IT is time to remind all club members that the 2006 Bermuda International Open comes around next weekend, once again in the ideal surroundings of the Fairmont Southampton Resort. The first round starts at 8 p.m. on Friday, February 10, with the following four games at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It is impossible to take a half-point bye in any round except the last, provided that the arbiter is informed no later than Friday evening.

This is the only opportunity for most local players to face international opposition, so players of all strengths are encouraged to take part. The entry fee for members of the Bermuda Chess club has been held at $70, and with substantial cash prizes going down to the under-1600 division this represents excellent value for money.

Entries can be accepted on Thursday evening, or on Friday at the hotel no later than 7.30 p.m.

On Thursday evening there will as usual be a cocktail party to welcome visitors, generously hosted this year by the Alkons, who have for many years been great supporters of chess in Bermuda.

All local chess players are of course invited, whether or not they are able to take part in the Open, and any assistance in shuttling the visitors to and from the hotel would as always be appreciated. The party will be followed at about 8.30 p.m. by blitz tournament back at the hotel — the entry fees of $30 per player will be doubled and returned in prizes.

In international news, the Chorus grandmaster tournament held in the Dutch town of Wijk-aan-Zee is not over, and first place was shared by Veselin Topalov and Vishy Anand, confirming their status as clearly the two best tournament players in the world. Sharing third place were Vassily Ivanchuk and, showing a welcome return to form, Mickey Adams.

Adam’s next major challenge will be a match against the ex-Latvian Spaniard Alexei Shirov in the first round of the 2006 World Championship cycle. Shirov is currently playing in a high-prize Open Tournament in Gibraltar, and was doing well for the first five rounds. He then faced the English grandmaster Peter Wells, and suffered what may well be the quickest loss of his career.

White: P. Wells

Black: A. Shirov

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 <$>

See Diagram 1 for this distinctive line, the Trompovsky Variation. In theory it is not supposed to present black with insuperable problems, but it has claimed some notable scalps when wielded by British grandmasters such as Mickey Adams and, most notably of all, his good friend Julian Hodgson.

c5

There are more solid defences, for instance 2. . . . e6, but against an opponent rated 200 points below him Shirov is looking for the win.

3. Bxf6 gxf6 4. d5 Qb6 5. Qc1 f5 6. c4 Bh6

See Diagram 2. Wells is now forced into the coming exchange sacrifice, but was aware that it will turn out nicely for him. Shirov was presumably less well informed.

7. e3 f4 8. exf4 Bxf4 9. Qxf4 Qxb2 10. Ne2 Qxa1

See Diagram 3. White has won some material, at the price of an awkwardly placed queen and no other developed pieces at all. I must say that you would not normally expect to see an inspired attacker like Shirov in the black side of this position.

11. Nec3! Qb2 <$>

Hodgson has reached this position, and his opponent played 11. . . . d6, which turned out no better than this move.

12. d6! <$>

The final nail in the coffin.

Qc2 13. Qe3 and in Diagram 4 Shirov realised that his goose was completely cooked and resigned. He is too good a tactician to think there was any hope of saving both his queen and his king.