The B team, as usual, out-rated the C team but this time we (the Cs) were determined to punch above our weight and not go down without some points.
With this in mind, I (Ian) set about neutralizing Martin’s trademark defence and, once enough pieces had been exchanged, we were able to agree on an honourable sharing of the spoils on board three.
Taking the other games in board order, Peter, for the Bs, conducted his defence with one of his usual wacky variations. He has kindly shared some AI comments on his choice of moves and his wackiness attracted quite scornful remarks, although he says his play followed “classical principles”. But, as so often happens with unconventional moves, he managed to put Elmira off her stroke. As a result, he was able to build a dominant pawn structure which prevented El from generating counter-play and his positional advantage eventually decided the game.
On board 2, Alan, for the C team, was hugely out-rated by Humphrey but put up an exceptionally stout fight as Black. By move 12 his a pawn had advanced and captured on b2! By move 16 Alan was two pawns up and, while it was very complicated, the engine says he stood significantly better for a number of moves. When he was threatened with the loss of a piece, he found the excellent resource of giving up his Queen for a rook and a bishop and was able to reach an equal position with a fortress comprising his rooks, knights and the two extra pawns. Short of time, he succumbed to a killing fork of his widely separated but sadly undefended rook and knight, which was a very unfortunate conclusion after such enterprising play. One that got away!
Board four saw another extremely unbalanced game with Alexis (W) for the Bs playing James. Suffice it to say that Alexis prevailed and, if we can get hold of the game score, we’ll update the report.
On board five Carolus, with White, for the Cs, played Aleksei. They reached a level rook ending; in fact Carolus missed the win of a pawn on move 27, and it was still dead level six moves later. Then Carolus chose the wrong square for his Queen and Aleksei was able to make the most of his Queen-side pawn advantage. Carolus, faced with a rapidly advancing c pawn, resigned on move 40. It was another game where the B team could consider themselves fortunate to take the whole point!
Finally, on board six, Dave Tipper, for the B team, had White against Dave Williams. After fifteen moves of jockeying for position with the knights and bishops interlocked, Dave T overlooked a trap which allowed Dave W to force the win of the exchange. After that, he liquidated pieces to reach a pawn ending where he was eventually able to give the exchange back in order to arrive at a pawn race where he Queened first, with check.
This win meant that the C team lost by a score of 4½ -1½ which, considering the average rating shortfall of some 200 points, was quite a respectable result and the B team will know that it could easily have been much closer. Let’s hope that they will take this match as an omen of good things to come and reach a promotion place by the end of the season.