A visit to the seaside in warm March sunshine gave a chance to walk along the seafront and up to the hill fort before heading for the cricket ground and the customary friendly greeting. Steve had assembled a side with power and depth with Rob making a rare appearance on Board 1 after parental duties and Martin bolstering the lower boards.

The early excitement was on Board 4, where Aron went for a bishop sac on h2 to open the white king. This looked very promising and there was always a perpetual to be had. Aron went for more but bringing up reserves was tricky as Matthew defended actively with counterstrikes in the centre. The attack was finally repelled with Be1 after which Aron found himself in a lost ending. A shame for it looked like it was going to be a fine attacking achievement, but well done to Matthew for finding the defence.

So what was happening elsewhere? Rob had played a Catalan in Carlsen style and was looking to demonstrate that his active play was worth a pawn, Steve had a murky position where he looked under pressure but the Caro Kann is a resilient defence. Nigel on Board 3 had launched a kingside attack, trusting that it would hit home despite his static central formation and a passive bishop on d3. Reinhold on Board 5 had obtained some space advantage and a better bishop in a calm Queen's Gambit Declined position whilst Martin had got embroiled in a lengthy exchanging sequence which led to his being a piece down for two pawns.

The next game to finish was Nigel's. His centre had started to collapse under David's c6 and b5 thrusts but the attack won through with Bf2 when the queen will infiltrate to h6 and 25 ...Ng8 can be met with Rg1 Kf8; Rxg8 and Nf6 forking decisively. The exchange was won and as the initiative was sustained asa fine game was wrapped up. Meanwhile on top board Rob's pressure had produced a tricky ending with Q v R and B where Max may have had hopes of a fortress. Steve had survived the worst and was simplifying down to a favourable ending. Reinhold was still pressing but David was avoiding creating weaknesses. Martin had exerted pressure which produced the win of two pieces for a rook as Andrew saw the ghosts of a back rank mate. So Martin now had rook, bishop and some extra pawns v two rooks.

The match was swinging our way and this continued decisively as Rob clinched the win in Carlsen style. Reinhold's efforts at creating an advantage came to nothing against David's staunch defence and a draw was agreed, whilst Martin also settled for the half point by shuffling his rook along the second rank rather than risking a rook exchange and a king advance when all three results are possible. A successful evening was completed as Steve returned to form and clinched victory by pushing forward his extra pawn as Carl's king was cut off from the action.

A pleasing 4-2 match result, about right for the play on the night but Clevedon, as usual, made a good fight of it. Onward to the last match home v Clifton.