Oxfordshire juniors have a long history of success in claiming national age-group titles and they have excelled again this year.

At the recently concluded British Championships – held in Canterbury – Bicester club’s Marcus Harvey beat the favourite, Felix Felix Ynojosa-Aponte, on the way to becoming the British Under 14 Champion. Not to be outdone, Cowley’s famous sister act, Maria and Anna Wang, won the Girls Under 15 and Girls Under 12 titles respectively and Anna also won the Girls Under 11 and the Under 11 (boys and girls) titles. Oxford 4NCL player, Lateefah Messam-Sparks won the Girls Under 18 title for her good showing (4.5/11) in the Championship proper. Congratulations to them all.

As expected, the strong favourite, Mickey Adams, won the main event at a canter and Jovanka Houska became the British Women Champion. The fight for second place – behind Adams – was eventually won by Nick Pert; but former Cowley player Adam Hunt went through the Championships undefeated and had occupied second spot on his own at the start of round 9 of 11. Hunt gained a grandmaster norm for his fine play and Witney club’s Peter Wells – already a grandmaster of course – also had a good tournament. His one loss – to Hunt in the game below – was an exciting affair where, as so often at the British, one can see the initial high standard of play gradually fading as the time control comes close, giving way to error-strewn mayhem. White: Adam Hunt Black: Peter Wells 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 Be7 8.0–0–0 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 0–0 10.f3 a6 11.h4 b5 12.Kb1 David Howell played 12.g4 against Wells at last year’s British and won an exciting game on the way to the title. 12...Bb7 13.Qd2 Rc8 Peter has been successful with 13...Qc7 before.

14.Bd3 Nd7 15.a3 Ne5 16.Bxe7?! It seems more logical to play 16.Be2! at this point; thereby asking Black to defend his d pawn against the threat of 17.Bxe7 and 18.Qxd6.

16...Qxe7 17.h5 h6 18.Be2 Rfd8 Black’s pieces are harmoniously deployed and he has very few problems in this position.

19.g4 d5! Sicilian players are always on the lookout for this central thrust. 20.exd5 exd5 21.Qd4 Nc6 22.Qf4 A slightly doubtful move but even after the superior 22.Qb6, the reply 22…d4! leaves Black better. 22...b4! 23.Bd3!? This excellent sacrifice must have surprised Peter. Adam doesn’t get quite enough for his piece; but at least it’s unclear and the mundane continuation 23.axb4 d4 24.Ne4 Nxb4 25.Bd3 Qe6 26.b3 Nxc2! 27.Bxc2 d3 didn’t promise White anything.

23...bxc3 24.Qf5 Qf6 25.Qh7+ Kf8 26.Rde1 g5 27.hxg6 Qg7 28.Rxh6 fxg6 29.Re6!? After 29.Qxg7+ Kxg7 30.Rxg6+ Kf7 31.g5 white can get a draw with perpetual check.

29...Rc7? Right idea – wrong rook. 29...Rd7 was much better.

30.Qxg6? White could have gained a large endgame advantage with 30.Qh8+ Qxh8 31.Rxh8+ Kg7 32.Rxc6! 30...Qxg6 31.Rexg6 Kf7? The last mistake. After 31...Ne5 32.Rh8+ Ke7 33.Rh7+ Nf7 there’s still all to play for.

32.Rh7+ Kf8 33.Rf6+ Ke8 34.Bg6+ 1–0