Clitheroe
GRANDMASTER SIMUL AT BROWN COW, CHATBURN
By Brendan Brown
Jun 26, 2010, 13:59

On Tuesday evening on 22nd June at the Brown Cow in Chatburn, Grandmaster Keith Arkell gave a simultaneous display.

Keith played 14 opponents in all, conceding 2 draws and winning the rest. Paul Timson from Clitheroe and Andrew Clarkson from Hawks were the 2 players who held the Grandmaster to a draw. Special mention should also be given to Phillip Titterington from Clitheroe, who fought valiantly for over 2 hours and narrowly lost a rook and pawn endgame.

The Brown Cow put on an excellent buffet - including a cake shaped as a chess board with edible pieces!

Thanks also to Michelle, Katie and Lucy for setting up the pieces!

We hope to hold another simul sometime in the next few months so watch this space.

Below are some pictures from the event:

Aiden McCormack and Joe Petri, Eric Mansfield and Clive Edwards

The position didn't stay like this for long!

Held to a draw: Andrew Clarkson, Keith Arkell and Paul Timson

Note the author with head in hands!

Phillip Titterington commencing his marathon game.

Here are the two drawn games:-


White: Keith Arkell Black: Paul Timson


(Notes by Paul Timson)


1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.c4 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0 c5 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.dxc5 dxc5 9.Bf4 Be6 10.Ne5 Nxe5 11.Bxe5 Bxc4 12.Bxb7 Qxd1 13.Raxd1 Rad8 14.b3 Be6 15.f3 c4 16.b4 Nd7 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Bd5 Bxd5 19.Rxd5 Nb6 20.Rdd1 e6 21.Kf2 f5 22.a4 Kf6 23.e4 fxe4 24.Nxe4+ Ke7 25.a5 Nd5 26.Rc1 Rb8 27.Rxc4 Rxb4 28.Rxb4 Nxb4 29.Rb1 Rb8


At this point Keith played 30.Rxb4 under the impression that he could answer 30...Rxb4 with 31.Nc6+


He immediately realised his mistake and I not wishing to take advantage of his blunder offered him a draw which he accepted.


(46) Arkell,Keith (2480) - Clarkson,A A (2085) [E60]


14 board simul Chatburn, 22.06.2010


[Notes by Andrew Clarkson]


E60: King's Indian: Unusual lines and Fianchetto Variation without Nc3 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.d5 a5 8.Nc3 Nb6 9.Qd3 Bf5N This is advocated by Fritz and Rybka. [The main game I had checked out in preparation was 9...e5 10.e4 Nbd7 11.Qc2 Nc5 12.Ne1 Nh5 13.Nd3 Nxd3 14.Qxd3 f5 15.exf5 gxf5 16.f4 e4 17.Qd1 Nf6 18.Be3 c5 19.dxc6 bxc6 20.Qd2 Ba6 21.Rfd1 Bxc4 22.Qxd6 Qxd6 23.Rxd6 Nd5 24.Bc5 Arkell,K (2521)-Hebden,M (2522)/Halifax 2009/EXT 2010/1/2-1/2 (43)] 10.e4 Bg4 11.Be3 [I had looked at 11.Bf4 Nfd7 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Ne5 14.Bxe5 Bxe5 and was prepared to start the game from here.] 11...Nfd7 12.Bd4 Bxd4 [I was close to playing 12...Bxf3 13.Bxf3 (13.Bxg7?? Bxg2 14.Bxf8 Bxf1 15.Rxf1 Qxf8) 13...Ne5 14.Bxe5 Bxe5 which would have got me back to my preparation.] 13.Qxd4 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Ne5 15.Be2 c5 [In choosing 12...Bxd4, I had seen the following idea on the horizon. However, It does not work. 15...Nbxc4? 16.f4+/- (16.Bxc4?? Nf3+) ] 16.dxc6 Nxc6 17.Qd2 Kg7 to prevent Qh6. [But Qh6 is not to be feared, and the best move is 17...Nd7 18.Qh6 Qb6 19.Rab1] 18.Rac1 Qd7?! This will cost a pawn or control of the c file. Under other circumstances it might well result in a loss. [Again 18...Nd7 is correct.] 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.cxd5 Nb4 21.a3 Na6 22.Qxa5 Yes it is quite safe to take the pawn. 22...Nc5 23.Qc3+ [White cannot exploit control of the c file after 23.Qb5 Qxb5 24.Bxb5 Ra5 25.Be2 Nxe4 26.Rc7 Rxd5= For example 27.Rxb7 Rd2 28.Bf3 Nc5 29.Rxe7 Rxb2 30.Rd1 Rb3 31.Be2 Rxa3 32.Rxd6] 23...f6 24.Bf3 Rfc8 25.Qe3 Qa4 26.b4 Nd7 27.Rxc8 Rxc8 28.Rc1 Rxc1+ 29.Qxc1 Ne5 30.Be2 Since winning the pawn White has missed a couple of opportunities to eliminate any Black counterplay. [White should stop the Black Queen from invading with 30.Bd1 Qa6] 30...Qb3 31.Kg2 Qa2 32.Qe3 Qc2 33.h3 g5 34.f4? and Black completely equalises. [34.Bf1 at least maintains the pawn advantage.] 34...Nc4 35.Qd3 Nxa3 [I still had to be careful to avoid 35...Qxd3?? 36.Bxd3 Nxa3 and where will the Knight go?] 36.Qxc2 [It is out of the question to take the Knight. 36.Qxa3? Qxe2+ 37.Kg1 gxf4 38.gxf4 Qxe4-/+] 36...Nxc2 37.b5 b6 I even entertained hopes of a win at this point. 38.Kf2 Kg6 playing to provoke White. 39.Bd3 Nd4 40.e5+ Kg7 41.exd6 exd6 42.Ke3 Nb3 43.Kf3 Nc5 44.Bc2 h5 45.Bf5 Kh6 46.Ke3 Kg7 47.Be6 [47.h4 Kh6+/=] 47...Kg6= 48.Bc8 Kh6 49.fxg5+ fxg5 50.h4 Kg6 51.Kd4 Kf6 52.Bh3

Drawn on my proposal as neither side can penetrate to attack pawns. 1/2-1/2