[Event "Newton Abbot v Exeter Schofield B2"] [Site "Newton Abbot"] [Date "1 Dec 2018"] [Round "?"] [White "Richard Scholes"] [Black "Paul Brooks"] [Result "0-1"] 1. e4 e6 2. d3 c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7 7. Re1 d6 8. c3 { This variation of the Kings Indian Attack is like a reversed English Opening. Paul could now play 8...e5 transposing to a reversed Botvinnik system, but decides to keep the centre more fluid instead.} O-O 9. Be3 b6 10. d4 cxd4 11. Nxd4 Bb7 12. Na3 a6 {?! Richard could take advantage of this move by putting his pieces on more active squares eg 13. Nxc6 Bxc6 14. Nc4 Nc8 15. a4 with a pleasant advantage} 13. Nac2 Rc8 14. Qd2 Qc7 15. Bg5 Rfe8 16. Bh3 Nxd4 17. Nxd4 Nc6 18. Rac1 Ne5 19. b3 b5 20. f4 {?! Natural, but perhaps too loosening. Paul could now play ....h6 21. fxe5 hxg5 22. Qc5 when he regains the pawn with advantage.} Nc6 21. f5 exf5 22. exf5 Rxe1+ 23. Rxe1 Nxd4 24. cxd4 Qc6 { with a big threat. }25. f6 {?? A pity. Richard had to play 25. d5 when Paul needed to find .... Qc5+ (25...Qxd5 26. Qxd5 Bxd5 27. f6 and white wins a piece) 26. Be3 Bc3 27. Qd3 Qxd5 28. Qxd5 Bxd5 29. Rd1 Re8 30. Rxd5 Rxe3 when a draw is the most likely result. Now Paul smashes through.} Qh1+ 26. Kf2 Qxh2+ {27. Kf1 is just a longer forced mate .... Qxh3+ 28. Ke2 Qh5+ 29. g4 Qxg4+ 30. Kf1 Qh3+ 32. Kg1 Qh1+ 33. Kf2 Qg2+ 34. Ke3 Qf3#} 27. Ke3 Qxg3+ 28. Ke2 Qf3# 0-1

[Event "Schofield Cup Newton Abbot v Exeter B1"] [Site "Newton Abbot"] [Date "1 Dec 2018"] [Round "?"] [White "Vignesh Ramesh"] [Black "Sean Pope"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteELO "164"] [BlackELO "142"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/p4p2/1p2p1kp/4P3/1P3P2/P3KB2/2b4P/8 w KQkq - 0 48"] {This is the critical position, reached after a long tight game, characterised by a closed centre and lots of manoeuvering. Almost any bishop move eg 48. Bg4 or 48. Bg2 will keep things level. The point is that the bishop and the king can work together to keep the opposing pieces out, whereas Vignesh played:} 48. Be4+ Bxe4 49. Kxe4 {Now the bishops have gone, Sean's king can penetrate on the king side. The game is now lost.} Kh5 50. f5 Kg4 51. fxe6 fxe6 52. b5 h5 53. h4 Kg3 54. Ke3 Kxh4 55. Kf4 Kh3 56. Kg5 { You might think that Vignesh can try to keep Sean trapped with 56. Kf3 but after ...h4 57. a4 Kh2 58. Kf2 h3, White has to give ground eg 59. Kf1 Kg3 and white picks up the pawns, or 59. Kf3 Kg1 and the pawn queens.} h4 57. Kf6 Kg3 58. Kxe6 h3 {The h-pawn is just too quick.} 59. Kd7 h2 60. e6 h1=Q 61. e7 Qd5+ 62. Kc8 Qxb5 63. Kc7 Qc5+ 64. Kd8 Qd6+ 65. Ke8 b5 66. Kf7 Qd7 67. Kf8 a5 { One of the queenside pawns will queen. The moral of the story is NEVER EXCHANGE INTO A PAWN ENDING UNLESS YOU ARE CERTAIN YOU WILL WIN.} 0-1