Playing in the Dark

Not sure if we should blame Putin, Ben (well he does work for National Grid!) or sabotage by a rival club, but there were no less than 4 power cuts during the A team's match last night away against Stratford A. But as my wife also experienced 4 power cuts while dining at the Ferry at Alveston, on the other side of Stratford, it looks like the finger is pointing decisively in Ben's direction!

On the first occasion it was still light enough for the games to continue (though only 3, as Javier and Ben Larkin had already agreed a draw in about 5 minutes) but on incidents 2, 3 and 4 we had to stop the clocks (though it was difficult to find the pause button in the dark!) and twiddle our thumbs for a minute or so till the lights came back on.

Thankfully, when they did the remaining three KCC combatants turned up the heat and hoovered up all the available points to secure a 3.5-0.5 win, which returned us to the top of the table, on game points. One match left for both ourselves and Banbury A, but a win for us against Solihull next week will ensure we retain the title.

Andrew chalked up our first win after a strange game against Alexander Roberts in which he didn't seem to do anything ...... except accumulate a healthy surplus of pawns. Wish I could win as painlessly as that. Because I was Black against Richard McNally, and Richard was in full kitchen sink mode. He sacked a pawn and then a piece right out of the opening, but it looked totally unsound to me - although the dreaded engine says it was not too bad. But luckily for me, Richard played the line I had analysed instead of Mr Stockfish's improvement, and I was left an exchange up. Once the queens came off I was winning easily as my rooks took over the board. The end came when Richard blundered into a back rank mate.

Which left Keatan in play against Richard Dobedoe. It was a hard fight, but eventually Keatan won a pawn and in the ensuing rook and opposite bishop ending he was able to annex most of White's pawns while promoting one of his own to win the White bishop.

We've already had one song this week, but the first was just a throw away item by my standards. So how could I resist adding this one? After all, its not every match that you end up Playing in the Dark! This is a great version, though yoiu do have to settle for Bruce dancing with his mum and sister rather than Courteney Cox as in the original video.