The organisation of the Euwe Stimulus tournament has brought together a very mixed field of participants. Former world top players, young and eager talented players, players from all parts of the globe.

Upon a closer look, I seem to be a bit of a dissonant in this company: a middle-aged player of medium strength and, above all, living in a village around the corner.

Has the organisation made a mistake or do they think that one ´grey´ average player will add a nice touch to the colourful rest of the field?

In any case, I do not intend to show dull chess in this tournament. My drive is to play entertaining and strong chess! Especially the latter, and this preferably for the duration of an entire game. Unfortunately, it´s only now and then that I succeed in this.

Therefore I grab the opportunity to show one of my games that comes close to the above-mentioned goal.

Wit: Li Wu
Zwart: Willy Hendriks
(Hastings Masters 2005)

1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 c7-c5 3.d4-d5 b7-b5 4.a2-a4 b5-b4 5.g2-g3 g7-g6 6.Bf1–g2 d7-d6 7.b2-b3 Bf8-g7 8.Bc1–b2 a7-a5 9.Nb1–d2 Ra8-a7 10.e2-e4 0–0 11.Ng1–e2 e7-e6 12.d5xe6 f7xe6 13.0–0 e6-e5! White cannot benefit from square d5, but Black can benefit from the d4-square. All black pieces can start working together to maximum effect, while the white pieces are strongly hindered by the black pawns.



14.Ne2-c1 Ra7-f7 15.Nc1–d3 Nb8-c6 16.Qd1–e2 Bc8-e6 17.f2-f3 Bg7-h6 18.Rf1–f2 Nc6-d4! In a few moves black transforms his pawn on d6 into a covered passed pawn on d4. 19.Bb2xd4 c5xd4 20.Nd2-f1 Nf6-d7! 21.Ra1–a2 Nd7-c5 22.Nd3xc5 d6xc5 23.Qe2-d3 Bh6-g5 24.Ra2-a1 h7-h5 25.h2-h3 Bg5-h6 26.Ra1–a2 Qd8-d7 27.g3-g4?! This weakening is too much for the white position, but waiting was no picnic either. 27...Qd7-e7 28.Rf2-e2 Qe7-h4 29.Re2-c2 Bh6-g5 In a clever way preparing the following combination. 30.Rc2-e2 h5xg4 31.f3xg4 Black has played a strategic model game and is able to finish off with a nice combination.



31....Be6xg4! 32.h3xg4 Rf7xf1+! 33.Bg2xf1 Rf8xf1+! A piece sacrifice followed by a double exchange sacrifice. 34.Kg1xf1 Qh4-h1+ 35.Kf1–f2 Bg5-h4+ 36.Qd3-g3 Qh1–h2+! The final point. 37.Kf2-f3 Qh2xg3 mate.