20 Nov Red Admiral 1 v Wigston 5 1½ - 2½ 1 B 134 Johnson, Andy 0 - 1 Chalashkanov, Nikola 129 2 W 130 Findley, Paul 1 - 0 Eastlake, Charles 120 3 B 121 Wylie, Paul 0 - 1 French, Barry 115 4 W 125 Findley, Laurence ½ - ½ Goldsmith, Rory 114
Report from Charles Eastlake: -
From last night chess I recreated 2 records, more of these later but first a problem for all you chess fanatics…..after the following opening moves what would you do next if you had the black pieces?
1 E4 C6, 2 D3 D5, 3 Nd2 D5xE4, 4 D3 x E4 NF6, 5 H3 E5, 6 Nf3 Bc5 7 c3……?
No cheating please this is a problem at the board so don't move those pieces… this position is one of the reasons why I like chess and after a good think I chose B x f2 +.
There followed the obvious 8 Kxf2 N e4+, 9 Ke1.
My next move was one of the reason why I hate chess as, to my opponent delight, I chose the terrible Qb6. That was my last move of the night and hence my 1st record was in place - my quickest ever loss in my chess career.
This position leads me to a second puzzle should you play on when you are 2 pieces down? Clearly the answer even at our level is no as I wisely elected to resign. The only positive I could take from my game was that it enabled me to view the other 3 games in there entirety. This second puzzle about being 2 pieces down occurred for a second time in the evening as Nik on board one found himself in such a position where he was 2 pieces up but with an opponent who choose to play on. .. more of this later.
Rory's game looked very complicated as there was a lot of back and forth moves and a position that was becoming very blocked. Barry meanwhile was playing a strong hand as he castled quite early queenside to lock a nice pin with his rook on D1 to a black knight on d7 and the black queen on D8. Back to Board one and Nik though being 2 pieces was having problems co-ordinating his pieces and his opponent held the position like Rory's game in a locked pawn structure. Rory then offered a draw and his opponent accepted so then we were 1.5 to 0.5 down. Still no resignation on board one as Nik slowly moved his pieces to the kingside and hoped for a break though to unlock the blocked position. Sure enough he did manage to exchange all the major pieces and then his opponent resigned on the brink of the pawn chain collapsing. So it was down to Barry who was by now left with his queen to a rook and bishop. Thankfully Barry finished his game with a very nice position leaving his queen en prise for his opponent's rook which would have allowed a pawn promotion which his opponent could do nothing to prevent.
Hence my second record of the night… my first win as acting captain for our fifth team. I thank you fellow team members for bailing my out, that's why it's a team game.
Finally as we were out graded on every board this was a very pleasing result.
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