After their triumph against the D Team the C Team travelled to the Open University full of hope.
Things didn’t start well when Richard McMorran on Board 3 got behind on the clock (who doesn’t against George Ward?), forgot to castle and succumbed to a crushing attack. However the Walkers hit back in style. Nigel’s young opponent set off playing plausible moves but when things got a bit complicated he started to leak material with an inevitable mid evening finish. Robert, facing a Sicilian defence, appeared to reach a double edged position. He was a piece up but had to be careful about his opponent’s threats. Richard and I were puzzled when he appeared to give up his piece, as was his opponent who promptly took it, only to resign a move later when Robert, still with mating threats of his went a rook up.
So 2 to 1 up and the old codgers on Boards 1 and 2 still very much in their games, both with dour Bishop and Pawn endgames. I had spent the whole evening thinking I was struggling to equalise, managed to steer into what I thought was a drawn ending, only to blow it by a succession of feeble moves and one complete lemon. Actually Hiarcs (Apple’s Fritz) reckons I was better throughout until I opted for an ending. Joe was our last hope but he lost a pawn or two and was finished off (with time running short – when doesn’t it for Joe?) by competent endgame technique.
| Home Team: Open University | Away Team: Bedford C | ||||||
| Board | Name | Grade | Score | Score | Name | Grade | |
| 1 | Peter C Clarke | 170 | 1 | 0 | Giuseppe Valerio | 154 | |
| 2 | James NO’D Alexander | 147 | 1 | 0 | Peter S Gill | 134 | |
| 3 | George Ward | 147 | 1 | 0 | Richard McMorran | 130E | |
| 4 | Lau Gainpaulsingh | 78 | 0 | 1 | Robert S Walker | 117 | |
| 5 | Dominic Bartram | ung | 0 | 1 | Nigel B Walker | 86 | |
| 3 | 2 | ||||||
| Played: 02/11/2017 | |||||||
Peter Gill, 3rd November 2017