[Event "Teignmouth v Abbots"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.03.26"]
[Round ""]
[White "J Smith"]
[Black "J Blackmore"]
[Result "1-0"]
[EventDate "2024.03.26"]
1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.c4 Be7 6.Nc3 O-O 7.Bg5 c6 8.Qb3
Nbd7 9.Be2 h6 10.Be3 dxc4 11.Bxc4 Nb6 12.Bd3 Be6 13.Qc2 Nbd5 {Black has
blockaded the isolated d-pawn and has a small advantage.} 14.a3 Nxe3 15.
fxe3 Rc8 16.e4 Qa5 ( 16...Bg4 {aiming to damage white's kingside is
better.} ) 17.O-O Ng4 18.Qe2 Nf6 19.Rad1 Bb3 20.Rd2 Qb6 21.Bb1 Nd7 22.Kh1
Qc7 23.Qd3 ( 23.e5 {opening the b1-h7 diagonal and covering f6 was better.
} ) 23...g6 24.Ne2 Be6 25.d5 cxd5 26.exd5 Bf5 27.Qe3 Bxb1 28.Rxb1 Bf6 29.
Qxh6 Rfe8 30.Ng5 Ne5 ( 30...Nf8 {defending h7 was the right move.
} ) 31.d6 ( 31.Qh7+ {immediately is strong.} 31...Kf8 32.Rf1 Bg7 ( 32...
Qb6 33.Nf4 Bxg5 34.Qh8+ Ke7 35.Qxe5+ Kd7 36.Qxg5 {wins a piece with a
continuing attack.} ) 33.Nf4 {and there is no defence to 34.Ne6+.} ) 31...
Qd7 32.Rf1 Bg7 ( 32...Bxg5 {enables black to survive. Now Jack breaks
through.} ) 33.Qh7+ Kf8 34.Nf4 Qf5 35.d7 Nxd7 36.Rxd7 Qxg5 37.Ne6+ Rxe6
38.Rfxf7+ Ke8 39.Qg8+ Bf8 40.Qxf8# {A well-played attack!} 1-0
[Event "Competitors' League"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.03.28"]
[Round ""]
[White "J Wills"]
[Black "T Thynne"]
[Result "0-1"]
[EventDate "2024.03.28"]
[FlipB "1"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nge2 e5 7.d5 Ne7 8.O-O O-O
9.h3 Ne8 10.b4 f5 {A typical King's Indian position. Black attacks the
kingside and white the queenside. White's slightly strange piece setup
inhibits some of his normal play. Usually white has bishop on e3, and
knights on c3 and d2, which help the c5 pawn push and put more pressure on
white's queenside pawns.} 11.a4 f4 12.f3 g5 13.c5 Ng6 14.Rf2 Rf7 15.Ba3
Bf8 16.c6 b6 17.a5 h5 18.Kf1 {Black's pressure is looming, so Jack decides
to evacuate his king.} 18...Nf6 19.Ng1 g4 20.hxg4 hxg4 21.Ke1 Rh7 22.Kd2
Rh2 23.Kc1 Nh4 24.Qd2 bxa5 25.bxa5 {Because of white's slightly odd
queenside attack, Trefor now has an open file for Jack to worry about.}
25...Rb8 26.Kc2 Nh5 27.Nb5 a6 ( 27...g3 28.Re2 Ba6 29.Rb1 Bxb5 30.Bxb5 a6
31.Bc4 Rxb1 32.Kxb1 Qb8+ 33.Bb2 Rh1 34.Re1 Nxg2 35.Qxg2 Rh2 {is a nice
winning variation.} ) 28.Na7 g3 29.Re2 Nf6 30.Nxc8 Qxc8 31.Kc3 Bg7 32.Qc2?
