The final round - Bedford Chess Club

Despite Paul’s rather downbeat summary below, I found the games of great interest – thanks to him – better luck next year!

Other Bedford entrants:-

Ben Cox U14, 2.5/7
Toby Cox U12, 3.5/7
Lucian Cox U10, 3/7
David Cox U120 grade, 2/5

Well done to all – it’s not at all easy competing at this level. The results were very respectable and I’m sure much was learnt with which you can crush Bedford League players next season!

My best chance of a win since the first round but I could not quite convert it and allowed a perpetual check. Finishing on 3.5/7, =19th out of 52, when I was ranked 17th is hardly a surprise. However, it was a poor result overall because I played only one higher ranked opponent. Steve Berry and Roger Emerson tied first on 5.5/7 sharing £600.

Thanks for the interest.

   [Event "British Over-65 Championship, Llandudno"]  [Date "2017.08.05"]  [Round "7"]  [White "Habershon , Paul"]  [Black "Cooper, John G"]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [WhiteElo "2018"]  [BlackElo "1928"]  [PlyCount "120"]   1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qc7 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O Nf6 8.  Nxc6 bxc6 9. Be3 Rb8 10. Rb1 Bb4 11. Qd3 O-O 12. Bf3 a5 13. Ne2 Bd6 14. g3 c5  15. c4 Be5 16. Nc3 Ba6 17. Rfc1 Rfd8 18. Nb5 Qc6 19. a4 d6 20. Bg2 Ng4 21. Bd2  Qb6 22. h3 Bxb5 $2 {The first move in the game where Fritz is highly critical,  swinging to +1.79 for White. 22...Nf6 is preferred.} 23. axb5 Nf6 24. Bc3 Bxc3  25. Qxc3 e5 26. Ra1 Ra8 27. Ra4 Ra7 28. Rca1 Rda8 29. h4 Ne8 30. Bh3 Nc7 31.  Bd7 Ne6 32. Bxe6 {I certainly didn't want the knight settling on d4.} fxe6 33.  Qd2 h6 34. h5 Qc7 {White clearly has a huge positional advantage, but I wasn't  sure how to convert what I now see is a +1.91 winning game. Hence the  forthcoming manoeuvres.} 35. R1a3 Qb6 36. Qd1 Rf7 37. Rd3 Rd8 38. Qg4 Rf6 39.  Rda3 Ra8 40. Qd1 Rf7 41. Qd2 Rfa7 42. Ra1 Kh8 43. g4 Qd8 44. R1a3 Kh7 45. Rg3  Rf7 46. Rd3 $2 Rd7 $2 {Black should have counterattacked with 46...Qh4.} 47.  Kg2 Qh4 48. f3 Qd8 49. Ra1 {At last finding the right plan.} Qb6 50. Rd1 Rad8  51. g5 Qc7 52. Kf2 d5 {The only hope of counterplay.} 53. g6+ Kg8 54. exd5 e4 {  The queen hopes to be a nuisance on h2.} 55. d6 $1 Qb7 56. Re3 $2 ({Starting  to let slip the win.} 56. fxe4 $1 Qxe4 57. Qe2 Qxc4 58. Kg3 {So hard to find!}  Rf8 59. Qe3) 56... Rxd6 57. Qxd6 Rxd6 58. Rxd6 Qc7 59. Rxe6 $2 {A poor choice,  allowing a perpetual because in some variations Black can play Qxc4 with check  picking up the loose rook on e6. I should have anchored it on c6 with the  threat of Rc8 mate in the air.} Qh2+ 60. Ke1 Qg1+ {Draw agreed. There is no  safe way to escape the perpetual checks.} 1/2-1/2

Paul Habershon, 5th August 2017