It was a mixed bag of results for the teams in Round 5 the 4NCL Online. While commiserations are shared with the junior team who had some very tough games, we can also celebrate the near-perfect results of the the senior teams. As such, here are some more film quiz questions. Apologies must go to your eyeballs, but rest-assured, I've nearly used them all. As ever, click to reveal the answers.
The resemblance is uncanny.
Breakfast at Tiffany's
**
Downend 1 4 - 0 Throw in the Tal**
Lewis' last minute return to action pushed me out and I'm sure there's no one that would disagree with that change. There was the rare (or at least in my opinion 'not common enough') sight of opposite side castling in a Caro-Kann in which white retained a small edge until the ending, whereupon Lewis shifted up a gear and started munching pawns.
Ireland, David vs Savory, Richard
Richard was back too and raring to go. White somehow got tangled with all the space in a Grand Prix and black started gaining material here and there. With an extra four pawns in the ending it was only a matter of time before Rich took the point, but instead he opted for a fantastic bishop sacrifice to run a pawn through. 37...a4 won the game.
Conterno, Dominique vs Goodwin, Ed
In our post-match discussions, Dominique said he felt he was outplayed in the midgame. Sure, black took a lot of space in the Sicilian, and they did have a scary pawn running up the middle of the board, but material was always level and white managed to plonk a classic d6-knight outpost into black's camp while holding a lot of extra time. With time running low for black, a rook blunder brought home the point.
Woolgar, Steven vs Thompson, Robert
In another one of the Bristol vs Bristol match-ups, a King's Indian position was reached but Rob's attack forced the retreat of the white pieces to the kingside. Though I suspected the ending would favour black, the tangle proved more deadly than white or I realised and a charming mate involving rook, knight, and bishop appeared apparently out of nowhere.
Well, the games were played on Revenge of the Fifth.
Star Wars: A New Hope
** Harrow 2 3 - 1 The Rook1Es**
Rahman, Asad vs Hosdurga, Chirag
Though Chirag went for his speciality line in the Sicilian, it could be thought of as a main line in the Najdorf on steroids. White appeared to be making progress against the centralised black king whose only castling refuge was already weakened and under seige. Some excellent exchanges and defence swung the game when the heavy pieces disappeared and suddenly black's advanced pawns on the open lines had a clear run.
Stubbs, Oliver vs Walkusz, Miroslaw
Oli played his usual solid stuff, and the opening was fine. The middlegame saw some complicaitons and the fall of an important central pawn. There was tenacious defence but the black pawns were too troublesome to stop.
Lakhani, Kishan vs Walker, Max
Max had a tough game against a player on the unbeaten streak of their life. Unusual moves were order of the day as white staged a queenside assault without going for any of that traditional development.
Brigden, Michael vs Dhemrait, Jagdeep
The club's favourite junior Michael was back in action and won a piece in the middle which was returned after heavy pressure from black. The endgame still looked good as the queenside's extra pawn looked to be making headway, but it was a surprise forced back rank mate that let black steal the point.
Lockdown madness continues.