IT is worth mentioning that one of the greatest chess events ever organised by the Bank Pivdennyi and by the ACP from January 4-8 was the First ACP World Rapid Cup in Odessa, Ukraine.The Association of Chess Professionals (ACP) has the world’s top ten players.

FIDE president Kirsan Llyumzhinov took part in the opening ceremony. For the players, I don’t know which was more important — the US$136,000 prize fund or the right to say that you are the very best at speed chess.

But it was Peter Leko of Hungary who won the World’s First Rapid Cup. And his prize was $40,000 for a few days of playing.

These are some of the world’s strongest 14 players who took part in this First Rapid Cup.

Alexander Morozevich (Russia), Peter Leko (Hungary), Boris Gelfand (Israel), Ivan Sokolov (Netherlands), Teimour Radiator (Azerbaijan), Alexei Shirov (Spain), Evgeny Bareev (Russia), Arkadij Naiditsch (Germany), Victor Bologan (Moldova), Hikaru Nakamura (USA), Etienne Bacrot (France), Farrukh Amonatov (Tajikstan), Pentala Harikrishna (India)

Some of these players have been in Bermuda more than once playing chess at an invitational tournament.

We are also holding our own Bermuda First Rapid Cup tournament and so far Sami Lill and Michael Webb are two for two.

With speed chess you have only 30 minutes to win and notation of each move while playing is necessary.

In round one Alvin Amore had a sure win over Kennedy Simmons but let it all slip away. His opponent in round two was Michael Webb (pictured above) and here is that game.

Webb is playing white and Amore is playing black.

From diagram 1. move 22. . . . Qg5, I did not see the need for Alvin to trade queens; this also cost him a pawn. You can see in diagram 2. The knight is attacking the rook and a pawn. In the end Michael won the game.

Feel free to come to the Chamber of Commerce any Tuesday night from 7.45 to play or see others play.

White: Michael Webb

Black: Alvin Amore

Bermuda’s 1st Annual Rapid Cup

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bc4 Nc6 5. a3 e6 6. d3 Be7 7. Bg5 a6 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Re1 b5 10. Ba2 e5 11. h3 Be6 12. Nd5 Nd7 13. Bxe7 Nxe7 14. Qd2 h6 15. c3 Nb6 16. Ne3 Bxa2 17. Rxa2 Rc8 18. Raa1 f5 19. exf5 Nxf5 20. Ng4 c4 21. d4 exd4 22. Nxd4 Qg5 23. Qxg5 hxg5 24. Ne6 Rfe8 25. Nxg5 Rxe1+ 26. Rxe1 Na4 27. Re2 a5 28. Nf3 Nc5 29. Ne3 Nxe3 30. fxe3 Re8 31. Nd4 Ne4 32. Nxb5 Ng3 33. Re1 Re6 34. Nd4 Re8 35. Kh2 Ne4 36. Re2 d5 37. g4 Rf8 38. Kg2 Rf6 39. Nf5 Kf7 40. h4 Rg6 41. Kh3 Nf6 42. Rg2 Ne4 43. g5 Nd6 44. Nd4 Ne4 45. Kg4 Nc5<$z$>

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