Bristol Spring Congress – Winners List (10.05.2014.)

The Bristol League’s Spring Congress took place a few days before the West of England’s Easter Congress, which might explain the absence of Bristol players at the latter event. The winners were as follows:-

Open Section: 1^st= James Cobb & Chris Beaumont (both Clifton) 4/5 points.

Cobb is Bristol champion on tie-break. 3^rd= David Buckley (Bath), John Curtis (Clifton), Rob Hearne (Bath), Stephen Piper (Salisbury), Joseph Turner (Wales) all 3½.

Major: (U-155) 1^st Matthew Wilson (Downend) 4½. 2^nd= Adrian Champion & Alex Rossiter (both Bristol Cabot) 4.   

Minor: (U-125) 1^st= Lee Bullock (London) Richard Porter (Bristol Uni.) & Amol Telang (Clifton) 4.

Although Cobb and Beaumont both scored 4 points, in their individual encounter Beaumont won, while drawing 2 of his other games, to make their scores level.

White: C. Beaumont (209). Black: J. E. Cobb (225).

English Opening [A13]

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 a6 4.Bg2 b5 5.b3 Bb7 6.Nc3 b4 7.Na4 d6 8.a3 a5 9.axb4 axb4 10.0–0 Be7 11.d4 Nbd7 12.Bb2 0–0 13.Qd2 c5 14.dxc5 dxc5 15.Rfd1 Qc7 16.Qf4 Qc8 If 16…Qxf4 17.gxf4 and White might be able to utilise the open g-file for attacking purposes in conjunction with his dark-square bishop. 17.Ne5 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Ra6 19.Nxd7 Nxd7 20.Rd3 e5 21.Qd2 giving White domination of the d-file, with Rad1 looking likely, so Black must give up a pawn. 21…Nf6 22.Bxe5 Ne4 23.Qf4 Ng5 24.Rad1 Qh3+ 25.Kh1 f5 Black had a chance to win his pawn back with 25…Rh6 26.g4 Qh4 27.Kg2 Re6 28.Qg3 Qxg3+ 29.Bxg3 Rxe2. 26.Bd6 Rxd6 27.Rxd6 Bxd6 28.Qxd6 Ne4 Looks strong, but White has a check. 29.Qe6+ Kh8 30.Kg1 Qh5 31.Qe7 Rg8 32.Rd8 h6 33.Rxg8+ Kxg8 34.f3 Nc3 35.Nxc5 f4 36.Qe6+ Kh7 37.Nd3 fxg3 38.hxg3 Qg5 39.Kg2 Qd2 40.Nf4 Qc2 41.c5 Nb5 42.Qd5 Nc3 43.Qd3+ 1–0 After 43…Qxd3 44.exd3 White should be able to nurse his 2 passed pawns up the board without too much trouble.

All games from the event are downloadable from the League’s own website, chessit.co.uk.

The 25^th Frome Congress started last night and continues over the weekend at Selwood Academy. Spectators are welcome to watch the games or peruse the excellent bookstall.

The solution to last week’s 2-mover was 1.Kc5! and if 1…Kc5 2. Be7 mate or 1…Kd7 Qe7 mate.

Applying the coup de grace in the most clinical way is one of the joys of chess. How did White do that in this position?

White to win a.s.a.p.