Howell beats Grandelius in England versus Sweden match

by André Schulz
3/15/2022 – In London, a match facing David Howell and Nils Grandelius was held at the residence of the Swedish Ambassador. The occasion was the 30th anniversary of Chess & Bridge. The 10-game confrontation was won by Howell. Three games ended decisively, and all of them had plenty to offer chess-wise. | Photo: Chess & Bridge
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Evenly matched

On the occasion of its 30th anniversary, the London Chess Centre organized a match between two top grandmasters from England and Sweden, David Howell and Nils Grandelius. The competition took place on March 2-12 and was held at the Swedish Ambassador’s residence in London. No spectators were allowed.

Ten games were played, five of them with a classical “slow” time control — 40 moves in 120 minutes with 30-second increments per move — and five games with the slightly shorter FIDE time control of 90 minutes for 40 moves and 30-second increments per move. Draw offers before move 30 were prohibited.

  • David Howell, born in 1990, currently occupies fourth place in the English rankings behind Michael Adams, Gawain Jones and Luke McShane with a 2646 Elo rating. At 16, he was the youngest Briton to get the grandmaster title. Three times, in 2009, 2013 and 2014, Howell won the British Championship.
  • Nils Grandelius, born in 1993, has been the highest-ranked player in Sweden without interruption since 2015. He currently has a 2663 rating. In 2015, he won the Swedish Individual Championship.

In the 10-game confrontation, the two grandmasters proved to be equally matched opponents.

After three draws, Howell grabbed the lead after winning a marathon 86-move encounter with the white pieces.

