CHESS

The 38th Canadian Open in Edmonton started with five Grandmasters, and finished with three of them tied for first place with 8 points out of 10: Kevin Spraggett, Joel Benjamin and Jonathan Rowson.

This was the fourth time that the Canadian Open has taken place in Edmonton, and, with 193 players, was the most satisfying yet.

Mr. Spraggett's victory was his eighth in Canadian Opens. Lawrence Day has won three times.

Mr. Spraggett and Mr. Benjamin agreed to a perfunctory draw in the final round. That left the door open to Peter Wells to take clear first place, if only he could defeat Mr. Rowson with White.

1.d2-d4 d7-d6 2.Ng1-f3 Bc8-g4 3.e2-e4 Ng8-f6 4.Bf1-d3 e7-e6 5.h2-h3 Bg4-h5 6.O-O d6-d5

Black lost a move in the opening, but has managed to develop the light-square Bishop outside the pawn chain, a factor often worth more than a move.

7.Nb1-d2 Bf8-e7 8.c2-c3 O-O 9.e4xd5

After 9.e4-e5 Nf6-d7 Black has easy counterplay with c7-c5 and Nb8-c6. If White ever gets frisky on the kingside, Bh5-g6 will thwart his ambitions. Still, the text lacks ambition.

9. ... e6xd5 10.Rf1-e1 c7-c5

Not content with peace, Black takes on an isolated d5-pawn to activate his pieces.

11.d4xc5 Be7xc5 12.Nd2-b3 Bc5-b6 13.Bc1-g5

13.Bc1-e3 is more consistent with his earlier play. White's pin on the kingside Knight turns out far less effective than Black's

13. ... h7-h6 14.Bg5-h4 Nb8-c6 15.Bd3-f5 g7-g5 16.Bh4-g3

Everything appears in order for White. With Qd1-d3 next move he will unpin the Knight and begin the siege of the d5-pawn.

16. ... Nf6-e4!

Diagram: A thoroughly modern - and correct - pawn sacrifice. The imminent trade of Queens does not worry Black. The absence of Queens tends to accentuate the value of the Bishop Pair.

17.Bf5xe4 d5xe4 18.Re1xe4 f7-f5 19.Re4-e6 Qd8xd1+ 20.Ra1xd1 f5-f4 21.Bg3-h2 Ra8-d8!

The Bishop at h2 is not only locked out of play, it blocks a vital escape square and leaves the first rank open to a mating attack.

22.Rd1xd8 Rf8xd8 23.Nf3-d2 Bh5-f7 24.Re6-e2 Bf7-c4! 25.Re2-e1 Nc6-e5!

The Knight is supported by ether, but after 26.Re1xe5 Bc4xb3 27.a2xb3 Rd8xd2 White loses.

26.Nd2xc4 Ne5xc4 27.Kg1-f1 Nc4xb2 28.g2-g3 f4-f3 29.g3-g4 Bb6xf2

Another modern decision. Since Black has regained the pawn, the greater activity of his pieces suggests that he might widen the advantage by infiltrating with a move such as Rd8-d3. Mr. Rowson, however, converts his advantage with tactics.

30.Kf1xf2 Nb2-d3+ 31.Kf2-f1 Nd3xe1 32.Kf1xe1 Rd8-e8+ 33.Ke1-f1 Re8-e2 34.Bh2-g3 Re2xa2

Mr. Rowson saw this on move 29. Although a Bishop and Knight can usually outduel a Rook, they often have problems with outside passed pawns, such as the one on a7.

35.Nb3-d4 a7-a5 36.Nd4xf3 a5-a4

With four moves to make before the time control, White's flag fell, so Black won on time. However, the a4-pawn is too strong in any event.

Mr. Wells, Igor Novikov, Dmitri Tyomkin, Tom O'Donnell, Dave Ross and Jack Yoos had 7.5 points each.

The last of the big summer tourneys is the Toronto Summer International, which starts Wednesday and runs through Aug. 20. For information, phone (416) 467-9715 or on the Internet, http://www.play.at/duttonchess .