[Event "S Hams v Abbots B3"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.01.11"]
[Round ""]
[White "T Thynne"]
[Black "C Black"]
[Result "1-0"]
[EventDate "2024.01.11"]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Be3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 Nf6 8.
Bd3 d5 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.e5 Nd7 11.f4 c5 12.O-O c4 13.Be2 O-O 14.Qe1 {The
game is more or less level here, but now black starts to play on the wrong
side of the board. She needs to seek counterplay on the queenside. It's
almost always a bad idea to advance your pawns on the side where you are
weaker.} 14...f6 15.Qg3 fxe5 16.fxe5 Rxf1+ {Cathy has continued with her
bad idea. This move just removes a defender of the king and puts the other
white rook in an attacking position.} 17.Rxf1 Qe7 18.Bh5 {Obviously Cathy
doesn't want to allow the rook to penetrate to the seventh rank, but the
cure is worse than the disease!} 18...g6 19.Bxg6 {A totally winning
sacrifice from Trefor.} 19...hxg6 20.Qxg6+ Qg7 21.Qxe6+ Kh8 22.Rf7 Nf8 23.
Qe7 Ng6 24.Qd8+ {...and it's mate in 5!} 1-0
[Event "Bishops v Totnes"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.01.11"]
[Round ""]
[White "A Kinder"]
[Black "M Goldschmidt"]
[Result "1-0"]
[EventDate "2024.01.11"]
1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.d3 Nxc3 7.bxc3 Nd7 8.Bf4
c6 9.Be2 Nc5 10.Nd4 Bxe2 11.Qxe2 Be7 12.O-O O-O 13.Qg4 Qd7 14.Nf5 g6 15.
Nxe7+ Qxe7 16.Bg5 ( 16.Bh6 {not giving black a free pawn looks better.} )
16...Qxe5 17.Rae1 Qxc3 18.Bf6 Qxc2 {Now white has to justify his 3-pawn
sacrifice.} 19.Qg5 Nd7 20.Ba1 {The knight covers the kingside dark
squares, and black is better.} 20...Qc5+ 21.Kh1 Qd6 22.Qh6 d4 ( 22...f6 {
followed by 23...Ne5 is a better defensive set-up.} ) 23.Re4 f6 24.Rxd4
Qe7 25.Re4 Qg7 26.Qe3 Rf7 27.Re1 Nb6 28.g4 Nd5 29.Qd4 g5 30.Re6 Qg6 31.Rf1
h6 32.Rf5 Kg7 33.Qe4 Raf8 {Black is still well ahead on material, but it's
difficult to see how he can make anything of it. All Andrew's pieces are
in their optimum positions.} 34.Qd4 a6 35.Qe4 h5 {Martin tries to open the
h-file as another attacking line, but, at the same time he weakens the g5
pawn too.} 36.Qf3 hxg4 ( 36...Rh8 {would be a sensible follow-up to the
last move.} 37.Qg3 hxg4 38.Qxg4 Rh5 {and black can hope to disentangle.} )
37.Qxg4 Nf4 {This illustrates the down side of black's 35th move.} ( 37...
Kh6 {was mandatory.} ) 38.Rxg5 {The pin on the f-pawn means that white
wins the queen.} 1-0
[Event "Bishops v Totnes"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.01.11"]
[Round ""]
[White "M Furnevall"]
[Black "J Wills"]
[Result "0-1"]
[EventDate "2024.01.11"]
[FlipB "1"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.c4 O-O 5.Bg2 d6 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.O-O c5 8.Qc2 a6
9.b3 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nc5 11.Bb2 Rb8 12.e4 Ng4 13.Rad1 Ne6 14.Nde2 Nc5 15.h3
Ne5 16.f4 Ned7 17.Kh2 f5 {This weakens too many squares around black's
king. Jack is soon in trouble.} 18.exf5 Rxf5 19.b4 Ne6 20.Bd5 Nb6 21.Rfe1
Nxd5 22.Nxd5 Nc7 23.Bxg7 Nxd5 24.Bh6 ( 24.Ba1 {is much better, keeping the pressure on the long diagonal.} ) 24...Rh5 {Jack now
has counterplay.} 25.cxd5 Rxh3+ 26.Kg2 Rxh6 27.Nd4 Bh3+ 28.Kf3 Qd7 29.Ne6
Bxe6 30.Rxe6 Rc8 31.Qd3 ( 31.Rxe7 {is a nice tactic leading to a better
ending for white.} ) 31...Kf7 32.Rde1 Re8 33.Qe3 Rh5 34.Qe4 Rf5 35.g4 Rf6
36.f5 {Black is now really struggling for space.} 36...Qc7 37.Rxf6+ Kxf6
38.Qe6+ Kg7 39.f6+ Kf8 {It looks like white should be winning easily but
here he has to lose moves to force zugzwang.} 40.f7 ( 40.g5 b6 41.Re2 a5
42.b5 Qc1 {allows } 43.f7 {and black can dodge the checks and win.} 43...
