With several players returning, and what may be the biggest 4NCL Online signing, Dave leaving the benches of The Rook1Es for the senior team, Ian, Richard, and I were able to take a break and simply watch some games. I even had time to finally have a shave.
** Harrow 1 1.5 - 2.5 Downend 1**
Chopra, Tanmay vs Martin, Lewis
Lewis opted for the sharpest Najdorf against a junior with a very strong performance in the 4NCL. Cracks started to show early on as the kingside became uninhabitable and a lack of pawn cover started to leave a knight feeling a bit vulnerable. Lewis packed it in, in the face of extremely strong play.
Conterno, Dominique vs Nettleton, Charlie
Things looked good for white early on as a Sveshnikov came under heavy fire on the kingside. The pieces were swapped and the endgame suddenly looked promising for black, but the bishop proved more useful on the open board than the knight and the draw was held.
Coles, Steven vs Thompson, Robert
As is often the case with Rob's games, the position looked level enough from the opening despite our man making no effort whatsoever in the centre. A positional middlegame followed where black was a monster on the kingside with a pawn roller, which if not successful, would give white good chances in the endgame on the queenside. Things ended suddenly when white avoided one mate threat but not another and the queen wandered in.
Burroughs, Adam vs Chan, Nevil
Black played a calmer Owen's Defence without the provoking f5 ideas, but a French-like structure emerged without the trouble of finding a job for the c8-bishop. White pressed hard against a solid black pawn mass and eventually the position cracked with an exchange followed by a piece for only a few pawns.
** The Rook1Es 2 - 2 Beverley Vikings**
Hosdurga, Chirag vs Smith, Simon
This was one of those Grünfeld Defences that makes no sense to me. Black secured a light-squared inside the white camp and once it was sorted out, Chirag went for an exchange sacrifice and the extra pawn was able to force black to accept a draw.
Vleeshhouwer, Douglas vs Gao, Ian
Black took a lot of space in this game, but without many pieces it wasn't too much pressure for white. An exchange sacrifice to open up the kingside worked well for white even after black gave the material back as white held more pawns and with more about to drop, black threw in the towel.
Black's king was a problem in this one, and of all the pieces to have troubles, the king is a worrying one. Avoiding a Greek Gift sacrifice the king was stuck in the centre and instead of the queen and knight combination flooding in, instead it was a queen and rook with little chance for defence.
White worked hard to put black under pressure from the off. With the queen soon running out of squares, active defence was required but white was able to gain a material edge. Queen and knight against two rooks was enough for Aron to decide the game was over.
** Shropshire 3 2 - 2 Downend 2**
Clark, Matthew vs Williams, Stephen
Black went for some pawns in the opening, but following my old adage that "if you nab one pawn, you're probably winning, but if you take a second, you're probably not" (this is not advice anyone should heed), white gained an edge. Material dropped quickly once white's attack was properly launched using the newly opened files.
Tipper, Dave vs Kolbusz, George
Dave's first outing in the 4NCL Online was a successful one! There were some troubles as a cheeky queen held up development for white, but once that was resolved white worked hard to get back into the game. There was some excellent tactical defence and while the endgame was probably level, Dave was able to push for an advantage. Considering Dave's legendary time troubles, I'm told, he even had time to put the kettle on!
Bilal was victim to a ruthless 1.d4 kingside hack. There was a good effort at defence, but white was able to develop with tempo and could land the attack before black got the development required for defence. A tough game!
Benkhoucha, Samy vs Smith, Mark
Black was making some progress in ruining white's pawn structure, but it seemed to be of little consequence. Before things really got going, black seemed to make a blunder that could be the result of a mouse slip. Needless to say, Samy pounced and took the point immediately.
** CSC 3 3.5 - 0.5 3 Smarties 1 Tube**
Things were relatively symmetrical and level throughout this game, but white went for a surprising attack that cost him a piece by force. From there, Toby was all set to use his extra bishop to defend while his rooks went for the through, but white followed up with a rook losing blunder.
The matches were rather close this week with a 0.5 point win, a 0.5 point loss, and a draw, but the games themselves had plenty of action.