Bill Tait 0.5-0.5 Andy Jenkins
Geoff Clarke 0-1 Chris Baker
Keith Hodgson 0-1 Terry Cowling
Ian Vaughan 1-0 Trefor Thomas
Duncan Chandley 0-1 Jeff Barlow
Total 1.5-3.5
The D team had a comfortable win in the end but we started off with a loss and a draw. I then managed to win against the run of play to level the match. Terry looked comfortable at this stage and duly converted to win the point. Finally Chris won a closely fought game which featured a skilfully played pawn endgame. I can't comment too much on the early stages of these games as I was too busy trying to climb out of a hole I had managed to dig for myself.
I will publish my game as it contained a couple of interesting features, particularly for fans of the Vienna Game, that I had failed to observed over the board. If anyone would like to comment on their games (or mine) please feel free.
Barlow,Jeff - Chandley,Duncan
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.f4 [last book move]
5 ...Bb4 Can black afford to move his bishop twice? I start to relax, fatally.
6.a3 Bxc3+ I must remember that this is not the French defence! Nf3 is much better.
7.bxc3 d5
8.exd5 Nxd5
9.Qf3 Nxc3
10.Ne2 Nxe2
11.Qxe2 Qd4
12.Rb1 0–0
13.Be3 Qd6
14.0–0 a6± A bit of a wasted move this - gives me a chance to breathe
15.f5 [-0.44/16] Fritz doesn't like this but I think it has positional and psychological value
[Fritz 12: 15.Qf2 b6 16.fxe5 Nxe5 17.Bf4 Bd7 18.Rb4 Be6 19.Re1 f6 20.d4 Bxc4 21.Rxc4 Qd5 22.Rxc7 Nc6 23.c3 Rfe8±0.71/16]
15...Nd4 On second thoughts ....
16.Bxd4 Qxd4+
17.Kh1 b5
18.Bb3 Bb7
19.Qh5 [-1.14/17] Trying to drum up some counter play but I'm not optimistic and of course Fritz doesn't like this either, he has found a way to lose more slowly
[Fritz 12: 19.f6 g6 20.Qd2 Qg4 21.Rf2 Qh5 22.Qa5 Rac8 23.a4 e4 24.dxe4 Bxe4 25.Qxa6 Rb8 26.Qa7 Qe5 27.axb5 Rxb5 28.Re2 Rd8-0.37/18]
19...Bd5?+– Now I did not like this at all, black is forcing the exchange of my lovely WS bishop. But it seems, in hindsight (and Fritz sight), to be the losing move!!!
20.Bxd5 Qxd5
21.f6 [4.90/18] So Herr Fritz, you see it was handy having that pawn on f5 after all!
21. .....g6? This is a losing blunder, but the alternatives are not good.
22.Qh6 1–0
I am really surprised that black's 19th move looks logical and strong and apparently drawing one of white's remaining teeth, but turns out to be disastrous.
Interesting game Jeff. I'm amazed at how good 5....Bb4!? is. I would have thought moving a piece twice in the first five moves in these positions would be fatal but it seems very playable. You did well to keep it going and found some really good moves. I would have got depressed after 7...d5!. The finish was surprisingly quick which shows perhaps you were right to push on with f5 whatever the engines think.
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