{The losing move. White should repeat with} ( 32.Kc2 {and it's difficult
for black to break through. All the entry squares on the b-file are
covered.} ) 32...Nxd5+! 33.Kd2 ( 33.exd5 e4+ 34.Kd2 exd3 35.Qxd3 Bxa1 {
gives black a decisive advantage, so Jack has to decline the pawn.} )
33...Ne3 34.Qa2+ Kf8 35.Rxe3 fxe3+ 36.Kxe3 Nxg2+ 37.Kd2 Nf4+ 38.Ne2 Bh6
39.Kc3 Nxd3 40.Kxd3 Ke7 41.Qc4 Qg8 {The queen swap is hopeless so Jack
allows mate.} 42.Qxa6 Qb3+ 43.Nc3 Rd2# 0-1
[Event "Challengers' League"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.03.28"]
[Round ""]
[White "L Barron"]
[Black "R Hammond"]
[Result "0-1"]
[EventDate "2024.03.28"]
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3 e6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Qe2 a6 7.Bd3 Bb4 8.e4 O-O
9.e5 Ng4 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Be3 Nxe3 12.Qxe3 Nb4 13.a3 Nxd3+ 14.Qxd3 b5 15.
O-O-O {Les castles into the attack.} ( 15.O-O {would have been safer.} )
15...Bg5+ 16.Kb1 Be7 17.h4 c5 18.g4 ( 18.dxc5 {is the best move. If} 18...
Bxc5 19.Ng5 {forces} 19...g6 20.f4 {and white's attack comes first. eg}
20...Be7 21.h5 Bxg5 22.fxg5 Qxg5 23.hxg6 fxg6 24.Nxd5! exd5 25.Qxd5+ Kh8
26.Qxd7 {and black is in real trouble.} ) 18...c4 {Now white's queen is
pushed out of the way and Rhys gets a big advantage.} 19.Qd2 a5 20.g5 b4
21.axb4 axb4 22.Na2 b3 23.cxb3 cxb3 24.Nc3 Qa5 {This is a winning position
for black.} 25.Kc1 Qa1+ 26.Nb1 Rfc8+ 27.Qc3 Rxc3+ 28.bxc3 Ra2 29.Rd2 {Rhys
has played the attack really well and now misses the best way to finish
the game off.} 29...Rxd2 ( 29...Ba3+ 30.Kd1 Qxb1+ 31.Ke2 Bb5+ 32.c4 Bxc4+
33.Ke3 Qe4# {would have been a perfect end to the game. Nevertheless Rhys
continues to play well and wins efficiently.} ) 30.Kxd2 Qb2+ 31.Ke3 Bb5
32.Nbd2 Qxc3+ 33.Kf4 b2 34.Rb1 Bd3 35.Kg4 Bxb1 36.Nxb1 Qc2 37.Na3 Qf5+ 38.
Kg3 Bxa3 39.Nd2 Qd3+ 40.Kg4 Qxd2 0-1
[Event "Teignmouth v Abbots"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.03.26"]
[Round ""]
[White "T Thynne"]
[Black "I Henry"]
[Result "1-0"]
[EventDate "2024.03.26"]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4 a6 7.N5a3 Nf6 8.Nc3 {
Ian plays a defence which requires black to be active. His typical
development should be, Be6, Be7, 0-0 followed, at some point, by f5.
Instead he does some wandering with his knights.} 8...Bg4 9.f3 Be6 10.Be3
Nd7 11.Nc2 Na5 ( 11...Be7 {is the required move.} ) 12.b3 Rc8 13.Qd2 b6
14.Be2 Nb7 15.Nb4 a5 16.Nbd5 Ndc5 17.O-O {This is almost white's ideal
position in this line. He has a protected outpost for his knight on d5,
while black's knight outpost can be undermined by a3 and b4.} 17...f6 18.
