Many congratulations to Edinburgh Chess Club’s star player, Freddy Waldhausen Gordon, on a spectacular victory at the 2026 British Rapid Championships played over the weekend of March 14/15 in Peterborough.
This is such an outstanding achievement that it has even made it into the prestigious Financial Times newspaper. Read the article here https://www.ft.com/content/d7c34db8-e0ae-4d3c-b93a-1d8770818ea4
Freddy left a trail of top Grandmasters in his wake. The fact that Michael Adams, legendary GM and World Championship Candidate many times over was left two clear points behind shows the pace that Freddy set to win the title.
In his must win final round game, Freddy was playing white against top English grandmaster Gawain Jones and reached the following position:
Despite being a rook ahead, Freddy faces a very nasty mate threat on g2. White could play f3 to prevent this but that would open his king and give his opponent some scary counterplay – not what you’d want when playing a strong grandmaster and the seconds ticking down.
Can you play like Freddy and find the best sequence here? Answer next time…
[The solution to the previous blog post puzzle was 33.Qb2!! – an incredible resource that allows white to save the game. Award yourself an extra biscuit if you solved that one!]
[The photo is courtesy of Ife Olayinka]