Russian Grandmaster Alexander Cherniaev visited Oxford for the University Rapidplay last week and won first prize in the Open section with 5/6.

In the under-170 section, Didcot’s Graham Alcock took first with a splendid 6/6 ahead of Banbury’s Gary Jackson on 5/6. Will Burt’s rapid play grade of 156 would have allowed him to play in the under-170, where he might well have landed first prize.

His standard grade (189) suggests he is really too good for that section and he played two fine games on his way to a creditable 2.5/6 in the Open. The first of those games he played in round 2 against Dragon expert and fellow Cowley Club player Rod Nixon.

White: Will Burt Black: Rod Nixon 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 The famous Sicilian Dragon takes its shape. Everyman Chess have just published Simon Williams’ The New Sicilian Dragon in which a radical and aggressive repertoire involving a Dragon-Najdorf hybrid is recommended.

6.Be2 Bg7 7.Be3 0–0 8.Qd2 a6 9.f3?! White does not have to play this yet because his e-pawn is not under threat and after say 9.0–0–0, Black cannot play 9…Ng4 because 10.Bxg4 Bxg4 11.f3 Bd7 12.Bh6 is a very fast attack for White. The position after 9.0-0-0 was reached in Glek–Short, Wijk aan Zee 1997, and is investigated by Williams in his new book.

9...Nc6 10.Nb3?! Qc7?! This is a good place for the queen in many Sicilian set-ups; but in the dragon White may be able to play Nd5 at some point gaining time and undermining Black’s important f6 knight. Black could have taken advantage of White’s last move by playing 10...b5!

11.Bh6 Ne5?! This further mistake puts White on top. Here, Black must play 11...b5! when he has good counter-play. If White continues as in the game with 12.h4 then there might follow: 12…Bxh6! 13.Qxh6 Nb4 14.0–0–0 Be6 15.h5 Nxa2+ 16.Nxa2 Bxb3 17.Nc3 Bxc2 18.Kxc2 b4 with a good position for Black. 12.h4 Be6 12...Bxh6 13.Qxh6 Be6 14.h5 Nxh5 15.g4 Nf6 is a transposition to the game.

13.h5 Nxh5 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.g4 Nf6 16.Qh6+ Kg8 17.0–0–0 A natural move; but White could finish the game with 17.f4! Nexg4 18.Bxg4 Bxg4 19.Nd5 17...Rfc8 18.Nd4 Qa5 19.Nf5?! Tempting; but 19.g5 Nh5 20.Rxh5! gxh5 21.Nxe6 fxe6 22.Qxe6+ was much stronger.

19...Bxf5 Black could have defended better with the insane looking 19...gxf5! because after 20.gxf5 Bxa2 21.Rdg1+ Ng6 22.fxg6 fxg6 White has no obvious way to continue his attack while Black is two pawns to the good.

20.Nd5!? If 20.gxf5 then Black would have struck with 20…Rxc3!

20...Bxe4 Again, Black would have been fine if he had found 20...Nexg4! 21.Nxe7+ Kh8 22.fxg4 Bxe4 21.Nxe7+ Kh8 22.fxe4 Nc4? This is last mistake. Black could have played 22...Qxa2. Then 23.Nf5? would lose to 23...Rxc2+! so White would have to play 23.Qf4 instead, with an unclear position.

23.Nf5! gxf5 Of course 23...Rg8 would have allowed 24.Qxh7+! Nxh7 25.Rxh7+ Kxh7 26.Rh1 checkmate.

24.Qxf6+ Kg8 25.Rxh7! 0-1