Rab1 Bxd5 {It was difficult to find a good move for black, but swapping
off the bishop weakens the white squares.} 19.Nxd5 Nd7 20.a3 Nbc5 21.Rfd1
Rb8 22.b4 axb4 23.axb4 Ne6 24.Ra1 {Now white has the a-file too.} 24...Nc7
25.Ra7 Nxd5 26.Qxd5 {Complete domination.} 26...Qc8 27.f4 Be7 28.Bg4 {
Trefor makes the final breakthrough on the white squares.} 28...Kd8 29.
Rxd7+ Qxd7 30.Bxd7 Kxd7 31.fxe5 1-0
[Event "Totnes v Bishops"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.03.25"]
[Round ""]
[White "M Goldschmidt"]
[Black "J Wills"]
[Result "1-0"]
[EventDate "2024.03.25"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.a4 bxc4 5.Nc3 d6 6.e4 g6 7.Bxc4 Bg7 8.f4 Nbd7
9.Nf3 O-O 10.a5 a6 11.O-O Re8 12.e5 {Maybe one move too soon.} ( 12.Qe2 {
looks better.} ) 12...dxe5 13.fxe5 Ng4 14.e6 fxe6 15.dxe6 Nde5 16.Bd5 Rb8
17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.Qe2 Rb4 19.Bf4 {Jack is under pressure and tries a tricky
tactic.} 19...Nc4!? 20.Bxc4 ( 20.Kh1 {keeps Martin ahead eg} 20...Nxb2 21.
Be5 Bxe5 22.Qxe5 Nd3 23.Qe3 Rd4 24.Rad1 Nf4 25.Rxd4 cxd4 26.Qxf4 dxc3 27.
Qf7+ Kh8 28.Bc6 Rg8 {and white is on top.} ) 20...Qd4+ 21.Rf2 Qxc4 22.Be5
Qxe6 ( 22...Qxe2 {is better, picking up the b-pawn.} 23.Rxe2 Bxe5 24.Rxe5
Rxb2 25.Na4 Rd2 26.Nxc5 Rf8 {with ideas of doubling on the second rank,
leaves black slightly better.} ) 23.Re1 Qxe5 24.Qxe5 Bxe5 25.Rxe5 c4 {This
is the losing move, allowing Martin's knight to become very active.} (
25...Rf8 {keeps things level.} ) 26.Nd5 Rb7 27.Nf6+ Kf7 28.Nxe8+ Kxe8 29.
Rc5 Bd7 30.Rxc4 {Now Martin is a clear exchange ahead - he finishes
efficiently.} 30...Rb5 31.b4 Rd5 32.h4 e5 33.Rc5 Rxc5 34.bxc5 Ke7 35.Rd2
Bb5 36.Rd6 Bc4 37.Kf2 e4 38.Ke3 Bd3 39.g4 Ke8 40.g5 Ke7 41.Kf4 Ke8 42.c6
Bb5 43.c7 Bd7 1-0
[Event "Competitors'League"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.03.28"]
[Round ""]
[White "R Brenton"]
[Black "P Brooks"]
[Result "0-1"]
[EventDate "2024.03.28"]
[FlipB "1"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 c5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.e3 cxd4 6.exd4 a6 7.Ne5 e6 8.a3 Be7
9.h3 Qb6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.b4 O-O 12.Na4 Qd8 {a7 was a better square for the
queen.} 13.Bd3 a5 14.c3 Ba6 15.Nc5 Bxd3 16.Nxd3 ( 16.Qxd3 {keeping the
knight active is better.} 16...axb4 17.cxb4 Bxc5 18.bxc5 Qa5+ 19.Bd2 Qa4
20.O-O {is about equal.} ) 16...Ne4 17.Qc1 f6?! {Paul could carry on
attacking white's pawns with} ( 17...axb4 18.axb4 Rxa1 19.Qxa1 Qa8 20.Qb2
Qa6 21.Nc5 Bxc5 22.bxc5 Qc4 {when black has a decisive advantage.} ) 18.f3
Nd6 19.O-O {Now black has to squirm to keep the balance.} 19...Re8 20.Re1
Bf8 21.Nc5 Qc8 22.Ra2 {The computer gives } ( 22.Nd3 Qa6 23.Nc5 Qc8 {with
a draw by repetition. Richard tries for more.} ) 22...axb4 23.Bxd6 Bxd6
24.cxb4 Bg3 25.Ree2 e5 26.Nb3?! {Richard aims to attack the pawn on c6,
but allows Paul to activate his bishop.} 26...Bf4 27.Qc2 exd4 28.Nxd4?!
