The Sunday chess column
By Nigel Short
(Filed: 23/01/2005)

While being driven through the Kenyan savannah last week, past sisal and acacia trees, Thomson’s gazelles, topis, dik-diks, giraffes and wildebeests, I reflected that, for better or worse, there are large parts of the world that are untouched by chess. Karen Blixen may have had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills, but I doubt whether she ever studied the Sicilian Defence there.

Things had to be different, or so I imagined, at the historic port of Mombasa. The centuries-old Omani influence is palpable even today, and not only in the religion; if the Arabs could introduce chess to Europe, why not also to East Africa? I met up with James Apiri, one of the leading players of the metropolis of 1.8 million. Over a beer and a friendly few games of blitz, to the voluble background accompaniment of chanting Massai warriors, I asked him how many clubs there were in Mombasa? “One,” he replied. Slightly taken aback, I paused before continuing: “How many members does it have?” “Er...about 10.” James conceded that most of the chess activity took place in the capital. We eventually finished a pleasant evening, but not before he had taken a point off me.

In Nairobi the next day, I met Stanley Luruti, chairman of the Kenyan Chess Association. He did not seem to have a clue who I was, but nevertheless cancelled a business appointment to meet me at short notice. He seemed both surprised and impressed when I mentioned that I was the Commonwealth Champion. We were joined later by Lawrence Kagambi, secretary of the KCA, and a former national champion himself, and two other players.

Word spread quickly; by the time we met up again for dinner most of the national team plus other aspirants had assembled, perhaps about 20 in all. I played around a dozen games of blitz in an atmosphere of gentle-natured barracking, fortunately winning all of them. Many photographs were taken and hands were shaken in what was a most convivial evening.

One of my opponents was Ben Nguku, top scorer (as first reserve) for the Kenyan team in the 2004 Calvia Olympiad. He has a sharp style despite his sometimes conservative choice of openings. This was his best effort from Spain

White: Octavio Croes
Black: Ben Nguku Namale
Calvia, Mallorca,
26 October 2004

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 e6 There is no necessity to constrict the c8 bishop within the pawn chain. It can be safely developed by 4. ...Bf5 5. Nf3 Be7 6. 0–0 0–0 7. b3 Nbd7 8. Qc2 Ne4 Making clear his intentions. Black is aiming for a Dutch Stonewall set-up – not inappropriate against his opponent from the Netherland Antilles. 9. Nfd2 A good alternative was 9. Bb2 f5 10. Ne1! with the intention of evicting the advanced knight by f3 followed by Nd3 and Nd2. It would safe to say that White stands well there. 9. ...f5 10. Bb2 Qe8 11. f3 Nxd2 12. Nxd2 Qh5 13. e4 It might have been more circumspect to advance this pawn only one square. After 13. e3 Rf6 14. Rf2 Rh6 15. Nf1 The Black “attack” goes nowhere and still the useless lump of wood on c8 remains. 13. ...f4 14. e5?! An inappropriate response. White hopes to squash Black by slowly exploiting his space advantage, but in doing so he underestimates the tactical possibilities. 14. ...fxg3 15. hxg3 Qg5! Hitting g3. 16. Kf2 Nxe5! Grabbing his chance to disturb the balance radically. 17. dxe5 Bc5+ 18. Ke2 Qxg3 Black has only two pawns for the piece but he possesses a strong initiative. 19. Bh1 Rf5! Losing no time in activating his rook. 20. ...Rxe5+ becomes a threat. 20. cxd5? White is either extremely confident of his prospects or totally oblivious to all danger. It was time to evacuate the centre by 20. Kd1! after which White could still hope to rebuff the attack. 20. ...b6!

Chess board

Naturally! The c5 bishop is protected and the hitherto dormant cleric on c8 also joins the fray. 21. d6 The tempting 21. Ne4 allows 21. ...Rxe5! 22. Bxe5 Qxe5 after which the king is caught in a vicious crossfire eg 23. dxc6 Ba6+ 24. Ke1 Qxa1+ winning. 21. ...Ba6+ 22. Nc4 22. Kd1 Bxf1 23. Nxf1 Qg1 24. Qg2 Rg5! 25. Qxg1 Rxg1 was likewise unpalatable. 22. ...Rh5 23. Kd1 Rh2! 24. Qc3 Qh3 24. ...Bxc4 25. bxc4 Qg6 intending Bd4 is a tricky computer suggestion (and apparently winning) but I think most normal human beings would have chosen the text. 25. Re1 Rxh1 26. Rxh1 Qxh1+ Recouping the investment with interest. 27. Kc2 Qg2+ 28. Nd2 h5 with the plan of advancing this pawn to h1. 29. b4 Bg1 30. d7 c5! Removing the pawn from attack and opening avenues towards White’s king. 31. bxc5 Bxc5 32. Ba3 Rd8 33. Bxc5 bxc5 34. Qb3 Qg6+ Protecting the e-pawn with tempo. 35. Ne4 Rxd7 36. Qa4 Losing by force but regular defensive tries were not much better either. 36. ...Qg2+ 37. Kc1 Qf1+ 38. Kc2 Qd3+ 38. ...Qe2+ 39. Kc1 Qe3+ 40. Kc2 Bd3+ 41. Kb2 Rb7+ was an easy way to do it. 39. Kc1 Bb5 Again 39. ...Qe3+ 40. Qb3 Qf1+ 41. Kb2 Qe2+ 42. Kc1 42. Qc2 leads to a hopeless endgame by 42. ...Qxc2+ 43. Kxc2 Bd3+ 44. Kc3 Bxe4 45. fxe4 Rd4 42. ...c4 43. Qc2 Qe1+ 44. Kb2 Qb4+ 45. Kc1 Ba4! The final killing blow. 46. Rb1 Qa3+ White resigns. If 47. Qb2 Rd1 is mate.