The Olympiad starts on Monday, with the first games on Tuesday. Best of luck to the Irish teams (Sam Collins, Alex Lopez, Ryan-Rhys Griffiths, Gavin Wall and Daire McMahon for the open event, and Monika Gedvilaite, Hannah Lowry-O’Reilly, Gearóidín Uí Laighléis, Karina Kruk, and Sarah-Jane Hearne for the Women’s event: see the Olympiad official page’s list of registered countries).
I would also like to wish best of luck to the chess director of my local club, IM John Donaldson (at right in the photo), who’s non-playing captain of the American (open) team. I didn’t realise this until I went down to the Tuesday evening lecture this week and found he wasn’t there, as he was already en route. He participated in both Bunratty and the Cork Congress this year (flying back to San Francisco in between to fulfil a club obligation–that’s dedication for you!). He very kindly sent all his games from these two events, as well as some others from 1995. Here is his final-round game from the Cork Congress, against Arnaud Aoustin (not available anywhere else, as far as I know).
John Donaldson – Arnaud Aoustin
20th Cork Congress (6), 25th Mar 2012
White was comfortably in control a few moves earlier, and with 22. (or 23. or 24. or 25.) b6 Black would have been struggling to find any play. Instead Black’s 25. … Qb6! brought him fully back into the game and even gave him the advantage. The diagrammed position shows the choice faced by Donaldson, to move, on move 28. Objectively something like 28. Bf3 turns out to be best, but would probably give no more than a draw, which was of no use given the tournament situation. Black was very short of time, so Donaldson gambled with 28. Bd5!??!.
After 28. … Bxd5 29. Nxf5+, of course 29. … Kf8? is bad because of 30. Qh6+ Kg8 31. Rxf7, and 29. … Kg8 30. Nh6+ Kg7 31. Nf5+ just repeats. The right choice is 29. … Kh8! when Black’s winning. Instead Aoustin, in severe time pressure, went astray with 29. … Kg6? and was finished off in fine style: 30. Qh6+ Kxf5 31. Qh5+ Ke4 32. Qg4+ Kd3 33. Qf5+ Ke2 34. Rcc1 Bc4 35. Rfe1+ Kd2 36. Qf4+ 1-0.