Following a disappointing defeat to Cambridge in the last match of the season back in May, Oxford 1 expected to be playing division 2 chess in the Four Nations Chess League next season.

However, Oxford4NCL team captain, Tim Dickinson has relayed the very welcome news that the team has been handed a reprieve by the withdrawal of Wood Green 2 and Oxford 1 will once again play in the top flight.


As a bonus the team will now retain the services of its star performer last season, Justin Tan. Seeking the International Master (IM) and Grandmaster (GM) norm opportunities which go with first division chess, Justin had previously put in a transfer request — but now there’s no need for him to go anywhere.


At the British Championships, currently taking place in Aberystwyth, Justin and Oxford’s other prodigious young star, Marcus Harvey have both made excellent starts and both will be dangerous opponents for any IMs or GMs unlucky enough to be paired against them in the closing rounds.


As far as winning the tournament is concerned though, the pool of likely British Champions is pretty small and probably does not contain either Justin or Marcus. Indeed, last year’s champion, David Howell looks a safe a bet to repeat the feat — but for David, Aberystwyth is a precursor to a tougher test.
He will join England teammates Michael Adams, Nigel Short, Gawain Jones and Matthew Sadler for the biennial chess Olympiad taking place from August 1 in Tromso, Norway.


Howell’s talent is not in doubt and the Olympiad might well be the launching pad for great things on the World stage. Here he is demolishing a very strong German grandmaster in a recent Bundesliga game.


White: David Howell
Black: Rainer Buhmann


1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Howell has ‘professionalised’ his repertoire to some extent recently — but still relies heavily on alternatives to the ubiquitous Ruy Lopez.


3...Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Qf3 Be7!? 9.Bd3 If  9.Bxc6+ then 9...Nxc6 10.Qxc6+ Bd7 11.Qf3 0–0 when White has 2 more pawns — but Black’s lead in development is dangerous.


9...0–0 10.0–0 h6 11.Ne4 Nxe4!? Effectively sacrificing a pawn for the chance to push the white queen around.


12.Qxe4 f5 13.Qxe5 Bd6 14.Qe2 c5 White has an extra 2 pawns — but there’s undoubtedly compensation for Black in the form of open lines, a big lead in development and the chance to hit White’s queen yet again with a timely ...Re8.


15.Nc3 Kh8?! 16.Qh5 Nc6 17.b3 Ne5 18.Bb2 Nxd3 19.cxd3 Kh7 20.Rfe1 Qd7 21.Re2 Bb7 22.Rae1 Rf6 23.Nb5 Rg6 24.Qxg6+!? Not forced since 24.f3 was possible — but too tempting to resist for Howell.


24...Kxg6 25.Nxd6 Bd5 26.Re7!? Giving up a piece to take aim at the black king. Howell certainly does lack for courage especially as the more prosaic 26.Ne8 looks good for him.


26...Qxd6 27.Rxg7+ Kh5 28.Re3 Bxg2 Forced, to prevent mate — but Black’s king position is too precarious for the threats to be countered for long.


29.Rxg2 Kh4 30.Be5 Qc6 31.Rgg3 f4 32.Re4 Rf8 33.Bxf4 Kh5 34.f3 Qd7 35.Be3 Rf5 36.Kf2 Qxd3 37.Re6 1–0