Chess

ENGLAND'S two leading ex- prodigies, Nigel Short and Michael Adams, made up for the stutters of their colleagues to lead the team to the bronze medals in the European Championships behind Russia and the Ukraine. Short, on top board, scored 4 wins, 3 draws and only one loss (to Garry Kasparov), while Adams made an outstanding undefeated contribution of 5 wins and 3 draws on board three. Jon Speelman (3 out of 7), John Nunn (3 out of 6) and Tony Miles (3 1/2 out of 7) were all below their best form.

The following game, between the players ranked first and second in the world, showed the depth of understanding and calculation that makes Kasparov such a difficult opponent.

With 13. Nxg5] White gives up a centre pawn for a wing pawn, normally a dubious exchange, but justified here by 17. c6] (which would have been still stronger without 15 . . . Bg4). Since bxc6? loses a piece to Bf5+ (with Bg4 omitted Bxc6 would lose to Bf5+), Black must allow the pawn to live on c6 where its cramping influence is felt throughout the endgame.

----------------------------------------------------------------- White: Kasparov Black: Ivanchuk ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 d4 Nxe4 4 Bd3 d5 5 Nxe5 Nd7 6 Nxd7 Bxd7 7 0-0 Qh4 8 8 c4 0-0-0 9 c5 g5 10 Be3 Re8 11 Nd2 Bg7 31 Ra1 Kc8 12 Nf3 Qh5 32 Kf2 h6 13 Nxg5 Qxd1 33 Ke2 Kd8 14 Rfxd1 Nxg5 34 Kd2 Ke7 15 Bxg5 Bg4 35 Bc2 Bc4 16 Rd2 Bxd4 36 Rh1 d3 17 c6 Be5 37 Bd1 Kf8 18 Bb5 b6 38 Rh4 Ba2 19 Bh4 Rhg8 39 Re4 Rg6 20 Ba6+ Kb8 40 g4 h5 21 Bg3 Bxg3 41 f4 hxg4 22 hxg3 Rd8 42 f5 Rd6 23 Rd4 Rd6 43 Rxg4 Bd5 24 Rc1 Bc8 44 Rh4 Kg7 25 Bd3 Rg4 45 g3 Kf6 26 Rxg4 Bxg4 46 Rh8 Ke5 27 f3 Be6 47 Rc8 Kd4 28 b4 d4 48 Rxc7 Rh6 29 a4 a5 49 Rd7 Rh2+ 30 b5 Bb3 50 Kc1 1-0 -----------------------------------------------------------------