Carnon Downs (pop. 1300) is a small but growing community situated on the A39 between Truro and Falmouth. Its recent development has included the construction of a fine village hall in which a number of societies meet, including a chess club. One might assume that this would be a somewhat parochial affair, attracting just a few villagers, but in fact, the club is named Carrick, after Carrick Roads, the name given to the estuary of the River Fal, which reaches from Falmouth up to Truro, and was formed 2 years ago from members of the old Falmouth and Truro clubs which were both ailing and have since closed down. It’s proved an inspired move, as last season they became Cornwall’s club champions by winning the County Cup, in which their 1st team, Carrick ‘A’, beat their 5 opponents home and away, Newquay, Liskeard, Camborne, Penwith and Carrick ‘B’. Even their 2nd team won most of their home matches and finished in a respectable position.
Carrick have strength in depth, with a pool of 7 players comprising Jeremy Menadue (191); Mark Hassall (168); Robin Kneebone (164); Richard Stephens (160); Adam Hussain (145); Marcus Pilling (145) and Mick Hill (139). These grades are the most recent published and 11 yr old Hussain’s meteoric rise through the lists bodes well for the club’s prospects this season.
Much information about Carrick and all Cornish clubs and competitions may be found on Ian George’s excellent website, cornwallchess.org.uk.
Here is a game from last year’s WECU Jamboree, won by a Carrick player.
White: M. Hassall. Black: Steve Homer
Sicilian Defence – Najdorf Variation.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.f4 In keeping with White’s thematic plan against the Sicilian of an early kingside attack. 7…e5 8.Nf3 Qa5 To counter White’s Plan A, Black generally seeks to counter on the opposite wing. 9.Qd2 h6 10.Bxf6 Nxf6 11.Bc4 Be7 If 11…Qb4? there follows 12.fxe5 Qxc4 13.exf6 gxf6 14.Nd5 and if 14…Qxe4+ 15.Kd1 and with no other developed pieces, Black has to try and counter the threats of Re1 winning the queen & Nc7+ winning a rook. If 15…Qc4 16.Nb6 wins the rook anyway. 12.0–0–0 0–0 13.Kb1 a sensible precaution before launching into anything rash. 13…Qc5 From now on, tempo is everything. 14.Bb3 b5? 15.Nd5 Bd8 16.Rhe1 exf4 17.Qxf4 Nd7 18.Nd4 Bg5 19.Qg3 Ne5 20.h4 Bd8 21.Nf5 Bxf5 22.exf5 Kh7 23.Rf1 Ra7 24.f6 g6 25.h5 Rg8 26.Qh3 g5 27.Qf5+ Kh8 28.c3 opening the white diagonal to press home the attack. 28…a5 29.Bc2 Ng6 30.hxg6 Rxg6 31.Qh3 1-0. Black must lose a second piece.
In last week’s 2-mover 1.RxQ+ looked attractive, but after 1…PxR there was no mate, so it fails the test. The more subtle 1.Bb2 is the key, for any Black move is answered by 2.Nc6 mate.
This week’s position looks fairly innocuous, with level material and chances seemingly about even, yet GM John Nunn (W) found a killer move that won immediately.
White to move and win.