It is well known that 2020 is "The Future", and that means the ECF is boldly going where no one has gone before; they're grading online games in the 4NCL event being hosted on lichess.org. The future is indeed as exciting as Gene Roddenberry predicted.
Curses and epithets to Netflix for blocking screenshots.
Downend & Fishponds has entered three teams; Downend 1 in Division 2, our junior team The Rook1Es in Division 3 (with league rivals Clevedon and Cabot), and Downend 2 in Division 4. Alex Holowczak, the arbiter's arbiter, sounded very pleased with the format created mostly, it appears, to confuse chess players and appeal to only those with a brain the size of a planet.
Yes, that was the wrong sci-fi franchise, but this is a particularly niche episode.
I hope this system doesn't break the website code, but time will tell.
After a shaky start where the 4NCL website crashed under the weight of enthusiastic preppers, fixtures were emailed out and we began on time.
** Mushrooms 1 2.5 - 1.5 Downend 1**
Lewis had a tough game, where after a strong start, exchanges ensued and white controlled the important open file. The result was a knight and pawn endgame that can be difficult to hold at the best of times, let alone when your opponent plays with ruthless accuracy.
Ok, that's enough of my lockdown binge watching.
Savory, Richard vs Ortiz Sanchez, Luis
Richard took the kingside space in his game, while black took the queenside. The black queen invaded and danced around, but eventually the pieces were exchanged and white's kingside invasion was able to gain us a point.
Davies, Neil vs Thompson, Robert
My favourite thing about Rob's game, is that according to the lichess Stockfish analysis, his first move is an inaccuracy. Despite black establishing a protected passed pawn early on, white gained one of his own and the position became locked quickly. After that, a draw was only logical. (I can't think of a picture to follow.)
Meadows, Michael vs Nash, Richard
My opponent played an opening I happily call terrible, despite full awareness of own repertoire and was lost early on. Black persevered and white coasted and suddenly I was in trouble. With shattered pawns and a refusal to accept that my gains had been lost, the endgame slipped away.
** The Rook1Es 3 - 1 Wimbledon 2**
Stubbs, Oliver vs Tymms, Jonathan
Oli played his classic strong stuff. Black took a risk in winning a pawn, but it left his queen vulnerable and there was a tactical sequence that won a queen and knight for the bishop pair. A few more moves of shuffling persuaded black to throw in the towel.
Carpenter, Stephen vs Walker, Max
Clevedon's rising star (or risen star, were it not for the fact that he's still improving like a true Downend junior) played aggressively right from the off. While the exchanges headed for an endgame, it was one with an extra pawn and the bishop pair. After that, the active king managed to make mincemeat of white's remaining defences.
Gao, Ian vs Silva Pena, Angel David
Our other ringer Ian, cared much less about his pawn structure and was all about the attack. He still reached an endgame with an extra pawn and a devastating knight fork that netted white the exchange. Black didn't want to stick around to see the rest and resigned as the extra pawn pointed out the looming threats to pinned pieces.
Hernandez, Federico vs Saunders, Aron
As we all know, the reason to play the Caro-Kann is to ensure a French-like structure but with the option of developing your light-square queen. Aron achieved just that, though it ultimately got stuck outside the pawn chain and was exchanged for a rook and bishop. It was almost enough to defend, but white managed to wangle another piece in the bargain.
** Kent KJCA Kestrels C 2.5 - 1.5 Downend 2**
Merriman, James vs Conterno, Dominique
White expanded very quickly in this game, though black attempted the standard King's Indian Defence attack. The black pawns melted away but it was the g-pawn that landed the counter attacking blow by plonking itself on g3. Though white was on the cusp of a brutal attack, black was able to score a game-saving king hunt that resulted in a perpetual check.
Williams, Stephen vs Cook, John
Stephen developed quickly and black invaded with a queen, ignoring the perilously small number of squares available to it. This resulted in a queen for two minor pieces exchange. Despite this advantage, black managed to play actively and the white heavy pieces became passive. A promotion threat that required white's attention disguised a mating attack on the other side of the board, which was now undefended.
Metcalfe, Charlie vs Burroughs, Adam
New signing Adam claims he was lucky to get an opening with which he was familiar, but he held his nerve in the face of a white expansion in the centre. The d-pawn became over extended and dropped, but it was the flurry of exchanges at the end that left the king without defence that landed him the checkmate.
Benkhoucha, Samy vs Verma, Shlok
Samy was holding his own excellently against a very strong opponent, but a strong tactic with intermezzo threats cost him an exchange and a few pawns. Without much hope in the endgame resignation seemed like a fair decision.
** CSC 3 3.5 - 0.5 Catford Cosmonauts 2**
While Toby has betrayed the club by playing for CSC, and I personally will never forgive him, it's worth giving him a mention. Toby had a very tricky positional game, gaining queenside space while white was unable to expand on the kingside. After some slow invading, Toby unleashed a tactical monster which netted him an exchange with a dozen extra pawns including one on the second rank. That was enough for white.
Some disappointing results for the teams and some players, but a great result for the junior team overall. Let's see if we can turn our fortunes around next week!
One for the more traditional.