Chess

In America, Alex Yermolinsky has such a fearsome reputation for crushing his way through open tournaments that he has earned himself the nickname "The Yerminator". Today's game, from the current US Championship, is a good example of his uncompromising style.

Black's 4...Ba6 and 5...Bb7 intends to show that the white knight only gets in the way on d2. Normally when Black tries to attack the centre with c5 in this opening, it is met by d5 with advantage to White. Here, however, the White queen's defence of d5 is interrupted.

The crisis came with 18...e5. After 19.Nf5! Black's reply not only won a pawn, but developed his own attack against f2. Yermolinsky, however, had worked it out well. Perhaps Black had expected 21.Nh6+ gxh6 22.Bxd7 Nf3+ 23.Kf1 Nxd7, but White was after the king not the queen. After his sacrifice of the exchange, Black could not defend. At the end, 31.Qh6+ Kh8 32.Qxh7 is mate.

White: Alex Yermolinsky

Black: Alexei Ivanov

Queen's Indian Defence

1 d4 Nf6 17 Bb2 a5

2 c4 e6 18 Ra1 e5

3 Nf3 b6 19 Nf5 Nfxe4

4 g3 Ba6 20 Bh3 Nxd2

5 Nbd2 Bb7 21 Qxd2 Qd8

6 Bg2 c5 22 Qd1 Ne4

7 e4 cxd4 23 Qg4 Bxf2+

8 0-0 d6 24 Kf1 g6

9 Nxd4 Qd7 25 Rxe4 Bxe4

10 a4 Be7 26 Qxe4 gxf5

11 a5 0-0 27 Bxf5 Bd4

12 Re1 Na6 28 Qg4+ Kh8

13 b3 bxa5 29 Qh5 Kg7

14 Rxa5 Nc5 30 Bc1 Rg8

15 Qc2 Bd8 Black resigned

16 Ra2 Bb6