Be3+ 29.Kh1 ( 29.Rxe3 {was a bit better but black is still on top. Now
it's fairly easy for Paul.} ) 29...Bxd4 30.Qd3 Be5 31.Rec2 Qa6 32.Qd1 Qb5
33.g4 Bd6 34.Kg2 Re3 35.Qc1 Bf4 36.Qb2 Qd3 ( 36...Rxf3 {would be a flashy
way to end the game.} 37.Kxf3 Qd3+ 38.Kg2 Qg3+ 39.Kf1 Qxh3+ 40.Rg2 Be3 {
with a raging attack. Paul prefers a simpler approach.} ) 37.Rd2 Qc3 38.b5
Rxf3 39.Qxc3 Rxc3 40.Rd4 Be5 41.Rb4 c5 42.Rb1 Raxa3 43.Re2 Rg3+ 44.Kf1
Rxh3 45.Ree1 Ra2 46.Re2 Rh1+ 47.Kf2 Rxe2+ {Richard loses a whole rook.}
0-1
[Event "Competitors' League"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.03.28"]
[Round ""]
[White "J Blackmore"]
[Black "A Brusey"]
[Result "0-1"]
[EventDate "2024.03.28"]
[FlipB "1"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.O-O O-O 8.c4 c6
9.Nc3 Bf5 10.Qc2 Re8 11.Re1 Bb4 12.a3 ( 12.Bg5 {was a good tactic for
white.} 12...Nxg5 ( 12...Qc8 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Bxe4 Rxe4 15.Rxe4 h6 16.Bf4
Nd7 17.Qe2 Bxe4 18.Qxe4 Nf6 19.Qc2 {also leaves white a pawn ahead.} ) 13.
Rxe8+ Qxe8 14.Nxg5 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 g6 16.cxd5 Bxc3 17.dxc6! {wins a clean
pawn.} ) 12...Bxc3 13.bxc3 Nd7 14.Bb2 {The bishop does nothing here. It's
better on f4.} 14...Bg6 15.Rac1 ( 15.cxd5 {trying to open the position for
his bishops was better.} 15...cxd5 16.c4 Rc8 17.h3 Nd6 18.Rxe8+ Qxe8 19.
Re1 Qd8 20.c5 Nc4 21.Bc1 {is about equal.} ) 15...Nd6 16.cxd5 cxd5 17.
