead after the seventh round of the 100th British Championships was over. Howell has 6/7 with Hebden, GM Simon Williams, GM Keith Arkell and IM Ameet Ghasi on 5.5.

The players seemed invigorated by Sunday’s rest day and a large proportion of the games were won by Black. Arkell won quickly against Peter Wells and Ghasi played a nice combination to defeat Jonathan Hawkins, but this was the game of the day:

S. Gordon – S. Williams
King’s Indian 

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.d4 0–0 6.h3 a6 7.Be3 Nbd7 8.c5 (A very interesting novelty. c4-c5 is usual if Black has also played c7-c6, as b6 is weak) 8…b5 9.Qc2 (9.e5 dxe5 10.dxe5 is good for White, or 9…Ne8 10.Ng5!?) 9…Bb7 10.a3 Qe8 11.Be2 e5 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.0–0 Nxf3+ 14.Bxf3 Nd7 15.cxd6 cxd6 16.Rad1 f5!? 17.Rxd6 Ne5 18.Qb3+ Kh8 19.Be2 f4 20.Bd4?! f3!

Position after 24.gxf3 

24…Bc8!! (The rook is pinned to the queen 24…Qf4 25.Rxe5 wins) 25.Qd5 Qxe6 26.Qxa8 Qxh3 27.Rd1 

Position after 27.Rd1
Black to play and mate in three

Two junior players again performed well. Ravi Haria followed his defeat of David Eggleston with a draw against Simon Knott and Matthew Wadsworth held GM John Emms to a draw.

Answer: