JOSEPH SAVES THE MATCH!

Thursday saw the second Limit League game this season with a return fixture at the Chess Lounge against Altrincham. The teams were even more closely matched this time with only top board having more than a few points difference in grading.

Not surprisingly Barrie was first to finish and unfortunately it was the wrong result. I didn't see the build-up but his king was mated on the seventh rank by the white queen of Wayne Kranz. I think that was after about half an hour.

Tony Doust (99) was up against David Hughes on board one. I asked him for a brief report and he said “I was rubbish!”. Sorry about that. I'll ask him for a longer one next time. When I pointed out the grading difference he said he should be beating players of 117 so at least that's positive.

My own game against Steve Ward was a close affair but eventually I sensed the opportunity to get a rook to the seventh rank. After 30. d5 cxd5 31. cxd5 Rd6 32. dxe6 (diagram) I was expecting …. Rxd1, I then intended to play 32, exf7 followed by …. Rd8; 33. Nf8 being (I thought) the winning move.    In fact it isn't because …...Nd4+ allows ...Ne6! and I'd be a rook down.

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-tr-+-mk(
7zp-+-+p+p'
6-zp-+PsNpzP&
5+-+-+n+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+-+-+P+-#
2PzPK+-zP-+"
1+-+R+-+-!
xabcdefghy

Fortunately my opponent's analysis was the same as mine and he played 32..... Rc8+ which loses. 33. Kxb3 fxe6 34. Rd7 and mate cannot be prevented.

On board 4 Joseph was playing against the very experienced Dennis Osborne and the game was evenly matched.  Joseph had N5p v R2p and Dennis also had a dangerous passed pawn. A quick ending seemed inevitable, surely one player would promote a pawn shortly. However both players refused to push their pawns for fear of losing them and an hour later Joseph seemed about to lose with knight and pawn against a rook. However Joseph played a superb knight fork checking the king and winning the rook, the game and levelling the match at 2-2. Nice one, Joseph - your chess has improved enormously in the last twelve month's.