 
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1.e41,170,31954%2421---
1.d4949,86755%2434---
1.Nf3282,62856%2440---
1.c4182,73156%2442---
1.g319,74556%2427---
1.b314,34754%2427---
1.f45,91748%2377---
1.Nc33,81651%2384---
1.b41,75948%2379---
1.a31,22254%2404---
1.e31,07349%2409---
1.d395550%2378---
1.g466646%2361---
1.h444953%2374---
1.c343551%2426---
1.h328356%2419---
1.a411460%2465---
1.f39346%2435---
1.Nh39066%2505---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bd2 c5 6.Rc1 Nxc3 7.Bxc3 Bh6 8.e3 cxd4 9.Bb5+ Nc6 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.Bxd4 0-0 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.h4 Be6 14.h5 g5 15.Ne2 Bxa2 16.Rxc6 Be6 17.0-0 Rfc8 18.Rxc8+ Rxc8 19.Bxa7 Rc2 20.Nd4 Rxb2 21.Bc5 Bf8 22.Nxe6 fxe6 23.Rc1 Kf7 24.Bd4 Rb5 25.Rc7 g4 26.Bc5 Ke8 27.Rc8+ Kd7 28.Rxf8 Rxc5 29.Rg8 Rxh5 30.Rxg4 Ke8 31.Rf4 Rf5 32.Rh4 h5 33.Ra4 Kf7 34.Ra2 Rb5 The rook ending is objectively balanced according to the engines, but it is also very complicated due to the unusual pawn structure. Under specific circumstances, Black can afford to lose the weak h-pawn. 35.Kh2 Rb4 35...Rc5 was probably easier. 36.Ra5 Rh4+ 37.Kg1 Kg6 38.f3 Kf6 38...Rc4 is stronger, since after 39.Re5 Kf6 40.Rxh5 Rc1+ 41.Kh2 e5 Black retains drawing chances despite having given up a pawn. 39.e4 The rook is in danger of being cut off from the action. Rf4 40.Rxh5 Kg6 41.Re5 Kf7 42.Rh5 Kg6 43.Rh8 Kg7 44.Re8 Kf7 45.Rh8 Kg7 46.Ra8 Rh4 The black rook has difficulties getting back into the game. Had Black played 38...Rc4 the rook would be more active. 47.g4 e5 48.Kg2 Rh7 49.Ra5 Kf6 50.Ra1 Rh8 51.Rh1 Ra8 52.Rh6+ Kf7 53.Kg3 Ra5 54.Rh7+ Kf6 55.Rh6+ Kf7 56.Rh7+ Kf6 57.Rh5 Kg6 58.Kh4 White is making good progress. For example, he threatens to play f4. Ra3 59.Rg5+ Kf6 60.Rf5+ Kg6 61.Kg3 Ra5 62.Rh5 62.Kh4 Rb5 63.f4 62...Rb5 63.Rh1 Both players failed to handle the following phase of the game optimally. Probably time was short, and the position is very complicated. 63.Kh4 Rb3 64.Rg5+ Kf6 65.Rf5+ Kg6 66.g5 63...Ra5 63...e6 is better as after 64.Rd1 Ra5 it is very difficult for White to make progress. 64...Rb3 64.Rd1 Threatening Rd5. 64.Rh5 was stronger e6 65.Kh4 Ra3 66.Rxe5 Rxf3 67.Rxe6+ Kf7 68.Rd6 Rf4 69.Rd4 and the position is winning for White acoording to the tablebases. 64...Ra8 64...e6 and Black holds. 65.Rb1 65.Rh1 e6 66.Rh5 Ra5 67.Kh4+- is winning again. 65...Rh8 65...e6 66.Kg2 66.Rb5 Kf6 67.Rb2 e6 68.Rh2 Ra8 69.Rh6+ Ke7 70.Kh4 Ra3 71.Rh7+ Kf8 71...Kf6 72.Kh5 Rxf3 73.g5# 72.Kg3+- 66...Ra8 67.Rc1 Rb8 68.Ra1 Rc8 69.Ra6+ Kf7 70.Kg3 Rh8 70...Rc1 71.Kh4 Rc3 71.Kg2 71.Ra5 Kf6 72.Ra2 e6 73.Rh2 Ra8 74.Rh6+ as seen above. 71...Rb8 72.Rh6 Rb5 72...e6 was the way to go 73.Rh7+ Kg6 74.Rh5 Rb5 73.Kf2 73.Rh7+ Kf6 74.Kh3 Rb3 75.Kg3 Rb5 76.Kh4 Rb3 77.g5+ Kg6 78.Rh6+ Kg7 79.Kg3+- 73...Rc5 74.g5 74.Rh7+ Kf6 75.Kg2 Rc3 76.Rh6+ Kf7 77.Kg3 Rb3 78.Rh5 Kf6 79.Rf5+ Ke6 80.g5+- 74...Rc1 75.Kg2 Ra1 76.Kh2 Rf1 77.Kg2 Ra1 78.Kh3 Rg1 79.Kh4 Rg2 80.Kh5 Rh2+ 81.Kg4 Rg2+ 82.Kf5 Rg3 83.Rh7+ Kf8 84.Kg6 Ke8 85.Rh8+ Kd7 86.Rf8 The result is now clear. The black king is cut off. The promotion of the g-pawn can no longer be prevented. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Howell,D2646Grandelius,N26721–02022ENG vs SWE Challenge Match4.1

Nils Grandelius, David Howell

Some more chess in the beautiful hall | Photo: John Saunders

That win gave David Howell the lead, but Nils Grandelius equalized in the second game that was played with a FIDE time control. The Swedish’s remarkable win was analysed in depth by Daniel King in his Power Play show

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.Re1 h6 7.c3 d6 8.Nbd2 Bb6 9.h3 Ne7 10.d4 Nc6 11.a4 a5 12.Ra3 Re8 13.Ba2 exd4 14.cxd4 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Bxd4 16.Rd3 Ba7 17.e5 Qe7 18.Rg3 dxe5 19.Nc4 Kf8 The following tactical shot is enough for equality, but usually not for more than that. 20.Bxh6 gxh6 21.Qd2 Ng8 21...Ng4 Returning the piece was the best defence. 22.hxg4 22.Nxe5 Bxf2+ 22...Qg5 23.Qxg5 hxg5 24.Nxe5 22.Nxe5 Qb4 22...Qf6 23.Rf3 Bf5 24.Nd7+ White will grab the queen Bxd7 25.Rxf6 Rxe1+ 26.Qxe1 Nxf6 but Black will get some material in return. 23.Rf3 f5 23...Qxd2 24.Rxf7# 24.Qxb4+ 24.Qc1!? 24...axb4 25.Ng6+ Kg7 26.Rxe8 White gains material and is still chasing the black king. There is no defence. Nf6 27.Re7+ Kxg6 28.Rg3+ Kh5 29.Bc4 Bd4 30.Be2+ Kh4 31.Rg6 f4 32.Reg7 h5 33.Rxf6 Bg4 34.Rxg4+ hxg4 35.Rxf4 Kg5 36.Rxg4+ Kf6 37.Rxd4 Rxa4 38.b3 1–0
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Grandelius,N2672Howell,D26461–02022ENG vs SWE Challenge Match7.1

