By David G. Mills, Match Captain.

PART 2. HULL & DISTRICT CHESS ASSOCIATION v ROSE FORGROVE ‘B’.

The home fixture against Rose Forgrove ‘B’ saw our opponents at a two point disadvantage before the match started as several team members were unavailable for selection and others had been promoted to their ‘A’ team which was engaged in a Woodhouse Cup contest with York R.I. ‘A’ 25 miles away.  When notified of this situation, I decided to stand down and take the role of non-playing captain for the second match in a row.  The other consequence of this turn of events was that Hull and District benefited from a significant grading advantage on each board.

David Stephenson’s choice of opening variation on top board had the dual affect of grabbing my attention and threatening to increase my blood pressure.  What it did for his opponent is anyone’s guess!  I am not sure whether the stream of sacrifices was sound, however they worked as Warren Dennison was eventually battered into submission.

Watching Eric Gardiner play leaves me with the impression that he has everything under control and the worst that can happen is his opponent will withstand the positional pressure and hang on to draw.  Paul Howden was unable to break out and was left with a lost rook and pawn ending.

Gardiner, E. - Howden, P. [A45]

I. M. Brown, 15.10.2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 g6 3.Bxf6 exf6 4.c4 Bg7 5.Nc3 0–0 6.e3 d6 7.g3 f5 8.Nge2 c6 9.Bg2 Nd7 10.0–0 Nf6 11.b4 Rb8 12.b5 Bd7 13.a4 Re8 14.a5 Ne4 15.Qd3 Qe7 16.a6 b6 17.bxc6 Bxc6 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.cxd5 Rbc8 20.Rac1 h5 21.Rc6 Bh6 22.Nf4 Bxf4 23.exf4 Rxc6 24.dxc6 Qc7 25.Qb5 Rc8 26.Bxe4 fxe4 27.d5 Qe7 28.Re1 h4 29.f3 f5 30.fxe4 fxe4 31.Qc4 hxg3 32.hxg3 e3 33.Qd3 Re8 34.Qxg6+ Kf8 35.Qh6+ Kg8 36.Qg6+ Kf8 37.Qf5+ Kg7 38.Qg4+ Kf7 39.Qf5+ Kg8 40.Qe6+ Qxe6 41.dxe6 Rxe6 42.c7 Re8 43.Rxe3 Rc8 44.Re7 Kf8 45.Rh7 Ke8 46.g4 b5 47.g5 1–0

On board 3 Andy Ross opted for the Spanish Exchange variation, yet failed to take active steps against John Thackray’s kingside aggression.  In the absence of threats to his own king, John built up an overwhelming attack, forcing resignation one move short of checkmate.

Ross, A. - Thackray, J. [C68]

I. M. Brown, 15.10.2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0–0 Bg4 6.h3 h5 7.d3 Bd6 8.Be3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Qd7 10.Nd2 0–0–0 11.Nb3 f6 12.a3 g5 13.Bc5 g4 14.hxg4 hxg4 15.Qg3 Kb8 16.Bxd6 cxd6 17.f4 gxf3 18.Rxf3 Ne7 19.Qg7 Rdg8 20.Qxf6 Ng6 21.Raf1 Nf4 22.Rxf4 exf4 23.Qxf4 Ka8 24.Rf3 Qg7 25.Qd2 Qxb2 26.d4 Qxa3 27.Rf7 Rf8 28.Rd7 Qa4 29.Rxd6 Qb5 30.Qd1 Qg5 31.Qd2 Qh4 0–1

Ian Bell’s opponent is a regular member of the National Civil Service team that I captain in Representative Matches.  He had accepted the captain’s duties for Rose Forgrove ‘B’ on a temporary basis but blundered in the opening and immediately resigned on dropping a piece at move 13.

Roy Catlow chose the Colle-Zukertort System against Robin Edwards who countered an attempt at kingside aggression with central control.  Black had at least equality when a draw was agreed.

(5) Catlow, R. - Edwards, R. [D05]

I. M. Brown, 15.10.2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 d5 4.Bd3 c5 5.b3 Be7 6.Bb2 0–0 7.0–0 b6 8.Nbd2 Bb7 9.Ne5 Nc6 10.f4 Rc8 11.a3 cxd4 12.exd4 Rc7 13.Rc1 Qc8 14.Rf3 Ba6 15.c4 dxc4 16.bxc4 Rd8 17.Nxc6 Rxc6 18.Rh3 h6 19.Qf1 Bb7 20.Nf3 Rcd6 21.Qf2 Be4 22.Qc2 Bxd3 23.Qxd3 Qb7 24.Qc3 Ne4= ½–½

Board six saw Malcolm Hara offer a Vienna Gambit.  Pieces were traded at regular intervals until the agreement of a draw at move 32.

(6) Hara, R. M. - Gallagher, D. [C25]

I. M. Brown, 15.10.2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 d6 4.Nf3 g6 5.Bc4 f6 6.d3 Qe7 7.Nd5 Qg7 8.Bb5 h5 9.fxe5 dxe5 10.Be3 Bd6 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.Nc3 Bb4 13.Bd2 Be6 14.Qe2 Rb8 15.0–0 Ne7 16.d4 exd4 17.Nxd4 Bc5 18.Be3 Bxd4 19.Bxd4 0–0 20.b3 a6 21.Rf2 Rbd8 22.Be3 f5 23.Qe1 fxe4 24.Rxf8+ Rxf8 25.Nxe4 Nd5 26.Bc5 Re8 27.Ng5 Bd7 28.Qf1 Qf6 29.Qxf6 Nxf6 30.Rf1 Bf5 31.c4 Re2 32.Rd1 Nd7= ½-½

A 7 – 1 score line and back to back match victories following promotion without the loss of any boards.  A team captain could not realistically ask for more.  Even at this early stage it is hard to avoid thinking that Hull & District could be in with a chance of a second promotion by spring 2012. Several strong squad members have yet to appear in the team, but let’s not get carried away.  Next match – away to Harrogate ‘B’ on 29^th October 2011