After Jack and Mike saved us from embarrassment last week against Thornbury with a couple of draws against strong opponents, this week we faced another stiff challenge against South Bristol A.

Not all the South Bristol team arrived at once, and it became apparent just after the match had started that the South Bristol board one player couldn't make it. Unfortunately, that meant Toby didn't get a game. Sorry Toby. The good news was we were one up already :)

1 - 0

My game started off badly. Not playing carefully enough in the opening in a variation of the Nimzo-Indian that I wasn't familiar with left me severely on the back foot after a few bumbling moves. Things just got worse with Iain piling on the pressure, and I was all but done for. Unfortunately, Iain made a possibly questionable move allowing his queen to be temporarily annexed which gave me a glimmer of hope that meant I had to limp on for several more moves before giving up.

1 - 1

All the other four games looked close with plenty of play left in them as I went downstairs to go through my game with Iain for some helpful advice.

Before long, Tom appeared downstairs with a big smile on his face. He'd managed to turn around a slightly worse position into a win against a higher graded opponent. Great result Tom! You'll have to show me the ending some time.

2 - 1

I didn't see the end of Christi's game, but Jason's a tough opponent and I think he just managed to sway things his way.

2 - 2

I was just about to head back upstairs to watch the last half hour or so of the remaining two games, when Jack and David turned up downstairs.

Jack had shown his consistent strength yet again to deliver a cracking win against a 161 player. Top notch Jack! Another one for the website?

3 - 2

The icing on the cake was then David having agreed a draw in a possibly winning position to give the team victory. Nice one David. I only wish I'd seen more of the games.

Final score 3.5 - 2.5. Well done indeed. Now for a well-earned month off before the final game of 2019.