2009 Most Beautiful Game | Croydon Chess Club

2009 Most Beautiful Game Award: Ian Birchall

The winner of the 2009 Beautiful Game Award (as determined by Richard Goldsmith, Club President) is Ian Birchall for his terrific fighting win over David Lacey in the 2009 Club Championship, which led to Ian eventually tying for equal 1st place with IM Guy West.

[Event "Club Championship 09"] [Site "Croydon Chess Club"] [Date "2009.11.19"] [Round "6.1"] [White "Lacey, David"] [Black "Birchall, Ian"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B80"] [WhiteElo "1700"] [BlackElo "1808"] [PlyCount "104"] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.f3 Be7 8.Qd2 b5 9.O-O-O b4 10.Na4 Qa5 11.b3 Bd7 12.a3 Bxa4 13.axb4 Qc7 14.bxa4 O-O 15.Kb2 d5 16.e5 Nfd7 17.f4 Nb6 18.a5 Nc4+ 19.Bxc4 Qxc4 20.c3 Nc6 21.Nxc6 Qxc6 22.Bb6 Rfc8 23.Qd3 Qe8 24.Kb3 Rc4 25.Qd2 Qb5 26.Ra1 Rac8 27.Bd4 Rb8 28.Ra4 g6 29.h4 h5 30.g3 Bd8 31.Ka3 Be7 32.Rg1 Bc5 33.Bxc5 Rxc5 34.g4 hxg4 35.Rxg4 Kf8 36.Rg5 Rc4 37.h5 Rbc8 38.Rg3 gxh5 39.f5 Ke7 40.Qg5+ Kd7 41.fxe6+ fxe6 42.Qg7+ Kd8 43.Qf6+ Kc7 44.Qxe6 Rc6 45.Qf5 Kb8 46.Kb3 Qc4+ 47.Kb2 d4 48.Qd3 dxc3+ 49.Kc2 Qe6 50.Qd4 Qf5+ 51.Qd3 Qf2+ 52.Kb3 Qb2# 0-1