It was a big night at the Cross Hands with three four board matches including plenty at stake at the top of Division Two.

The C team was up against North Bristol in a return match after we managed a 3-1 win at their place a few weeks previously. This time, however, they were a player short so Grant was unfortunately not able to show off his preparation.

After being gifted a bonus point we did seem to be making rather heavy weather of the other three games. In his words, Pete had a pretty uneventful 22 move draw. He reckoned that any advantage he had squeezed out of the opening had gone slightly sour and, rather than try to outplay Doug in a level position, he offered a draw which was accepted happily enough.

Meanwhile Steve had sacrificed the exchange for a very complex game although he was still asking all the questions, while Dave had given up a pawn in the opening. The bad news was that possibly both of these games could go South. The good news in Dave's case was that it was one of his pet openings so, for once, he did not saddle himself with a time shortage early on in the proceedings.

In fact we should give Dave credit for seeing more in the position. He invited a sequence where Patrick gave up a piece, but it was one which he could regain a few moves later. Except that he couldn't! Dave had it all under control, saved his piece, and threatened simplification to an easily winning ending, so Patrick resigned. Nice one, Dave!

Although the match points were now in the bag the entertainment was far from over. Steve's game almost defies analysis unless you happen to have a silicon soul and the game was so complicated that they both soon ran low on time. It is easy with a computer but to be perfectly honest they both missed a number of better moves. Near the end Richard checked on the wrong square and missed a mate in three but Steve hung in and, with his own deadly attack on a pinned rook leaving no room for error, Richard grabbed a perpetual check. They will probably have great fun analyzing all the possibilities.

All of which meant a repeat of the previous 3-1 scoreline, giving us a handy lead over the Woodentops until they play their penultimate match against their fellow travellers, the Smurfs.

Meanwhile the D team was entertaining Yate A and Tom's exciting finish went on nearly as long as Steve's. His win, along with John's earlier success, clinched a 2.5-1.5 victory, securing a creditable fourth place in the table for the time being.

Over on the other side of the room, the E team succumbed to Clifton C but not before James was first to finish from all three matches with a devastating attack where he ended up with his Queen and two bishops surrounding the enemy King. We'll hope to have plenty more like that!