28. Endgame knowledge can be the difference
Nigel shows that equal pawn endgames aren’t automatically drawn.
27. Fortune favours the attacker
Toby’s play and analysis are beyond his tender years! Even though Black was indeed “winning” at various stages, it is difficult to imagine him ever scoring the full point in the face of such aggression!
26. Fire on and off the board
Nick describes an exciting encounter.
Two rook sacs in one game. One was a bit speculative, the other clearer cut. I blame the heat; it was boiling there last night.
25. Find the saving move
Last round, Blackthorne Russia V Barbican 2, shootout for the title ( Demotion pool title !! ), 4-3 to us(BR), this one game remaining and one of the last to finish in the whole event ………
I thought I’d grovelled my way to a draw in the rook ending when black triumphantly banged out 55. ……. Rb6
My heart temporarily sank but then I had a think and, eventually, found the saving …. (can you find it?)
One of Steve’s wins that took him to the championship – he describes this as a fairly smooth effort at refuting an opening idea.
How does an International Master beat a strong county player? – probably a bit like this.
Ben goes for the king, and gives his opponent lots of problems to solve.
After my customary slightly flakey Spanish pseodo-Gambit (5.d4?!), Mr Law comfortably quashed any imagined initiative and swapped off into a fairly promising (for him!) endgame as follows:-
Link to Tablebases online
This game was the deciding factor in the Bedford A’s match against Milton Keynes A and was Richard’s sixth straight win for the team.
I had intended to publish Toby’s fine victory against Northampton, but I lost track of the score in the middle, and to be honest the game meandered somewhat.
So here’s a much more direct affair. Toby’s punishment of my dire opening play earlier on in the season.
18. We All Sometimes Miss an Opponent’s Move
Sometimes, a few passive moves prove very costly, even as White from a seemingly solid opening.
16. Nigel rides the rollercoaster
After a strong opening, Nigel has to withstand a strong attack before prevailing.
I try and publish one of my masterpieces every season, it might as well be this one!
Both the A and B teams were short of a regular player, and since Gerry had committed himself to being swindled by Joe, the top two boards of the D team were called on to do battle.
Sparks were bound to fly!
13. Board Five Battle
Tony’s first win for the D team is an interesting and exciting game that could have gone either way.
Re-reading my comments they sound extremely teacherish, and concentrate on highlighting Tony’s errors
rather than eulogising his victory. Sorry about that – I claim captain’s privilege. John
12. Offbeat is good
Mike paves the way for a great Bedford A victory against Milton Keynes A.
11. Top board heroics (continued!)
An interesting example of how easy it is to not take advantage of a better position and living to regret it.
10. Overwhelming victory to defeat in half a dozen moves!
It can even happen on the top boards in division 1. Steve supplies interesting commentary to an unfortunate turnaround.
9. Attacking piece play
Richard targets f7 and never lets go!
8. Top board heroics
Gerry achieves a great result against a very strong opponent.
7. Lucky escapes
Sometimes the captain’s job is just to avoid defeat.
6. Almost a textbook sacrifice
Peter gambles and wins!
5. King walk
Jeremy punishes Nigel’s king walk (but in a kind way!)
4. Pretty patterns
The play isn’t pretty but the patterns are! (notes by Gerry)
3. Open play
How a bad, ugly Bishop became a handsome game-saving cleric (strapline and annotations courtesy of Mr Nolan!)
2. Fleming Trophy positional play
Ravi’s position goes from slightly worse (with 12.. Qb6) to overwhelmingly winning in about ten moves where White doesn’t appear to do anything too terrible. An impressive positional crush.
1. 4NCL Congress success
“Chess is 99% tactics” is a saying attributed to Richard Teichmann. In the just concluded 10th 4NCL Congress, there were ‘tons’ of tactics both missed and actualized in my games. I managed to end the tournament in 2nd place with 4/5…and some prize money. Here is my game against the top seed of the U2000 FIDE section which I participated.