Things improved slightly after Wednesday's nadir, with all three of us drawing on Thursday, though Ben did manage to lose his morning game, so it was not all sweetness and light. But on the law of averages we were due a good day sometime and thankfully it arrived yesterday, when the KCC team chalked up a 4-0 scoreline.
Ben must be star of the show as he accounted for half the points/wins all by himself to finish on 2/5 in the Morning Open, and 3/5 in the U-180 Championship. So 50% overall, and a good performance against strong opposition. Paul reverted to an (unsound?) opening of his youth to overwhelm his young female opponent (who beat me in the 2015 Championship) with a brutal kingside attack that produced mate on the board. This took Paul to 3.5/7. My win was more sedate and owed everything to a one move oversight by my opponent which allowed me to win a pawn and swap queens off. The resultant position gave the lie to the myth that all rook endings are drawn. I am now on 3.5/6, but have no reason to feel happy as I haven't played a single opponent of a higher grade.
Finally, I must assume the role of KCC Style Correspondent, and report that for the last two days Paul has been guilty of fashion crimes by turning up wearing fewer clothes than anyone I have ever seen at a chess board. Maybe he got confused and thought that he was attending a power lifting event? I think Sir Stuart Milner-Barry or Harry Golombek would have had an instant coronary if they had found themselves seated opposite Paul. Less flesh from now on please, Paul!
Don't expect anymore reports from me as I have to dash back to Kenilworth tonight so that I can go to Merthyr Tydfil tomorrow for an 80th birthday party (not mine!). If it's not North Wales, its South Wales!
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