Match Report: Horfield C vs Horfield B (9 November): B team win the derby

Bristol’s most highly anticipated sporting event of the season; the Horfield local derby between the B and C teams was played last night.

Neatly the boards finished in order. On one Mike had a forward e pawn which restrained James but also was in the way of any attempts by white to progress and black’s pawns and white bishop denied Mike’s knight any good squares. A draw. Discussing the game afterwards there was much talk about ‘thematic’ and ‘the principled move for the position’. Two was also a draw but a very different beast. Mikey, under pressure of a constrained but equal-ish game tried to free his position with an f5 thrust but this allowed Piotr to win two pawns with excellent knight manoeuvring. However in time trouble white, in a still dominant same colour bishop ending, accepted the draw offer. Finding the re-routing of the bishop wasn’t straightforward with so little time.

Judd made his debut against Mike and played a really structurally sound game leading to a dominant rook and pawn ending where he controlled both open files and had coordinated rooks. Mike was reduced to passive defence and it was only a matter of time before white turned his positional advantages into material gain and took the game. Finally on four Kana won a piece early and then ground it out to secure his first point of the season; Lionel claimed he enjoyed his debut (maybe through gritted teeth).

The B team take the points and it is great to see new players begin their league chess journey.

In other news Owen beat Javier in the internal club competition in very competent fashion.