BY the time you read this column the 2006 Bermuda Closed Championship will have been brought to its conclusion, with the tenth and final round being played this week. I am happy to report that all missed games have now taken place, and a tense finish was ensured.Nick Faulks has been sitting on his score of 8/9 for some time, but has now been joined on this mark by Zuzana Kovacova, who through no fault of her own has been involved in many of the catch-up games.

She has played two “away” games this week, and inflicted defeats on Phil Shadick and Sami Lill. I have not seen the second of these, but Phil sent me a copy of his scoresheet and I found it very interesting.

White : P. Shadick

Black : Z. Kovacova

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5

The Ruy Lopez, by far White’s most popular choice after the opening moves 1. e4, e5 a6 3. . . . d6, was the original Steinitz Defence, named after a 19th-century world champion, but nowadays most players insert the useful 3. . . . a6.

4. Ba4 d6

This is known as the Steinitz Defence Deferred, and has been Kovacova’s main defence against 1. e4 for many years.

5. d4 b5 6. Bb3 Nxd4 7. Nxd4 exd4

See diagram 1. Black is hoping for 8. Qxd4?, when 8. . . . c5 will in due course trap the bishop. This is known as the Noah’s Ark Trap because of its great history, but its victims are not all beginners — Kovacova caught an opponent in this way at the Majorca Olympiad.

8. Bd5 Rb8 9. Qxd4 Bd7 10.Qd3

Shadick has avoided any material loss, but his position is not fully satisfactory — now Black gradually gains the initiative.

Nf6 11. Bg5 Be7 12. Bb3 c5 13. c4 0-0 14. 0-0

It may already be possible for Black to win a pawn with either the direct 14. . . . Nxe4 or 14. . . . bxc4 15. Bxc4, Rxb2. However, both of these lines become highly complicated, and instead she just increases the pressure on e4.

Bc6 15. Nd2 Re8

More of the same.

16. Rfe1 Ng4 17. Bxe7 Qxe7 18. Rad1 Qf6 19. Qf3 Qg6

Objectively, it might have been better to exchange queens, since Black’s advantage gives some impression of dwindling away.

20. Qf4 Ne5 21. Re3 Bxc4 22. Nxc4 Nxc4 23. Bxc4 Bxe4 24. f3 Rxb2<$>

This critical position is shown in diagram 2. Mate is, of course, threatened on g2 but Black has back rank problems. What happens after the simple 25. Bf1? It seems to me that the following line is completely forced — 25. . . . Bc6 26. Rxd6, Qc2 27. Rxe8+, Bxe8 28. Qe3, Rb8 29. Rxa6, reaching diagram 3. I cannot see any possible advantage for Black there.

25. Bxf7+?!

Enterprising but ultimately insufficient.

Qxf7 26. Qxf7+ Kxf7 27. fxe4 Ke6 28. Ra3 Ra8<$>

See diagram 4. Black is a solid pawn ahead, and the win requires no more than good technique, which Kovacova is well able to apply. In addition, Shadick was not helped by having very little time left to choose his moves.

29. Ra4 g5 30. Rd3 Rb4 31. Rda3 Rf8 32. h3 h5 33. Rxa6 Rxe4 34. Rf3 Rxf3 35. gxf3 Re2 36. Ra8 Rd2 37. a4 c4 38. a5 c3 39. a6 c2

White resigned.

Shadick, who is now guaranteed third place in the tournament, will get an immediate chance for revenge, since these two meet again in the final round. In the other games, Nick Faulks faces Ezra Turner while Sami Lill takes on Bobby Miller.