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Division 4 |
9/12/2008 |
| |
|
Horfield D |
|
Clifton E |
| 1 |
b |
Andrew Russell |
0 - 1 |
David Budd |
| 2 |
w |
Dace Edmonds |
½
- ½ |
Matt Crocker |
| 3 |
b |
Neil Holland |
0 - 1 |
Luke Turner |
| 4 |
w |
Dan German |
1 - 0 |
Malcolm Dagger |
| |
|
|
1½
-
2½ |
|
On paper, it looked like we should have done better than this, but form
counts for a lot and we couldn't sustain the good form we've had in recent
weeks. We can't be too disappointed with the start we've made to the season
though, sitting somewhere near the top in what looks to be a very closely fought
division.
Dan rattled off the first point after his opponent dropped a piece. I was
still looking for my first win of the season, but lost the initiative and ended
up in another dead drawn position (that's 4 draws in 5 games for me). Andrew
lost his way in the middlegame and Neil, although matching his opponent on the
board, lost due to poor time management. (DE)
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Division 4 |
12/11/2008 |
| |
|
Keynsham C |
|
Horfield D |
| 1 |
b |
Phil Wheatley |
1 - 0 |
Andrew Russell |
| 2 |
w |
Jim Rowlands |
0 - 1 |
Dan German |
| 3 |
b |
Chris Hayden |
½
- ½ |
Neil Holland |
| 4 |
w |
Martin Chandler |
½
- ½ |
Robert Sage |
| |
|
|
2 - 2 |
|
After a poor opening and early queen swap, I went a pawn down but managed to
pin a Knight to the unprotected b2 pawn. My opponent failed to see the threat
and gifted me a pawn and Rook. I still had to deal with his strong pawn centre
but eventually my own passed pawn made it insurmountable odds and my opponent
resigned.
Andy got into a very complex middle game and miscalculated, losing a minor
piece. He got some good play from it but in the end the point deficit told as
his opponent out-muscled him. Rob squandered a 2 pawn advantage but brought home
a draw, leaving our hopes pinned on the outcome of Neil's game.
With Neil only having 15 minutes left and his opponent 30, it was all level
with a Knight and a few pawns versus a Bishop and a few pawns. Neil really sped
up his game, but as the pawns swapped off the minutes ticked away, until with 2
minutes on his clock Neil took his opponents last pawn giving himself a pawn
advantage. With so little time and his opponent now having insufficient material
to mate, a draw was agreed - relief all round! (DG)
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Division 4 |
4/11/2008 |
| |
|
Horfield D |
|
Harambee |
| 1 |
b |
Graham Strickland |
1 - 0 |
Lloyd Beckford |
| 2 |
w |
Andrew Russell |
1 - 0 |
George Wright |
| 3 |
b |
Dan German |
0 - 1 |
Errol Campbell |
| 4 |
w |
Neil Holland |
1 - 0 |
N Hendricks |
| |
|
|
3 - 1 |
|
With only Dan dropping a point it was another good victory against strong
opposition. (DE)
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Division 4 |
21/10/2008 |
| |
|
Horfield D |
|
Thornbury |
| 1 |
b |
Dave Edmonds |
½
- ½ |
D Vaughan |
| 2 |
w |
Andrew Russell |
1 - 0 |
Jim Nichols |
| 3 |
b |
Dan German |
½
- ½ |
M Minshall |
| 4 |
w |
Neil Holland |
½
- ½ |
R Berry |
| |
|
|
2½
- 1½ |
|
Significantly out-graded on the top two boards and similarly matched on the
bottom two, it looked like we would be in for a tough evening. After defending
solidly for around 2 hours and building up a healthy time advantage, I dug
myself a little bunker, climbed in and waited for the draw offer. Neil ran short
of time, but managed to remove his opponent's last pawn with about 20 seconds
remaining on his clock - draw by insufficient material.
Dan soon followed with another draw in one of those multiple pawn endgames
where neither player dared to force the issue. So, with all games drawn so far,
that left Andy to decide which of the three results we'd be walking away with.
In an even position with 15 minutes on Andy's clock and 5 minutes for his
opponent, it looked good for at least a draw, until he gave up the exchange that
is. Fortunately, Andy was let back in with a series of powerful checks and
drained the opponent's clock dry to take the whole point and the match! (DE)
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Division 4 |
8/9/2008 |
| |
|
Clevedon C |
|
Horfield D |
| 1 |
b |
Chris Strong |
½
- ½ |
Dave Edmonds |
| 2 |
w |
Peter Golding |
1 - 0 |
Dan German |
| 3 |
b |
Doug May |
½
- ½ |
Robert Sage |
| 4 |
w |
George Phillips |
0 - 1 |
Neil Holland |
| |
|
|
2 - 2 |
|
What an evening....!
Neil, playing in his first game and staring checkmate in the face, produced
his get out of jail card to go a rook up and win. Rob played out an uneventful
draw, while Dan built up a commanding position only to throw it away and lose.
With the scores level, the outcome would be decided on the top board which
turned into a 3 hour epic. A thrilling, complex game swung back and forth
repeatedly, and with each player down to just a couple of minutes left on the
clock it was a question of who could hold their nerve in a nail-biter of an end
game. In the end the nerves held (just!) and neither player could make the
decisive blow with the game coming to a natural conclusion by means of a drawn
h-pawn ending.. Not the relaxing start to the season I'd hoped for! (DE)
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