We know the League usually arrange for derby matches to be got out of the way at the start of the season (and straight after the Christmas break). This can have one quite inconvenient consequence, namely trying to get the best twelve players together in the first week of September when the holiday season is hardly over. Clifton and Horfield faced the same problem this week and they too were unable to field all their registered A & B-team players.

We knew well in advance that Oscar and Martin were unavailable for the A-team and reserves were lined up. Then, at the last minute, Mike M and Andrew C were indisposed. Rather than draft in two F-team players to fill a board in such an important match we went ahead with five boards.

A very entertaining evening ensued. Steve, facing the French, built a strong King-side attack against Nigel's somewhat denuded monarch leading to a dominant position, one which by move 24 Nigel could see was not worth struggling on in. Indeed it had some similarities to Andrew C's Game of last Season, such was Black's problem in finding adequate defensive resources against a huge build-up.

Meanwhile Rich, as White, was also trying to build pressure against the French. Oli was coping perfectly adequately and after 24 moves was even a smidgen ahead according to the engine. But then he had a momentary aberration, like we all do from time to time, and Rich pounced with a queen sacrifice on h7, which would have been followed by mate in two.

Andrew M, with white against Dominique, reached a rather mucky queenless middle-game which after 35 moves came down to R + N + 4 pawns each and dead level according to the engine. Andrew was sure to win a pawn but there was an escape manoeuvre, however it was only found later by the computer. In the event, Andrew was able to Queen first and when his King finally reached safety, Dominique capitulated.

I didn't handle the Sicilian particularly well against Aron. He played sensible positional moves and built a handy time advantage to boot. I managed to wriggle enough to reach a level position and offered a draw but Aron was scenting blood and liquidated down to an ending with R & B each where he was able to capitalise on one particularly dopey move on my part. He turned down a simple, relatively boring, win in favour of an attractive mating attack and I was about to resign when I noticed an intermediate check which completely turned the tables. It was very bad luck for Aron after such good play.

Robert had been drafted in to cover the A-team's shortfall and he soon won a pawn against yet another French. But Mike had ample compensation and a period of play followed where both sides missed best moves and the advantage fluctuated back and forth. The decisive move was played by Robert, after which Mike found himself still a-pawn down with a weak isolated one and a knight out of play and really only a swindle to play for. It didn't happen.

A draw would possibly have been a fairer reflection of the play but this rather unrepresentative match gave the points to the B-team. Who knows, they may be very grateful for them a bit later in the season.