Qf1+ 44.Kg3 Qg1+ 45.Rg2 Qc1 46.fxe8=Q+ Kxe8 47.Re2 {etc.} ) 40...Rc8 {Now
it's equal!} 41.Kf4 Qc4+ 42.Kg5 Rc7 43.Rh1 Qxb4 44.Rxh7 Qd2+ 45.Kxg6 Qd3+
46.Qf5 Qd4 {The queen stops the fatal check on h8 and white can't make
progess.} 47.Kh6 Qe3+ 48.Qg5 Qh3+ 49.Kg6 Qd3+ 50.Qf5 Qc3 51.Rh5 {OOPS!!!}
51...Qg7# {Well fought Jack.} 0-1
[Event "Bishops v Totnes"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.01.11"]
[Round ""]
[White "K Arkell"]
[Black "P Brooks"]
[Result "1-0"]
[EventDate "2024.01.11"]
[FlipB "1"]
1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.cxd5 exd5 4.Nf3 c6 5.Nc3 Bf5 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Bxe7 Qxe7 8.e3
Nf6 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Nbd7 11.O-O O-O 12.Qc2 Rfc8 13.b4 b5 14.a4 a6 (
14...Qxb4 15.Rfb1 Qf8 16.axb5 cxb5 17.Rxb5 Ne4 18.Rb3 Rab8 19.Raa3 {makes
life a bit awkward for white.} 19...Rc4 20.Rxb8 ( 20.Nd2 Rxc3 21.Rxc3 Nxd2
22.Ra1 ( 22.Qxd2 {loses to} 22...Qxa3! ) 22...Nc4 {and black emerges with
2 knights for a rook.} ) 20...Nxb8 21.Qb2 Qc8 22.Nd1 Rc2 23.Qb5 Rc1 24.Rd3
a5 {and white is tied up in knots.
} ) 15.Rfb1 Nb6 16.Ne5 Nfd7 17.Nxd7 Qxd7 18.a5 Nc4 {Now white is slightly
better, because the a6 pawn needs constant monitoring. Keith plays the
resulting endgame in his usual exemplary fashion.} 19.Ne2 Re8 20.Nf4 Qe7
21.Nd3 Qe4 22.Rc1 f5 23.Nc5 Qxc2 24.Rxc2 Kf7 25.g3 Ke7 26.Re1 Kd6 27.Rce2
Kc7 28.Kg2 Nd6 29.Kf3 Ne4 30.Nd3 Nd6 31.h3 Kb7 32.g4 g6 33.g5 Re7 34.h4
Nc4 35.Rh1 Rg8 36.Nf4 Nd6 37.Rc2 Nc4 38.Rcc1 Nd2+ 39.Ke2 Nc4 40.h5 gxh5
41.Rxh5 Rgg7 42.Nd3 Nd6 43.Ne5 ( 43.Nc5+ {is a small combination which
Keith pointed out after the game.} 43...Ka7 44.Nxa6 f4 ( 44...Kxa6 45.
Rxc6+ {wins easily.} ) 45.Rxc6 Nf5 46.Rf6 Nxd4+ 47.Kd3 fxe3 48.fxe3 Nb3
49.Rb6 {and white will win. However, Keith decides to win positionally
instead.} ) 43...Nc4 44.f4 Nxe5 45.dxe5 Kc7 46.Kd3 Rg6 47.Kd4 Rgg7 48.Rh6
Rg6 49.Rch1 {After 49...Rgg7 50.Kc5 wins at least 2 pawns and the game.
The only real mistake Paul made was to allow Keith to play the exchange
variation!} 1-0
[Event "Bishops v Totnes"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.01.11"]
[Round ""]
[White "R Brenton"]
[Black "C Collins"]
[Result "0-1"]
[EventDate "2024.01.11"]
[FlipB "1"]
1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 e6 3.Nf3 a6 4.a3 d6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.O-O Nc6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qc7
9.Ba2 Bd7 10.Be3 Rc8 11.Qd2 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Bc6 13.Rfe1 Rd8 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.
