Ealing played host to a strong Harrow A team in this Hillingdon KO match. We were predictably out-graded on all boards and had only two whites to boot. The situation was made even worse when our board one failed to turn up. I’m grateful to Tony Braine for agreeing to step in and for putting on a game show of resistance before finally succumbing.
The first game to finish was on Board 3 where Aga and Nevil agreed a draw after…1 move! The shortest permissible game duration for a legal draw offer. Once upon a time so-called GM draws were common in tournament chess, especially between Soviets in long Candidates tournaments but modern tournaments have largely outlawed the practice. In Aga and Nevil’s case there was no skulduggery involved it’s simply that they work together for CSC and so see quite enough of each other as it is!
The remaining games were seriously contested. A familiar type of game soon emerged on Jason’s board, with open lines and attacking potential to clearly the fore over defensive considerations. Jason succeeded in winning the exchange but, in the open spaces, his opponents two bishops offered more than adequate compensation and, in conjunction with the queen, Jason was soon confronted with a mating attack.
Alex is another player who likes to attack and he arguably had the initiative deep into the middle game before advancing the wrong kingside pawn as he tried to augment his attack. It proved to be a critical moment in the game and White turned defence into a mating threat which cost a piece to rebuff, so Alex resigned.
Xavier’s game on board two was more serene than on the other boards with a semi-closed position and slow manoeuvring the name of the game. After the removal of the heavy pieces, an endgame emerged in which Xavier’s two bishops and more mobile pawn chain proved decisive and resignation ensued when his d-pawn was poised for promotion. An impressive display by Xavier.
Given the disparity in strength, defeat is no disgrace and Ealing B now get the bonus prize of entry in the Plate competition where we will play one of the other first round losers.