Murray Chandler Wins NZ Champs

GM Murray Chandler today won the 115th New Zealand Chess Championships with a score of 9 points from eleven games. He won his last five matches to eventually haul in the title. Chandler's run included two draws and a single loss to FM Stephen Lukey, a game that saw both players try out the currently popular Anti-Moscow Gambit.

115th New Zealand Chess Championships
Lukey, Stephen
Chandler, Murray
D43

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 9. Be2 Bb7 10. h4 g4 11. Ne5 h5 12. f3 Nbd7 13. fxg4 hxg4 14. O-O Nxe5 15. Bxe5 Rh6 16. Qd2 b4 17. Na4 Nxe4 18. Qf4 f5 19. g3 Rg6 20. Qe3 Qd5 21. h5 Rg5 22. Rac1 Rxh5 23. Bxc4 Qd7 24. Bd3 Ng5 25. Kf2 Nf3 26. Rh1 Rxh1 27. Rxh1 Nxe5 28. Qxe5 O-O-O 29. Bc4 Qxd4+ 30. Qxd4 Rxd4 31. Bxe6+ Kd8 32. Rh8 Ke7 33. Nc5 Rd2+ 34. Ke3 Rxb2 35. Bxf5 Bg7 36. Rb8 Bh6+ 37. Kd3 Kd6 38. Kc4 Ba6+ 39. Nxa6 Rxa2 40. Nxb4 Rg2 41. Rc8 Ke5 42. Bxg4 Rxg3 43. Be2 Bd2 44. Nxc6+ Kd6 45. Rd8+ Kxc6 46. Rxd2 Re3 47. Bd3 Re5 48. Rh2 Re6 49. Rh5 a6 50. Rh7 Kb6 51. Kd5 Rf6 52. Rh1 Kc7 53. Be4 Kb6 54. Rb1+ Kc7 55. Kc5 a5 56. Rb7+ Kd8 57. Ra7 a4 58. Rxa4 Kd7 59. Bd5 Ke7 60. Ra7+ Kf8 61. Kd4 Rf2 62. Ke5 Re2+ 63. Kd6 Re7 64. Ra8+ Re8 65. Ra7 Re7 66. Ra1 1-0

The winner made some brief interesting comments over at Chess Chat.

Other top finishers are as follows:

7.5 Dive, Steadman
6.5 Van Riemsdijk, McLaren, Spain, Hart

Australia's FM Tim Reilly completed the event with 6 points.

Complete details of the event, including downloadable games, are available at the Auckland Chess Centre's webpage.