The first weekend turned out to be against two of the strongest opponents, but the scoring system means that these games will quite likely disappear after Round Seven. At this point the two 8-team semi-divisions are merged and split into 8-team promotion and relegation pools, and only the points against other teams in the same pool count. So if we happen to make the promotion pool we are not worried about our final score, but in the more likely case where we fight it out in the relegation pool we can assume this weekend's opponents will not be there with us.

Newcomer Max French from Millfield School, in his first ever 4NCL game, played an enterprising-pawn sac but required an accurate follow-up to achieve compensation and instead tried a move that fell to a hidden trap. So that game finished early, as did Henry who could not really make anything out of a small advantage. Peter Martin played a competent game to reach a double Rook ending where the players duly agreed a draw. So far 1-2 but the rest of the match was not looking promising.

Chris thoroughly disgusted by his own moves.

Mike Brigden soon fell to a raging attack, though his position earlier had been slightly advantageous, and Phil Makepeace followed a little while later. Richard achieved a draw from an unpromising position where he was able to create a fortress, but Chris had great difficulty holding on to a position that was only technically even, and lost a piece to a tactic.

This left David to try and salvage half a point, from a game where an unusual material balance looked good for his opponent throughout. He defended doggedly and eventually the game reduced to a R+P ending where the draw was relatively easy, though it did seem to take forever. So the final score was 2-6, somewhat below par against opponents with a 50 point Elo advantage.

Daniel Young was our reserve for the weekend so he came along to give support and preparation. Dan has landed the job of admin officer for Chess in Schools and Communities, and is organising the London Chess Classic, so expect to hear more of his name in chess circles.

Daniel finished prepping the Downend team and moved on to other teams.

In the evening we managed to find an Indian restaurant in Sheldon, where there is a decent stretch of shops on the main road, and it lived up fully to its rave reviews on Google. It was good also to get back later and have the company of the Slough Sharks players who have been in a different venue to us in the last two seasons. Even if they did persuade us to stay up till 1.30 in the morning.