Two home matches on Tuesday. Two wins
A team report (thanks Phil)
The same opening move was played on every board. I’m not sure what the rules say about pairs of boards continuing to copy each other’s moves to ensure a 3-3 drawn match but thankfully this wasn’t put to the test.
I came out of the opening a pawn to the good but lost it back as rooks came off and we entered a knight v bishop ending. I thought I might have chances with my passed pawn but it was able to be blockaded.
Steve’s win was relatively smooth. Ulugbek was attacking on the queenside but had no safe place for his king which allowed Steve to attack it in the centre, first picking up the exchange and then finishing it off with some tactics.
Derek developed a good kingside attack out of the opening but after he missed the opportunity for an obscure tactical shot, Dimitar gave him no more opportunities and Derek ended up taking a perpetual.
Andy considered himself a bit fortunate against Tommy as he entered a double rook ending a pawn up but with no obvious path to victory. That changed when Tommy exchanged the wrong rook which led to a winning 3v2 pawn ending.
I didn’t see much of the other two. Tom seemed to grind out a positional win in the battle of the Bristol University Chess sweatshirts, whereas Matias was on the receiving end of similar treatment.
So another win in the bag for us and a creditable result for the university given the wide rating difference on all but one board.
Match card here.
E team report
The E team dismissed Portishead C to stay unbeaten and in second in the division. Joaquim drew on board 2 against the high-rated Steve after having the better of the opening but then overlooking a tactic that allowed black to secure a perpetual. The rest of the matches went smoothly. Joe went into a queen and pawn endgame 3 pawns up (admittedly all isolated) but found the right moves and eased through. Piotr won a pawn in the opening, turned it into a protected passed pawn and then traded down. Simples. Finally Graham took his E team record to 9.5 out of 11 with yet another well constructed win. Good work chaps. Match card here.
C team report
A trip to Bath. A match we needed to win to have a realistic chance of finishing top two. We lost. Like last season we’ve made a habit of losing the close matches. Good wins for Nigel and Duncan. A solid draw for Alan on top board but losses for the rest of us. I am still fuming about my stupid play/approach against Eliot. Match card here.
Horfield & Redland Chess Club 