Can you really make a debut twice...not sure about that but anyway to continue from where I left off.
This week saw the C team take on Banbury B. They are bottom of the league with only 1 win all season and we were on a run of 3 victories in a row. Plus the D team powered to a 3-1 victory against them just the week before. Easy victory then, points basically in the bag. Well, if only chess was as simple as that.......
Firstly I should add that their only victory this season was against us in the reverse fixture. Secondly, they are actually a strong team who have lost 5 of their games by 2.5-1.5 (Note to Joshua, some teams have to be on the receiving end of that scoreline.......) so it was never going to be easy.....
And then there is my personal form which is all over the place. I have played a coupe of good games that I have lost and a number of poor games that I have won - not sure what to make of that.....
So, first result on the Board was mine again. Another fast playing opponent in Chris Evans. Actually he did not like my Sicilian defence which slowed him down (he told me afterwards he has been playing the Vienna for 40 years so I am glad I didn't play e5!) but unfortunately I did not like it either and ended up very cramped and pushed the wrong pawn at the wrong time to try to create some space. Luckily for me he got over-excited and instead of taking a marginally better endgame a pawn up he went for broke sacrificed a Knight and the position promptly fell apart, handing me another exchange and simultaneously losing all attacking threat. Lucky me! 1-0.
This left me plenty of time to see the other games which all looked very tight. Ben on Board 4 (Paul Badger now being in warmer climes waiting for some cricket action - I hope you enjoy Paul!!) had a Queen vs Queen plus lots of pawns endgame and was very low on time but found a perpetual. A wise choice by Ben and a 1/2 point secured (as an aside - I thought it was very amusing when Ben announced a draw offer to his opponent, after the position had been repeated once, who then got up and checked out the state of the remaining games as if there was potential to play on for more!)
This left Keatan on Bd 1 vs Mal Waddell in a Rook and Pawns endgame, and Bernard on Bd2, in another very complicated position with lots of pieces on the Board. Slight problem was that Keatan had 2 minutes versus his opponent 25 (!) and the position was far from clear. When Keatan was down to 1min27 secs he offered a draw (having earlier had one turned down) and to my surprise it was accepted - Keatan was definitely not better at that point in the game). I think that his opponent was probably aware of Keatan's higher grade but also had looked at Bernard's game where he had just lost a pawn and may have thought they were going to get something out of the game.....anyway all gifts are well received - so game state was 2-1 with Bernard still playing.
I thought Bernard's game looked tricky and set for a long drawn out affair but Bernard expertly sacrificed another pawn (temporarily) to exchange off everything but an opposite coloured pair of Bishops, took back one of the pawns and was suddenly in a dead drawn position. A great liquidation to secure a half point and the game for us so our run continues.....
We are now clear in second in the League but have 3 tricky games left and Leamington A are in a very strong position at the top.....but you never know.....
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