Matches against underdog opponents can be tricky affairs. Particularly in the Coventry League KO, where a handicap system provides a further challenge. Last night we played Coventry B, needing to win at least 3-1 to go through. Despite having a significant rating advantage on every board, there was no room for complacency. All it takes is a mistake here, or a position fading to a forced draw there, and the pressure can really begin to tell. Mark had left strict instructions that we would all need to play to win, and in the end we got over the line with something to spare.
I finished first against Margarita Nasibova. Having offered a chance for early simplification, Margarita spurned this, electing to try to keep the queens on. However, this allowed me to pick up a pawn, and a second soon followed. It was just one of those positions that more or less played itself, and for once I managed to win without any drama.
Keatan was next to bring home the full point. I really enjoyed watching his game against Mike Johnson. Keatan played with a lot of energy, pushing Mike onto the defensive and having tied him down, picked up the spoils elsewhere on the board. A nice effort that made it 2-0.
At which point I was pretty confident we were going to win 4-0. All credit to Bava Manickam for giving Javier a good game on Board 1 (something I know from my own experience is not easy to do!) But Javier's class told, as his rooks ultimately exerted a tight grip on the second rank. In conjunction with a monster passed pawn, it was just too much to defend against. So 3-0 and the match was won.
Mike's game against Kate Donegan was very interesting. Mike built up really good kingside initiative, and seemed to me to be smoothly going through the gears. However, all credit to Kate for her determined defence. Somehow an opposite bishop ending eventually ensued, in which Mike was a pawn up but struggling to find a way through. With both players low on time, it seemed that Mike had found an excellent queenside break, but post game analysis showed that while he had the better practical chances, with best play it was indeed a draw. Something the players agreed to in the dying embers of the night. All credit to Kate, and of course Mike had been one of the heroes the previous evening for the B team. It just goes to show how little margin there is in these matches.
So 3.5 - 0.5! The banana skin had been avoided, and we march on in our quest for silverware!
No comments:
Post a Comment