Bath A in your final match - not the best. And it looked like a disaster. The two draws happened early, then I lost a piece to make it 2-1 to Bath. Phil had queen v two rooks and a bishop and got steamrollered: 3-1. Steve and Simon looked like heading for draws, then Steve dropped a piece! Luckily, he found a resource that won the bit back and then won a rook to complete a great comeback. Simon's game is two knights v a knight and a very bad bishop; it should be a point to make it 3-3 - yet again!
Currently, we have played 18, won 8, drawn 6, lost 2, with 2 matches undecided and both could be drawn. (JR)
Our last home match already. Where did the season go? We seem to be stuttering towards another drawn match - incredibly. My game was a bit of a nightmare and I was working so hard I failed to see anyone else's until the end. Ian Ponter tried to claim a win at adjournment on the basis none of our envelopes stuck down; a novel approach but he came unstuck when we finally found one that stuck. Steve is a pawn up in a rook and pawn ending but it may be drawn. Simon's position also looks drawn. (JR)
Clifton B defaulted a game, which gave me the night off, but Martin lost to make it all square. The board one continuation was agreed drawn soon after, and the other three could all be drawn - which would make our sixth drawn match this season: surely a record! (JR)
My game was over in just over an hour, so I left early and missed the rest of the match. Phil has good chances, Simon has a stone cold win, and we should pick up both match points. (JR)
This could be another drawn match, which would make five in a row (if the Bath B match is also drawn), which may well be some sort of record. But I think it will fall our way, as my game looks at least a draw - though it has a very unusual material balance; I have a queen for rook, knight and pawn.
There were excellent wins for Steve and Alex, and Phil got a good result against a tough opponent. Martin was pleased to end a losing sequence. Simon's game looks a bit dodgy, but he may well have enough for a draw. (JR)
The three draws all happened first and then it was down to a tense finish. Steve had a queen, bishop and two pawns versus a queen and five pawns which I thought looked winning. Martin had an attack but was running out of time - moves seemed to be coming off his scoresheet rather than being added. Phil seemed to be winning but his opponent was fighting back. All in all, it looked in the bag especially when Phil won.
But then Martin's game fell apart and became resignable. Steve swapped off queens and may have found himself in a lost ending. This could be our first league defeat since mid-October. (JR)
At the end of the evening it looked like we'd secured the points when we only needed one more from three unfinished games. It turned out not to be so easy. Martin plumped for adjudication, but the next day Fritz found a win for his opponent so we resigned it. Steve's game looks very difficult and Simon's would be a stone cold draw if it had gone to adjudication. Looks like another 3-3.
Earlier, my game had a nice finish with four queens on the board. Alex had a quick win and Phil took a draw in a complex position with five seconds to make several moves. (JR)
A very tight match. Post-match analysis shows Phil has enough for a draw. (JR)
Downend had a weak side out as their B team also had a match and there was a Minor KO on as well. In contrast, we had our first choice side out for the first time this season. While Downend's B team looked like taking a point off Bath in the other match, we were throwing away an opportunity to catch up on the leaders.
Simon's game was the upset of the night, conceding a draw to a player rated 112 points below him. Hosken was an unknown quantity to us, but it turns out Phil's draw was a good achievement as his grade is 171, and was 191 the year before. I was in some difficulties and then missed a chance to win a pawn and had to accept the draw offer.
Alex's French suddenly imploded. Steve had more space but it didn't look like the sort of position you would win against Tyson and he had to accept Tyson's draw offer. Martin saved the day, winning a piece and then forcing his way through. (JR)
"When did we last beat Horfield?", asked one of the Clevedon players, with a hint of despair. I don't know the answer, but the question was motivated by the way the match had suddenly gone away from the visitors. We had Simon Greely returning to the side for the first time since September, but Alex was still away, so we still haven't fielded our first choice six in any match so far this season.
I started off with a point, but Simon conceded defeat soon after to make it 1-1. At this stage, it looked very possible we were going to lose. Steve had played a combination which looked like it wasn't quite working, Phil wasn't getting anywhere and Martin and Mike were in difficulties. Martin coolly worked his way out of problems to reach a won ending and Steve reached move 36 with sufficient material to make it 3-1. Mike got the decisive point when Andrew's 'winning' combination turned out to be fatally flawed.
Phil is a pawn up but it looks like being a long grind (JR).
We streaked into a 2.5-0.5 lead on boards 2, 3 and 4, but the remaining point didn't want to appear. Prakash had a slight edge but it looked drawish (as his opponent pointed out several times - we think it was at least five draw offers), and Howard was a pawn down, but Alex looked worth at least a half point if only he could make the time control.
