Chess: England win three world titles while Ian Nepomniachtchi nears victory

England’s over-50 and over-65 teams completed a historic golden double on Wednesday in the world senior championships at Acqui Terme, Italy, Both led their tournaments from start to finish, overcame some dubious positions en route, and were virtually sure of victory with a round to spare.

The seven-times British champion Michael Adams turned 50 last November, and the Cornishman played a key role by winning an apparently drawn knight ending in the decisive match against the United States, then outplaying Italy’s Alberto David in a seemingly level rook ending. More England games can be viewed in the games section of chess-results.com. Nigel Short’s ninth and final round win against Canada is a model of how to play with rook and pawn against bishop and knight.

Adams and Short stand out as England’s two all-time best players, eclipsing the achievements of the 19th century icons Howard Staunton and Joseph Blackburne in a less competitive era. Their elite GM skills made the difference in the close struggle with the US silver medal team, composed of Soviet trained ex-Russians.

England over-65s, with seven wins, one draw, and a final-round loss to the bronze medallists, Israel, were boosted by their top boards, John Nunn and Paul Littlewood. Nunn is eminent as a chess writer, player, publisher and world problem solving champion, while Littlewood is a former British champion.

Five England players won individual golds: the top three boards in the 50+ (Adams 7/8, Short 6.5/9, and Mark Hebden 6.5/8) plus the top two in the 65+ (Nunn 6.5/8, Littlewood 6.5/9).

There was even a third English team gold. England women 50+, fielding Sheila Jackson, Ingrid Lauterbach, Natasha Regan and Petra Fink-Nunn, were awarded a world title despite