Sascha Wandkowsky 
-vs-
Konrad Rikardson 


St George's Day Chessboxing Tournament 2009 - 23 April 2009
Bethnal Green Working Men's Club, London

In the final chess round eleven, Wandkowksy desperately jettisoned everything to try for stalemate, but Rikardson clinically mopped up the victory. Opinion was that this was the greatest chessboxing bout held to date. Of course it takes two to make a great contest, so hats off also to runner-up Wandkowsky.
L
W
Sascha Wandkowsky Name Konrad Rikardson
3-1-0 W-L-D 1-1-0
30(?) Age ?
? Height ?
79 kg Weight 79 kg
? Reach ?
1800 ELO 2000
Germany Country Sweden
Berlin, Germany Hometown Malmo, Sweden
Gym
Job

Rikardson wins via chess - checkmate (Round 11)

[Event "St George's Day Chessboxing Tournament 2009"] [Site "Bethnal Green Working Men's Club, London, England"] [Date "2009.04.23"] [Round "1"] [White "Sascha Wandkowsky"] [Black "Konrad Rikardson"] [Result "*"] {Each player has 12 minutes for all moves.} 1. g4 {Wandkowsky opts for an unorthodox opening. The Grob was a favourite of convicted murderer Claude F. Bloodgood, who would've surely made a fearsome chessboxer if the sport had been invented in his lifetime.} d5 2. Bg2 c6 {Rikardson goes for the solid option, frustrating Wandkowsky by declining to take the g4 pawn.} (2... Bxg4 3. c4 $1) 3. h3 h5 4. g5 e5 5. d3 (5. d4 e4 6. c4 {is a standard method of attack.}) 5... Ne7 6. Nf3 Qc7 7. b3 $6 Nf5 $6 {The knight belongs on g6.} 8. Nc3 Bb4 9. Bd2 Be6 10. e4 $1 Ne7 11. Nh4 $2 {"Knights on the rim are dim!" exclaimed commentator Malcolm Pein.} (11. d4 $1 $11) 11... d4 12. Na4 $2 {The headphones stuffed with additional cotton wool were clearly operating, for Wandkowsky couldn't hear Pein's words of wisdom & enjoyed the symmetry of decentralised cavalry.} Bxd2+ 13. Qxd2 Nd7 14. O-O Nf8 15. f4 $1 exf4 16. Qxf4 Qxf4 {Boos from the crowd for the queen exchange but the best choice. Rikardson knows he has a solid endgame advantage.} 17. Rxf4 Nfg6 18. Nxg6 Nxg6 19. Rf2 b6 $3 {Preventing Nc5 and making sure the White knight remains 'dim'.} 20. Raf1 (20. e5 $1 {had to be tried when Black retains an edge but White's Bg2 is freed.}) 20... Ne5 $1 {The knight in the centre is like an octopus, explained commentator Pein, its 8 tentacles sprawling all over board. With utmost glee, Pein contrasted with the bad bishop on g2, paralysed by its own pawns.} 21. Nb2 $1 b5 $1 $17 {Rikardson masterfully prevents White exchanging his weak knight by moving it to c4. White now has few options to fight back as he is gradually squeezed to death.} 22. a4 a6 23. Kh2 Ke7 24. Rf4 c5 25. R1f2 Ng6 26. R4f3 Rac8 27. axb5 axb5 28. Rf1 Ra8 29. Kg3 $6 Ra2 $1 30. Rb1 Rha8 31. Rf2 Ne5 32. Nd1 Ra1 $1 {Black is easily winning.} 33. Rxa1 Rxa1 34. Nb2 $2 Rb1 $1 $19 {Black is now completely winning.} 35. Kf4 Ng6+ 36. Kg3 Rxb2 37. Bf3 h4+ 38. Kh2 Nf4 39. Bg4 Nxd3 40. Rg2 Bxg4 41. hxg4 Ne1 42. Re2 Rxc2 43. Rxc2 Nxc2 44. Kh3 d3 45. Kxh4 d2 {We enter the final boxing round 10. Wandkowsky needs a knockout but doesn't achieve it so back to the chessboard for the final 11th round.} 46. b4 d1=Q 47. bxc5 Qg1 48. g6 f6 49. e5 Qh2# 0-1