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| Before the match Steve noted our poor board 2 form this season (1.5 out of 6). It looked as if it might continue as Derek was nowhere to be seen when the match started soon after 8 (put back 30 minutes because of problems booking a room). Stand-in Andrew was the first to finish with a well executed demolition combining queen, two bishops and pins galore. Andrew has now played for the A, B, C, D and minor club knockout teams this season: Is this a record? Steve took a draw and Chris and I won without too many problems to seal the match. Meanwhile Derek's position was typically untypical: It looked as if his 2 extra pieces scattered about the board might not be as strong as his opponent's 3 mobile central passed pawns, but his opponent tried a kingside attack and when this was rebuffed he was busted. After having the worst of it Mike battled to a draw in a bishop ending with less than a minute left on his clock. The final twist was after the match when Derek found out why he hadn't been defaulted as he had expected to be - he hadn't got the message about the delayed start. (PN) John's opponent didn't show so we started one up. I kept the score board ticking over when my opponent lost his way in the tactics, although he gamely battled on for several moves 2 rooks down. Derek had another interesting game: a pawn up and a dominant pawn chain, but they seemed to impede his pieces more than his opponent's and it proved too difficult to defend in the end. Steve's play with black was as solid as a very solid thing and Chris Beaumont couldn't make any headway. Mike G had a comfortable draw after probing for a while in a rook ending. Finally Chris got us past the winning post by converting his pawn advantage in a bishop v knight ending. (PN) Another drawn match! Clevedon went into this one on 100%, and so are obviously in form, but they should have suffered their first defeat. Mike got us off to a fine start, and we were looking good on 3, 4 and 6. Derek put us 2 up and Chris was two pawns up, so it looked like it was going our way. But Chris lost the two pawns and took a draw, and Steve did likewise to make it 3-1, which was fine for me as my game was looking a bit ropey. Then disaster struck on bottom board and it was 3-2. I made an optimistic draw offer, but David would have to have been asleep or drunk to accept. He played on confidently to square the match. (JR) We were missing Steve, but Bath were also understrength, which evened it up. The Bath default put us in the driving seat, but Phil's loss and Chris's draw made it level. My game started off nervously (for me) when Adam unwittingly repeated last week's opening that led to the nine-move debacle. I was very glad to reach the middle game, but then had to defend hard until I equalised and Adam duly offered a draw. A black look from the captain led me to understand the other boards did not look good and I should play on. Unhappily for Adam, he soon blundered and his resignation and Mike's draw put us 3-2 up. However, Derek had been struggling for a while and eventually succumbed to give us another match draw. (JR) Aargh. Lost in 9 moves after dropping a piece. I haven't lost that quickly since I lost in 8 moves in 1968; a game so bad it left me permanently scarred. This time I was so traumatised that I missed that I could struggle on, 'winning' Jerry's queen for just two rooks and a pawn. It was all over by 19:50, so I went home, leaving Phil to report on the rest ... (JR) Last night proved to be a good battle in the end. Derek played another double-edged attacking game but this time seemed always to be in control. Mike hung on grimly after dropping a pawn early and fought back to equality. After enduring much, Chris had a problem-like stalemate trick up his sleeve, but unfortunately was mated before it could be put into effect. (PN) Mike had an astounding win in a study-like opposite coloured bishop ending. Chris also proved that opposite coloured bishops don't always lead to a draw. Derek played an exchange sac (I think) that didn't quite pay off, while I got a very nice position leading to a point. Downend has started poorly, but has too much talent to stay at the bottom (surely). (JR) A shaky start by the A's and actually a decent performance by the B's. I played a shocking opening and could easily have lost and Andrew had chances on 6, so the match could have gone the other way. Welcome to ex-Grendel player Derek Pugh, playing his first game for Horfield. (JR) |