30-07-2025
Full English
Michael Adams took first place in a strongly contested English Championship, held in Kenilworth in July. The veteran elite grandmaster defeated Nikita Vitiugov in a tense playoff, after the two tied for first place with five wins and two draws each. Vitiugov, a former Russian champion, now lives in the UK and has represented England since 2023. Adams won a crisp attacking game against 16-year-old Shreyas Royal, who already became a grandmaster last year.
Michael Adams-Shreyas Royal
English Championship, Kenilworth, July 2025
White to play, position after 29…g7-g6
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Nxe5 d6 4 Nf3 Nxe4 5 d4 d5 6 Bd3 Bf5 7 O-O Be7 8 Re1 O-O 9 Nbd2 Nd6 10 Nf1 c6 11 Bf4 Bxd3 12 Qxd3 Na6 13 Ng3 Nc7 14 h4! Attacking prospects on the kingside give Adams the edge, despite the innocuous appearance of the symmetrical pawn structure. Ne6 15 Be5 Re8 16 h5 f6 The weakening of the g6 square makes it harder for Black to evict a knight from f5 and turns out to be crucial in the long run. 17 Bxd6 Bxd6 18 Nf5 Qd7 19 N3h4 Nf8 20 Qf3 Bc7 21 Qg4 Kh8 22 g3 22 Ng6+ hxg6 23 hxg6 Rxe1+ 24 Rxe1 Re8 25 Qh5+ Kg8 currently leads nowhere, as the Nf8 guards the h7 square. But Adams has seen that a rook on the h-file would lend decisive force to the attack. Qf7 23 Kg2 Rad8 24 c3! A brilliant finesse. Adams probably considered 24 Rh1 Re4 25 Ng6+ Kg8 26 Qxe4! dxe4 27 Nfe7+ Qxe7 28 Nxe7+ Kf7 29 Nf5 g6 30 hxg6 hxg6 31 Ne3 Rxd4 and judged that Black can put up considerable resistance. Defending the d-pawn with c2-c3 is a subtle way to amplify the threat. a5 24…Rd7 was more stubborn, to defend the e7 square. 25 Rh1 Re4 26 Ng6+ Nxg6 26…Kg8 27 Qxe4 dxe4 28 Nfe7+ wins comfortably now. 27 hxg6 Rxg4 28 gxf7 Re4 29 Rae1 g6 (see diagram) Allowing mate, but there was nothing better, e.g. 29…Rf8 30 f3 Rxe1 31 Rxe1 and Re1-e8 wins. 30 Rxh7+ Black resigns as 30…Kxh7 31 Rh1 is mate.
Vitiugov won his final round game in style:
Nikita Vitiugov-Ameet Ghasi
English Championship, Kenilworth, July 2025
White to play, position after 29…Bh6-f8
30 Bxg5 fxg5 31 Nxg5 Qh5 32 Nf7+ Kg8 33 Bd1 33 N5h6+! Bxh6 34 Bd1 was a beautiful winning line, because 34…Bg4 35 Bxg4 Qxg4 36 Nxh6+ wins the house. Qh7 34 Ng5 Qh8 35 Bg4 35 g3! was stronger, which keeps the knight out of f4, since 35…hxg3 36 Qxg3 would win on the open g-file Rad8 36 Qf3 Nf4 37 g3 hxg3 38 Qxg3 Bg7 39 Rg1 Bxf5 40 Bxf5 Nd6 40…Rd6 41 Ne6 Nxe6 42 Bxe6+ Rdxe6 43 dxe6 Rxe6 still offers good chances to defend. 41 Ne6 Nxf5 42 exf5 Nxe6 43 fxe6 Qh6 44 Re4 Re7 45 Rh4 Qf6 46 Qh3 Black resigns 46…Kf8 dodges Rh4-h8#, but then Rg1-f1 wins the queen.