In game 8, Howell immediately restored his previous advantage.

 
Howell vs. Grandelius - Game 8

35.Re1 [35.Re1 Qd8 (35...Qf8 36.Ra8) 36.Qxd8 Nxd8 37.Rxe8+] 1–0

During the competition, 10,000 euros were collected to aid Ukraine.

All games

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.a4 C67: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defence: 4 0-0 Nxe4. Be7 7.Nc3 Inhibits e4. 0-0 8.d4 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 exd4 10.Nd5 Re8
10...Bh4!? 11.Qg4!?N       Bh6 is the strong threat. New and interesting. Predecessor: 11.Bf4 Bf8 12.Qxd4 Nxb5 13.axb5 Rxe1+ 14.Rxe1 d6 15.Qc3 Bf5 16.Re3 c6 17.bxc6 bxc6 18.Qxc6 1-0 (23) Engel,L (2553)-Georgiadis,N (2553) Lichess.org INT 2021 11...f5 11...Nxb5? 12.Bh6 g6 13.axb5+- 11...c6!= remains equal. 12.Bh6 g6 13.Nxe7+ 13.Qxd4 Nf5= 13...Rxe7 12.Qxd4± And now Bf4 would win. White is much more active. Bf6 13.Nxf6+ Qxf6 14.Bc4+ Kh8 15.Rxe8+ Nxe8
16.Qe3 Better is 16.Be3!± 16...Qf8 17.b3 Nf6 18.Bb2 White wants to play Bxf6. A strong pair of Bishops. d5 19.Bd3 c5 19...Bd7= 20.Bxf6± gxf6
21.Qf3 21.Re1!± 21...Be6!= 22.Bxf5 Bg8 23.Re1 Re8 24.Rxe8 Qxe8 The position is equal. 25.h4 Qe1+ 26.Kh2 Qe5+ 27.g3 d4 28.Bd3 Bd5 29.Qg4 Hoping for Qc8+. Be6 To avoid Qc8+ 30.Qf3 Bd5 31.Qg4 Threatens to win with Qc8+. Be6 Inhibits Qc8+. 32.Qf3 Bd5 Weighted Error Value: White=0.13 (very precise) /Black=0.13 (very precise) ½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Grandelius,N2672Howell,D2646½–½2022C67ENG vs SWE Challenge Match1.1
Howell,D2646Grandelius,N2672½–½2022A48ENG vs SWE Challenge Match2.1
Grandelius,N2672Howell,D2646½–½2022C65ENG vs SWE Challenge Match3.1
Howell,D2646Grandelius,N26721–02022D85ENG vs SWE Challenge Match4.1
Grandelius,N2672Howell,D2646½–½2022C55ENG vs SWE Challenge Match5.1
Howell,D2646Grandelius,N2672½–½2022E36ENG vs SWE Challenge Match6.1
Grandelius,N2672Howell,D26461–02022C54ENG vs SWE Challenge Match7.1
Howell,D2646Grandelius,N26721–02022E53ENG vs SWE Challenge Match8.1
Grandelius,N2672Howell,D2646½–½2022C50ENG vs SWE Challenge Match9.1
Howell,D2646Grandelius,N2672½–½2022E36ENG vs SWE Challenge Match10.1

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André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.

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