Prakash took the draw, only for Alex to blunder seconds later. Alex has sealed but I suspect it is lost. (JR)
The league champions were without their top player, but still a difficult prospect. Meanwhile, we were enjoying our unexpected position two points clear at the top of the table. Mike, our best performer this season, got us off to a good start and then I managed a rare win.
Retirement appears to be suiting Mike Levene - top scorer for Horfield A with 90%
Alex's promising position fell apart but Phil got his opponent tied up in knots to make it 3-1. Steve was looking good until he overstepped the time limit (3-2). Once again the pressure is on Martin to seal the match. He has what looks a level position and in other circumstances his opponent would probably have accepted Martin's draw offer. We'll have to wait and see (JR). Postscript: the wait was less than 21 hours - another two points in the bag.
Tyson Mordue and Alex Easton (photo: Dave Tipper)
Usual rubbish from me, but luckily our bottom boards (and Steve) did us proud. Phil and Mike picked up wins against good opposition (see games below). Martin looks better in his continuation so we are hopeful of getting the half point to win the match. (JR) Postscript: the continuation was agreed a draw a couple of days later.
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1. Nc3 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Bc5 4... e4=/+
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Martin had to drop out unavoidably on the day, but luckily Peter Ridsdale stepped into the breech and also won! A point on five from a default also helped and my cheapo win against Arthur Hibbitt made it 3-0.
Phil had another bad time, but Alex sealed the match with a draw on top board. (JR)
Peter Ridsdale writes:
"I went for a d4 opening which led to a fairly closed game in which I was pretty much on the defensive. His well defended passed pawn on c4 tied up my pieces and with 4 pieces ready to attack my d4 pawn which I could only defend with 3 it looked as though I was heading for defeat. However rather than concentrating at this point he went for an ill-judged sequence of moves and was fatally tempted by an undefended pawn which left his rook and queen on a white diagonal. My bishop was very happy to jump onto this line which caused his whole game to collapse instantaneously."
This match was overshadowed by the death of Steve Boniface. In retrospect, perhaps we should have postponed as the players' minds weren't focused on chess. But please don't think I'm trying to find excuses for the defeat - it was the same for both sides. Also it was cathartic as I think the players appreciated being able to talk to each other about the news. I said a few words about Steve at the start and then we had a minute's silence.
We had a point when Clifton's board 5 failed to appear. My game soon resulted in the scores being level when I got totally outplayed. "Do you have a grade?" my opponent asked. A fair question considering the way I performed. Phil overstepped the time limit to make it 1-2.
Mike gave everyone a few grey hairs as his match first swung to his opponent and then back again. He had to stop three passed pawns with his knight and king, but eventually queened one of his own and forced a mate.
Steve slogged out a long draw which looked like it would go his way for a while. Alex lost to decide the match in Clifton's favour (JR).
It should have been 4-2 to Horfield, but it all went horribly wrong. Phil lost and then I blundered away a won game. Alex pulled back a point to give us some hope, especially as Steve had a drawn RvR+P ending. But Steve blundered as well. Mike salvaged some ground when his opponent left a mate in one. So it's down to Martin's game, a blocked position and it all depends if Martin can find a way through - we think he can (JR). Postscript: Martin did find a way.
Clifton B were one short at the start of play, but at 7:50 the Clifton captain came to me to say that one of their C team players had got a default in their match against Keynsham and could he insert the player on board 6. I said I had no objections - I might have had second thoughts if I'd known it was the C team board one and not their board six!! In the end it did not make a difference as Mike G got the point and Gooch missed out on a chance to be one of the few people to score points in two league matches on the same evening.
Clifton B are a pretty good side - in fact they outgraded us on half the boards - so it promised to be a good match. When Martin lost I was getting nervous. I had a strong initiative against Jim Boyce but it petered out and he offered a draw. As we were standing well I was happy to accept, but it really was drawn. Alex and Phil both had good wins to seal the match. Mike L is a pawn up in his adjourned position (and his opponent later resigned without resuming).
Next week it gets serious - Bath A at home. (JR)
Some captains seem able to follow the play on all six boards - I find it hard enough knowing what's going on in my own game. I did spot Alex getting a quickish draw on one and I'm told that Simon had a very good win but Phil's not so sure about his victory. Anyway, at the end of the night we were a comfortable 3-1 up with just me and Martin to finish.
Martin's position looked very dodgy. My game had been wild and I was three pawns up at the close but staring possible defeat in the face. Some frantic analysis convinced me that there was no forced win for my opponent but I'd have a tightrope to walk. A draw seemed a fair compromise, winning the match and allowing Martin to concede defeat. (JR)