After a loss to Devon in October, Cornwall came back in their next match recently with a creditable 8-8 draw against Somerset. Cornish names 1st in each pairing:- 1.J. Menadue (189) 0-1 T. Goldie 196). 2.M. I Hassall (183) ½-½ B. Edgell (200). 3.J. Hooker (177) ½ – ½ M. French (170). 4.L. Retallick (176) 1-0 D. Littlejohns (176). 5.D. Saqui (176) 1-0 M. Richardt (184). 6.R. Kneebone (174) ½ – ½ G. N Jepps (159). 7.J. Morgan (170) ½-½ A. Champion (153). 8.C. Sellwood (154) 0-1 C. Purry (149). 9.G. Trudeau (153) 1-0 J. Fewkes (142). 10.P. Gill (149) 1–0 M. Worrall (139). 11.R. Stephens (148) 0-1 M. Baker (137). 12.J. Nicholas (147) 1-0 C. Mckinley (127). 13.M. Hill (143) 0–1 A. Byrne (127). 14.J. Henderson (129) 0-1 G. Greenland (113). 15. D. R Jenkins (125) 1-0 M. Maber (104). 16. D. Lucas (121) 0-1 J. Beviss (90).
The Cornish Championships were held at Carnon Downs at the weekend. The defending champion, James Hooker (Camborne) again kept a cool head under pressure and retained his title with 3½/5 points, while close on his heels were Robin Kneebone (Carrick), Gary Trudeau (Liskeard), Colin Sellwood (Camborne) and Mark Watkins (Penwith)
The Falmouth Cup for those graded U-146 was won by the relative newcomer, Jan Rodrigo (Penwith) with 4½, followed by Harvey Richings (Penwith) and Martin Jones (Newquay).
The U-120 grading prize was won by Anton Barkhuysen (Camborne), and the U-100 prize was won by John James (Penwith), while Thomas Oates’ performance (Camborne) was judged the best by a junior.
Here is James Hooker’s Rd. 2 game with notes kindly supplied by the winner.
White: C. Sellwood. Black: J. Hooker. Sicilian Defence [B40]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.0–0 White should have played e5 here to stifle Black’s e5 and d5 idea and to make the d3 bishop better. 8…e5 The wasted tempo with e6 earlier and now e5 means little as White’s bishop on d3 is now restricted, and Black is looking for a strong centre with a future d5 push. 9.Qf3 0–0 10.Qg3 Re8 11.Bd2 d5 12.exd5 cxd5 13.Bg5 Creates a threat of trading and grabbing the d5 pawn, but lost a tempo by playing Bd2 previously. 13…Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qd6 15.Be2? The decisive error, allowing Ne4 as it’s not pinned anymore and leaving the bishop on g5 very few squares. 15…Ne4 16.Qe3 f5 17.Rfd1 Defending with tricks, f4 will be met with Qxe4. 17…Qc6 18.Bh4 White’s best shot now is 18 Bh5 g6, 19 Bf3. The point being to get Black to play g6 so he doesn’t have the h6 and g5 idea trapping the bishop. 18…f4 19.Qd3 Nxc3 20.Re1 Nxe2+ 21.Rxe2 If 21 Qxe2 then Qh6 and White’s bishop on h4 is lost 21…Ba6 0–1
The key move to last week’s problem by Dave Howard was 1.Qa4! after which all Black’s ‘tries’ fail.
This week’s 2-mover is by the Cornish problemist, Dr. Maurice Edwin McDowell Jago (1902-‘98). He was born in St. Buryan, where his father, Ashley Tilsed, was also a GP.
White to play and mate in 2