Qe3 Be7 16.Qg3 Kf8 17.Rad1 Qa5 18.Re3 h5 19.h4 Rg8 20.Qh2 Qe5 21.f4 Qc5
22.Rd3 f5 23.b4 Qb6 24.Kf1 Rg4 ( 24...fxe4 {is very good for black.} 25.
Nxe4 d5 26.Ng5 Bb5 {wins the exchange.} 27.c4 {is no good because of }
27...dxc4 28.Rxd8+ Bxd8 29.Qg3 c3+ 30.Ke1 c2 31.Kd2 Bf6 32.Kxc2 Ke7 {and
black has a tremendous attack.} ) 25.g3 d5 26.exd5 Bxd5 27.Bxd5 exd5 28.
Qd2 ( 28.Re5 {takes advantage of black's rickety pawn structure } 28...Qg6
29.Nxd5 Bf6 30.Nxf6 Qxf6 31.Qd2 Rxd3 32.Qxd3 a5 {and it's difficult to see
how black will survive. Instead Richard allows a pawn fork.} ) 28...d4 29.
Re5 ( 29.Rxe7 {is slightly better} 29...Kxe7 30.Ne2 Qc6 31.Kg1 Qe4 32.Nxd4
Rxg3+ 33.Rxg3 Rxd4 {and black is winning but not by much. Now Chris
converts his advantage smoothly.} ) 29...dxc3 30.Rxd8+ Qxd8 31.Qxc3 Qd7
32.Re3 Kg8 33.Kf2 Rg6 34.Kg2 Bxh4 35.Kh3 Be7 36.Qd3 Qc6 37.Qd1 Re6 38.Rf3
Qe4 39.Qd3 Bf6 40.Qd1 Qe2 41.Qxe2 Rxe2 42.c4 Rd2 43.c5 Kf8 44.Re3 Bd4 45.
Rf3 Ke7 46.Rb3 Kd7 47.Kh4 Bf6+ 48.Kh3 Kc6 49.Re3 Kb5 50.Re8 Ka4 51.c6 bxc6
52.Ra8 Kb5 53.Ra7 Rd6 54.Rxf7 Ka4 55.Ra7 Kxa3 56.Rxa6+ Kxb4 57.Ra7 c5 58.
Rb7+ Kc3 59.Rh7 c4 60.Rxh5 Rd5 61.Rh6 Bd4 62.g4 fxg4+ 63.Kxg4 Rc5 64.f5
Kb2 65.f6 Bxf6 66.Rxf6 c3 67.Kg3 c2 68.Rf2 Kb1 0-1
[Event "S Hams v Abbots B4"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.01.11"]
[Round ""]
[White "P McConnell"]
[Black "E Manning"]
[Result "1-0"]
[EventDate "2024.01.11"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 c6 4.e3 h6 5.h4 e6 6.a3 c5 {Ellis allows white to
play his thematic move here.} 7.Nb5 Na6 8.Be2 c4 9.c3 Qb6 10.a4 Bd7 11.b3
{It looks like black has pressure here, but appearances can be deceptive.
White's pieces are better placed for the coming exchanges.} 11...Bxb5 12.
axb5 Qxb5 13.bxc4 dxc4 14.Qa4 ( 14.Qb1 {is more accurate.} ) 14...Qxa4 15.
Rxa4 Nd5 16.Bf3 Nxf4 17.exf4 Rb8 18.Ne2 Nc7 19.Rxa7 Nd5 20.Kd2 Bd6 21.Bxd5
exd5 22.Rb1 {White's pressure continues and black looks like he will lose
a pawn.} 22...b5 23.Ra5 b4 24.cxb4 Rxb4 25.Kc2 Rxb1 26.Kxb1 Kd7 27.Rxd5
Re8 ( 27...Kc6 {gives black a chance of equalising.} 28.Rf5 f6 29.Ra5 Bb4
30.Ra7 Re8 31.Ng3 Be1 32.Rxg7 Bxf2 33.Nf5 h5 34.Ra7 Re1+ 35.Kc2 Kd5 36.
Ra5+ Ke4 {and black's pieces are well placed.} ) 28.Nc3 Rb8+ 29.Kc2 g6 {
This was the final chance to activate the king.} ( 29...Kc6 {leaves white
better but black might have a chance.} ) 30.Ne4 {Now Phil has the easy
plan of swapping everything off and winning the pawn endgame.} 30...Rb6
31.Kc3 Rc6 32.Rxd6+ Rxd6 33.Nxd6 Kxd6 34.Kxc4 f6 35.g4 g5 36.fxg5 fxg5 37.
hxg5 hxg5 38.Kd3 Ke6 39.Ke4 1-0