Getting the Band Back Together!

“Who taught me to dive into a dewdrop –

To nestle in a nutshell –

To gambol upon gossamer?”

A contest between two evenly matched teams took what appears a one-sided scoreline due to some very close games, which just happened to go our way.  An exception was Jim’s win against Adam Hodgson.  Jim trapped Adam’s queen on move ten, and spent the rest of the game giving back material in order to simplify into a won rook and pawn endgame.  Yet the pace of this game was similar to a blitz contest.  As I cast an eye on their scoresheet, they had sailed past thirty-five moves, while Liam and I were still on move twelve!

Next to finish was John Lawton, who create a supported passed pawn which was the decisive factor in another game which went all the way down to the endgame, in this case with king and pawns only.

Natasha had essayed a Reti, which as attests to the flexibility of this opening, transposed to a QGD.  She held a pawn advantage for the lion’s share of the game, yet the initiative seemed to pass to and fro.  The final position was agreed as drawn, with some justice, but a subtly nuanced contest.

We secured the match when Liam and I halved, and the final scoreline was given added lustre as Steve Philp punished a critical oversight by the otherwise solid Dave Ashton.

It was great to have Steve back in our line-up, and back in town for a couple of weeks.  Those who have not had a chance to catch up with him yet are encouraged to join us for a night of jollification and jazz in Frederiks Bar on Hope Street next Tuesday night!  

We have now garnered nine out of the last ten points available, yet with only three more matches left this season, we may have to settle for kingmaker, since a sluggish start leaves promotion just out of grasp.  Yet the ethos of a ‘B’ team in the Wirral League is to provide opportunity for additional games for players in the ‘challenger’ bracket of the club, so if you feel you would like to take up the challenge, just drop me a line.