Chess: How does White win?

Tuesday's chess...

IT was the dream titledecider scenario at the Darwin Strategic 98th British Championship in Sheffield.A head-to-head between the former world finalists Michael Adams and Nigel Short. Yet events off the board soon turned the dream into a PR nightmare.

The British Nos 1 and 2 proved they are in a class of their own by finishing equal first on 8.5/11 and in the two-game rapid playoff at the weekend. But Adams third outright title was overshadowed.

BBC Eggheads quiz show panelist and English Chess Federation President Connagh-Joseph ("CJ") de Mooi claimed on Twitter and in the Guardian that despite securing 16,000 in sponsorship he was banned from awarding prizes. This was because he had turned up wearing a red T-shirt reading "Some people are gay. Get over it", sponsored by Stonewall.

De Mooi – who describes himself as a "gay equality" activist – said he was left "shaking with fury" after an arbiter suggested his shirt, which he had worn on previous days in the playing hall without contention, was inappropriate and that he should change it prior to the award presentations, which he refused to do.

There are conflicting accounts of exactly what happened during the exchange with the arbiter, but 24 hours later CJ issued an apology online at ecforum.org.uk for the "accusations" He admitted he misunderstood the arbiters' intentions and overreacted. He has offered his resignation to the ECF over the incident.

M Adams - N Short

British Ch. Playoff, (2)

Caro-Kann Defence

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nf6 5 Nxf6+ gxf6 6 Nf3 Bg4 7 Be2 e6 8 0–0 Nd7 9 c4 Qc7 10 Nh4 h5 11 h3 Bxe2 12 Qxe2 0–0–0 13 Rd1 Bd6 14 d5 Rde8 15 Be3 Bc5 16 Bxc5 Nxc5 17 b4 Nd7 18 dxc6 Qxc6 19 c5 f5 20 Rd4 Qc7 21 Rc1 Kb8 22 Nf3 Rd8 23 c6! Nf6 24 b5 Rxd4 25 Nxd4 b6 26 Qb2 Rh6 27 Nf3 Rg6 28 Ne5 Rg8 29 Rd1 Nd5 30 Nd7+ Ka8 31 Nf6 Nxf6 32 Qxf6 a6 33 Rd7 Qf4 34 Rd8+ 1–0