'My big match with the chess-champion politician'

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011

Hi everyone,

We have this lovely feature from The Guardian with their journalist Stephen Moss catching up with a young and bright politician. 

My big match with the chess-champion MP

Stephen Moss

Why our chess-playing reporter couldn't resist playing Labour MP Rachel Reeves – and how he came unstuck thanks to the great Garry Kasparov.

Labour MP Rachel Reeves – a former under-14 UK girls champion – plays chess with Stephen Moss. Photograph: Sarah Lee for the Guardian

Labour MP Rachel Reeves was in earnest conversation with Garry Kasparov, the highest-rated chess player of all time, and Nigel Short, the best ever British player. Well might she be. She will shortly be facing me across the board.

The 32-year-old Reeves is a rising star in the Labour party, and was recently promoted to shadow chief secretary to the Treasury. She is even being touted as a possible future leader. Far more interesting, however, is that she was also once under-14 UK girls chess champion, and has today yesterday gathered together a galaxy of top chess talent in a crowded room at the House of Commons to promote Chess in Schools and Communities, a charity that aims to get children playing chess in the belief that it will foster self-discipline and teach problem-solving skills.

Reeves tells the assembled audience of kids, grandmothers and grandmasters that chess was the perfect preparation for politics, teaching you to stay one step ahead of your opponents. She says she has played very little since school, but has gamely agreed to play me, a decidedly average club-strength player but one who, unlike her, does play regularly.

We play a so-called "blitz" game – 10 minutes each for all the moves. Reeves is a little rusty, and within 15 moves I have a won position. We trundle on a little longer, but the game is done and I am swelling visibly. I have beaten the former under-14 UK girls chess champion!

We shake hands and prepare to leave the board. Just before we do, however, who should drift over but Kasparov. He quickly sizes up the situation – that Reeves, his host for the day and the new standard-bearer of chess in schools – has been walloped, and suggests a rematch. He will, he says, intervene on her behalf just three times.

We play again. The position becomes complex, messy. At first, Kasparov keeps his counsel, but as the game gets more interesting he can't help lending Reeves a hand. "I'm just offering general advice," he insists as her position improves while mine deteriorates. We are both horribly short of time, but there is no doubt she is on top. "Now final, final, final shot," says Kasparov as my position becomes dire. He has seen a way to win my queen, and Reeves eventually sees it too. Amid much laughter and applause I resign. "Good moves can easily be explained," says Kasparov. "They are just natural."

"I think that's one of the best games I've ever played," says Reeves with neat self-deprecation.

The Guardian has lost, but it is defeat with honour, and after shaking hands with the immortal Kasparov at the end of the game, it will not be washing for a month. (The moves from both games are shown at johnchess.blogspot.com.)

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com