Devon’s 1st league match of the season took place on Saturday between old rivals Exmouth and Exeter, in the 1st Division, the Bremridge Cup. It was also a small piece of chess history as it was the first time DCCA had decreed that digital clocks should be used in their league matches, in this case giving each player 90 minutes thinking time, and an extra 30 seconds being automatically added by the clock each time a move was made. It resulted in a 4-2 win for Exeter, but there will be a return match later in the year. Here are 2 games from the match – a win for each team.
White: Chris Scott (160). Black: Jeremy Amos (144).
Sicilian Defence – [B32]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4 It is generally reckoned that if Black, playing the Sicilian Defence, can get in …d5 without incurring any setback, he is well on the way to securing the initiative, so White, if he gets the chance, will try to protect against it by playing c4, called the Maroczy Bind, 6…a6 7.N5a3 f5 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Bg5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.Nc2 0–0 12.Bd3 f4 13.Be2 g5 Black is really throwing caution to the winds. 14.Bg4 Nd4 15.Be2 g4 16.Nxd4 exd4 17.Nd5 d3 18.Nxf6+ Qxf6 19.Qxd3 Qxb2 20.0–0 f3 21.gxf3 gxf3 22.Bxf3 Bh3 23.Bg2 Bxg2 24.Kxg2 Rxf2+ 25.Rxf2 Qxa1 This skirmish leaves the position materially level, but Black’s pieces could not be further apart, while White’s have the freedom of the board to unite against an undefended king. 26.Qxd6 Qg7+ 27.Kh3 Threatening Rg2 winning the queen. 27…Qc3+ 28.Kh4 Qe1?? Losing his queen by force. 29.Qg3+ Kh8 30.Rf8+ Rxf8 31.Qxe1 Kg7 32.Kg5 Rf7 33.Qc3+ Kf8 34.Qe5 Rg7+ 35.Kh6 Re7 36.Qh8+ Kf7 37.Qxh7+ 1–0
White: John Morrison (144). Black: Brian Gosling (148).
Vienna Game [C27]
1.e4 d6 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.f4 Signature move of the Vienna Opening with the idea that if 4…exf4 5.d4 wins back the pawn while setting up a strong pawn centre. 4…Bg4 5.Be2 Bxe2 6.Qxe2 c6 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.d4 Qa5 9.Bd2 Qc7 losing a tempo. 10.0–0 exd4 11.Nxd4 0–0–0 12.Nb3 h5 13.a4 Ng4 14.a5 Be7 15.h3 Ngf6 16.Qc4 White keeps probing at weak spots. 16…Rhf8 17.Be3 Nc5 18.Nxc5 dxc5 19.Qe2 White could have opened up the position with 19.Bxc5 Bxc5+ 20.Qxc5 which would have won a pawn, but he declined that option. 19…Kb8 20.e5 Nd5 21.Nxd5 cxd5 22.Qxh5 d4 23.Bd2 c4 24.Qf3 Bc5 25.b4 cxb3 26.Qxb3 Opening the b-file to Black’s king. 26…d3+ 27.Kh1 Bd4 28.Rac1 dxc2 29.Rxc2 Qd7 From its unprepossessing square, White’s bishop suddenly strikes out and delivers a fatal blow. 30.Bb4! Rfe8 31.Bd6+ Ka8 32.Rc7 1–0
In last week’s position, Philidor decided he could take the knight, allowing Black to continue 1…d2, on the verge of queening, but the rest of his moves are forced. 1. Rc7+ Kg8. 2.f6 gxf6 3.exf6 Rd4+ 4.Ke5 Rd5+. 5.Kf4 Rd4+. 6.Kg3 Rxg6. 7.hxg6.
This week it’s White to play & mate in 2
White to play & mate in 2