Leonard Barden's Column on Gibtelecom

I read Barden's column but I usually do not post anything from his column here - until tonight. I really like what he did with it! From The Guardian.co.uk Chess with Leonard BardenLeonard Barden Saturday February 16, 2008 The Guardian Gibtelecom, now in its sixth year, is en route to becoming the strongest and best open event in the western world. Hikaru Nakamura, the youngest US champion since Bobby Fischer, defeated Bu Xiangzhi in last month's final to spoil what was otherwise an impressive result for China's grandmasters. Two results were significant for UK chess. Keti Arakhamia-Grant, Britain's leading female player, tied for the women's award. Then Robert Bellin, who won his British title back in 1979, achieved his first GM result at age 55. Following Guardian reader Jeff Horner's IM title at 58 and IM Andrew Whiteley's victory in the inaugural English senior (60-plus) championship, Bellin's success demonstrates that England can soon become a serious medal contender in European and world senior chess. Oldies can succeed where our national and junior teams now have little chance. This game against a strong Chinese opponent was Bellin's fastest win, and shows the power of adjacent diagonal bishops in a king's side attack which here ends in checkmate. R Bellin v Zhao Xue 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 b5 3 e3 a6 4 Bd3 d5 5 Nbd2 e6 6 0-0 c5 7 c3 Nc6 8 Qe2 Bb7 9 b3 Be7 10 Bb2 0-0 11 Rac1 Qb8 12 dxc5 Bxc5 13 c4 dxc4 14 bxc4 b4 15 Ng5 Rd8 16 Nde4 Nxe4 17 Bxe4 h6 18 Nxf7! Kxf7 19 Qh5+ Kg8 20 Qxc5 Rd2 21 Rc2 Rd7 22 Qh5 Nd8? 23 Qe8 mate. ************************************************************************************* Here's one for the "old" folks!