Spike, Author at Bedford Chess Club

Over 50s – Steve got his first win and will now play his 4NCL team mate Chris Duncan on 2/3.

[Event "British Over-50 Championship"] [Date "2026.08.05"] [Round "3"] [White "Steve Ledger"] [Black "T Wheeler"] [Result "1-0"]     d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. Bf4 c5 4. f3 Qa5+ 5. c3 Nf6 6. Nd2 cxd4 7. Nb3 Qb6 8. Qxd4 Nc6 9. Qxb6 axb6 10. Nd4 Ra4 $6 11. b3 Ra5 (11… Nxd4 12. cxd4 Rxd4 $4 13. Rc1 $1) 12. e4 $6 d6 $2 13. Be3 Nd7 14. b4 Nxd4 15. Bxd4 Ra3 16. Bb5 e5 17. Bxb6 Rxc3 Ne2 $1 Ra3 19. Rc1 Ra8 $6 20. Nc3 $1 Be7 21. Nd5 Bd8 22. Bc7 O-O 23. Bxd6 Re8 24. O-O {10….. Ra4 is a novelty … not sure it’ll get repeated though, assume he’d missed b3 nxd4 cxd4 and ha can’t take it or his rook gets trapped and/or he gets killed down the c-file. Shame he resigned when he did as I was having all the fun though it’s hopeless for him.} 1-0

Dave lost to the top seed and is also on 2/3.

Championship – Andy drew with GM Simon Williams to reach 3.5/5. Just two leaders have 4.5/5.

Over-65s – I drew to reach 1/3. I didn’t mean to lose a pawn but computer says I’m ok.

[Event "British Over-65 Championship"] [Date "2026.08.05"] [Round "3"] [White "Habershon, Paul, 1937"] [Black "Johnson, Richard, 1874"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "1937"] [BlackElo "1874"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "76"] [GameId "2339862949634070"]   1. Nf3 d6 2. d4 g6 3. e4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be2 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7. h3 e5 8. Be3 exd4 9. Nxd4 Nc5 10. f3 a5 11. Qe1 Re8 12. Qf2 Qe7 13. Rae1 c6 14. Bc4 Bd7 15. a4 Rad8 16. Nb3 Nxb3 17. Bxb3 Be6 18. Bxe6 fxe6 19. Bb6 ({Fritz likes the pawn sacrifice} 19. e5 dxe5 20. Bc5 Qf7 21. Bb6 Ra8 22. Ne4 Nxe4 23. Rxe4) 19... Ra8 20. Bd4 {Another missed chance to play e5!} e5 21. Be3 Rf8 22. Qd2 Qe6 23. Rd1 Rfd8 24. Qe2 Nh5 25. Qf2 Nf4 26. Ne2 Nxe2+ 27. Qxe2 d5 28. Bb6 Rf8 29. c3 dxe4 30. fxe4 Rxf1+ 31. Rxf1 $2 ({Better is} 31. Qxf1 Rf8 32. Qd3 Qb3 33. Bc5 Rf4 34. Kh2 Bf8 35. Bxf8 Rxf8 36. Qd6) 31... Qb3 {Now, dropping a pawn, I thought I was losing but apparently it's still level.} 32. Bc5 Qxa4 33. Qg4 Qc4 34. Be7 Bf8 35. Bxf8 (35. Qd7 Bxe7 36. Qxe7 {is suggested but I was relieved to enter a Q and P ending with the initiative.}) 35... Rxf8 36. Rxf8+ Kxf8 37. Qc8+ Kg7 38. Qc7+ Kf6 {Draw offered and accepted. Evaluation is equal.} 1/2-1/2

Author: Spike

British round 3