Rxe8+ Qxe8 18.Re1 Qf8 19.Ne5 Re8 20.f4 {Putting another pawn on a black
square isn't a great idea.} ( 20.Qd1 {was preferable although black still
has the advantage.} ) 20...Bxd3 21.Qxd3 Nc4 {Alan creates a classic 'good
knight v bad bishop' position.} 22.Rb1 Ndb6 23.Nxc4 Nxc4 24.Bc1 b6 25.a4
Qe7 26.Bd2 Qa3 27.Re1 Qxa4 28.Kf2 Rxe1 29.Bxe1 g6 30.f5 Nd6 31.fxg6 hxg6
32.Qh3 Ne4+ {The knight finds another great outpost.} 33.Ke3 Qe8 34.Kd3
Nd6 35.Qh4 Nf5 36.Qf2 Qe4+ 37.Kd2 Nd6 38.Qg3 Qe6 39.Bf2 {And in this
hopeless position Joshua misses a tactic.} 39...Ne4+ 0-1
[Event "Totnes v Bishops"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.03.26"]
[Round ""]
[White "P Brooks"]
[Black "K Arkell"]
[Result "0-1"]
[EventDate "2024.03.26"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 c5 4.Bd3 cxd4 5.exd4 Be7 6.O-O O-O 7.c3 b6 8.Bf4
Ba6 9.Bxa6 Nxa6 10.h3 d6 11.Qe2 Nc7 12.Nbd2 ( 12.a4 {to stop black
expanding on the queenside was slightly better.} ) 12...b5 13.a4 a6 14.Bh2
Qd7 15.axb5 axb5 16.b3 {Paul realises that Keith wants to play a minority
attack by advancing his b-pawn to leave white with weak pawns, so he
decides to mobilise his majority.} 16...Rfe8 17.c4 h6 18.Rfc1 Bf8 19.Ne4
Nxe4 20.Qxe4 bxc4 21.bxc4 Rec8 22.Rxa8 Rxa8 23.c5 {This is perhaps
premature.} ( 23.Qb7 {hampering black's development was slightly better.}
) 23...Nd5 24.Bxd6 Bxd6 25.cxd6 Qxd6 26.Ne5 {The position is pretty even
with both sides having a knight outpost.} 26...Rd8 27.Rc6 Qe7 28.Rc4 Qa7
29.Qc2 Qa8 30.Ra4 Qb7 31.Rc4 Nf4 32.Nc6 {This self-pin looks a bit
awkward, but black shouldn't be able to exploit it.} 32...Ra8 33.Rb4 Qc7
34.Rb1 ( 34.Rc4 {was best, when Keith will struggle to demonstrate an
advantage. Paul was worried about } 34...Ra1+ {but it doesn't lead
anywhere.} 35.Kh2 {and now black is forced into } 35...Ra8 {as 35...Nd5+
loses badly to 36.Ne5!} ) 34...Rc8 35.Rc1 Kh8 36.Kf1 ( 36.Qe4 {keeps white
in the game.} ) 36...Qb6 37.Qc4 Qb2 38.Qc2 Qb5+ {A neat finish. 39.Qc4
(39.Kg1 fails to 39...Ne2+, while 39.Ke1 allows 39...Rxc6) Rxc6 and if
40.Qxb5 Rxc1#. Paul was pleased to have stayed level with Keith for 33
moves, and that he only had 11 minutes left on his clock!} 0-1
[Event "Challengers' League"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.03.28"]
[Round ""]
[White "I Henry"]
[Black "E Manning"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[EventDate "2024.03.28"]
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Nf3 Nd7 7.Bd3 Bxd3 8.
Qxd3 e6 9.O-O Be7 10.Re1 Ngf6 11.c3 Qc7 12.Ne5 O-O 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Ne4
Rfd8 15.Be3 c5 16.Qc2 Nd5 ( 16...Nxe4 {is a straightforward equaliser.} )
17.Nxc5 Nxe3 18.Rxe3 Bxc5 19.dxc5 Qd2 20.Re2 Qxc2 21.Rxc2 Rd5 22.b4 Rad8
23.Kf1 Rd2 24.Rac1 ( 24.Rxd2 Rxd2 25.Ke1 {is the best way for white to go
for the win.} 25...Rc2 ( 25...Rd8 {is worse} 26.Rd1 Rxd1+ ( 26...Rc8 27.
Rd7 {is horrible for black.} ) 27.Kxd1 {should be a won pawn ending.} )
26.Rd1 Kf8 27.Rd7 Rxa2 28.Rxb7 {leaves white with a powerful protected
passed c-pawn.} ) 24...f5 25.Ke1 R2d3 26.Re2 Kf7 27.Re3 Rd2 28.Re2 R2d3
29.Re3 Rd2 {Ian couldn't find a way forward so he and Ellis agreed a draw.
} 1/2-1/2