Two matches last night.
The A team came a cropper against a Clifton team sporting both IMs. 5-1 was the final score leaving the visitors in still snapping at the distant heels of Bath A in the league table and leaving the hosts to lick their wounds. An excellent draw for Matias against IM Cobb (his second of the season). Andy’s king side optimism resulted in weak light squares which IM Beaumont exploited as you’d expect he would. Mike H went down to Gareth having played strategically well in the late opening, and was +4 after less than 20 moves but then missed a simply pawn capture and the chance was gone. On board 4 Steve stayed unbeaten this season securing an early draw with David. Nigel lost a piece early against Igor, staggered on but could only take so much of the slow-drip death he was experiencing. Finally Mike J competed well with Chris but the grading difference told and that was that. Already very much end of season.
One to make you look the other way
However the C team kept the home flag flying with a third straight win (14.5 points vs 3.5 points for the three matches) and nine points out of ten in the second half of the season so far. We’re back up to second and our final match of the season against Clevedon looks like it’ll decide who joins Yate in promotion. First to finish was board 2. Pete and Jared played a bland draw where white had a slight advantage for the first 15 moves or so then missed the best continuation and it became dead drawn; the rest of the match looked comfortable so it felt the right decision to accept blacks offer. Alan scored the first full point of the night. He overcame malady to firstly turn up and then secondly to become the first player to beat Greig this season. He won a piece but the bishop and queen versus queen ending wasn’t straightforward as the black king was exposed. In the end persistence and patience paid off and he forced through his advantage. A longish wait for the next result and when it came Bath equalised with Barry showing how activity is king. He forced the pace and Joe ended up passive and eventually having to give up the exchange. Barry gave it back to create a passed pawn and that was that. Jack restored the advantage on board 6 by beating Mauro. White had won a piece with sharp opening play. Black tried to resist but once Jack had organised his pieces Mauro’s exposed king and material deficit was too much and white delivered a tidy little checkmate. James took us to 3 points by drawing with Bob on board 3. Bob had reached a rook and pawn end game with a winning position but was very short on time and James offered a draw knowing Bob would be clock-bothered and was delighted when the offer was accepted. Finally, Piotr won a game against Josh on board 4 that looked like a draw for long stretches. He’d managed to transform an equal position into one with an outside passed pawn but the question was whether the clock would win as white was down to his last minute. Piotr found a good bind to restrain black’s queen and bishop then pick up a second pawn as Josh tried to find freeing moves. A slip in the ending wasn’t material and with a pawn promotion inevitable the point and the match was ours. On the march
Horfield & Redland Chess Club 