The English Chess Federation grading database is now published twice yearly online and the new grades have just appeared in readiness for the new season.

In Oxfordshire, Witney players Peter Wells (rated 234) and Marcus Harvey (227) and Cowley player, David Zakarian (233) head the list.

Peter and Marcus are presently in action in Torquay at the British Championships.

The Championships last for a fortnight and are over 11 rounds. There are 13 grandmasters competing — but two players, David Howell and the 2012 champion Gawain Jones, are a class apart and it would be a great surprise if one of these two did not lift the trophy.

As I write, after the first week’s games, Marcus has 2.5 out of 6 and Peter is amongst the leaders with 4.5/6. In round 3, Peter played the following impressive game against the experienced Hampshire player, Michael Yeo.

White: Peter Wells

Black: Michael Yeo

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 The Grünfeld is an excellent counter-attacking weapon — but Peter might not have been too sorry to see Michael wheel it out. Why? Well, it’s Michael’s main defence to d4 so Peter would have prepared for it, and in addition, Peter is a strong theoretician and has a great deal of experience and a good record on the White side of this opening.

4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1 The main move these days. White intends to meet the threat to his centre by advancing his d-pawn - even at the cost of his c3 pawn.

8...0–0 9.Be2 Nc6 Grünfeld expert Peter Svidler usually plays the solid 9...b6 here.

10.d5 Ne5 Of course, Black can grab a pawn with 10...Bxc3+ but after 11.Bd2 Bxd2+ 12.Qxd2 Na5 13.h4 his kingside looks bare and White can play for mate.

11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.Qd2 e6 13.f4 Bc7 14.0–0 exd5 15.exd5 Ba5 16.d6 Rb8 17.Rb5!? The position after 16...Rb8 is well-known to theory. 17.Ba3 is more common - but Peter has in mind a new and radical idea.

17...b6 18.Rxa5!? Here’s White idea: he sacrifices the exchange to shatter Black’s pawns and control the dark squares.

18...bxa5 19.Ba3 c4!? Black gives a pawn to gain time. Against 19...Qb6 White could go for Black’s king with 20.f5

20.Bxc4 Qb6+ 21.Kh1 Ba6 22.Bxa6 Qxa6 23.Rc1! White needs both passed pawns to be mobile. Black must now decide how to block their advance.

23...Qc4? This is not the way. Black needed to have some control of d7 - so 23...Qc6 was correct - but even then, after 24.c4 White is to be preferred.

24.d7 Rfd8 25.Be7 Getting back the exchange and keeping his strong passed pawns.

25...Qc6 26.Bxd8 Rxd8 27.Rd1 The rest is easy — it’s just a matter of pushing the c-pawn to support its comrade and if necessary, using the enforced passivity in Blacks position to make gains elsewhere.

27...a6 28.Qd4 f6 29.c4 Kf7 30.c5 1–0