[Event "NA 2 v S Hams"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.01.12"] [Round ""] [White "T Thynne"] [Black "J Schofield"] [Result "1-0"] [EventDate "2023.01.12"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 cxd4 12.cxd4 Nc6 13.a3 Qc7 14.Nc3 Bb7 15.Bg5 Rac8 16.Rc1 Rfe8 17.Bb1 Qd8 18.b4 Nd7 19.Be3 exd4 20.Nxd4 Nxd4 21.Bxd4 Bf6 22. f3 Nb6 23.Ba2 Nc4 24.Bxc4 Rxc4 25.Bxf6 Qxf6 26.Nd5 Bxd5 27.Qxd5 {A heavy piece ending has arisen where white has a small advantage. Now 27...Rc3, hunting the a-pawn, is better than the move played by James.} 27...Rec8 28.Rxc4 bxc4 {This is forced, as taking with the rook would lead to immediate catastrophe on a8. Now the c-pawn becomes weak.} 29.Rc1 c3 30. Rc2 Qe7 31.Qd4 $6 {31.Qd3 hitting 2 pawns is better.} 31...Qc7 32.Kf2 Qc6 33.Ke3 Kf8 34.Qd5 Qc7 $6 {34...Qa4 is more active, and almost forces a swap of the white a-pawn for the black d-pawn, when the game would be much more level.} 35.Kd3 Ke7 36.Qd4 {Now the c-pawn is lost.} 36...Qc6 37.Rxc3 Qb5+ 38.Kd2 Qg5+ 39.Kd3 Rxc3+ 40.Kxc3 {Trefor is a pawn up, but converting this to a win won't be easy.} 40...Qc1+ 41.Kb3 Qb1+ 42.Qb2 Qd3+ 43.Qc3 Qd1+ 44.Qc2 Qd4 45.Qc7+ Kf6 46.a4 ( 46.Qc3 Qxc3+ 47.Kxc3 {should be an easily won pawn ending as white can create an outside passed pawn.} ) 46...Qd1+ 47.Qc2 Qf1 48.Qc3+ Kg6 49.Qd2 Qb1+ 50.Kc4 f6 51.e5 d5+ 52.Kxd5 fxe5 53.Kxe5 Qa1+ 54.Qd4 Qxa4 55.Qg4+ Kf7 56.Qe6+ Kf8 57.Qd6+ Kf7 58.Qc7+ Kf8 59.Qc5+ Kf7 60.Kd6 Qd1+ 61.Kc7 ( 61.Qd5+ {again leads to a won king and pawn ending.} ) 61...Qe2 62.Qd5+ Kf8 63.Qd6+ Kf7 64.Qd5+ Kf8 65.Qc5+ Kf7 66.Kb6 g6 67.Qd5+ Kf6 68.g4 h6 69.h4 Qf1 70.g5+ hxg5 71.hxg5+ Ke7 72. Qe5+ Kd7 73.Qg7+ {Trefor's queen and king are both in dominant positions so the win is near.} 73...Kd8 74.Qc7+ Ke8 75.Qb8+ Kd7 76.Qb7+ Kd6 77.Qxa6 Qf2+ 78.Kb7+ Ke7 79.Qf6+ Kd7 80.b5 Ke8 81.Qxg6+ Kd7 82.Qc6+ Kd8 83.g6 Qg3 84.Qc8+ Ke7 85.Qc7+ Ke8 86.Qxg3 Kd8 87.g7 {Well played Trefor.} 1-0
[Event "NA 2 v S Hams"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.01.12"] [Round ""] [White "J Watts"] [Black "A Davies"] [Result "1-0"] [EventDate "2023.01.12"] 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 d5 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 c5 5.c3 cxd4 6.cxd4 Nc6 7.Nc3 a6 8.h3 Bd6 9.Ne5 O-O 10.Bd3 Qc7 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bg5 Be7 13.h4 h6 14.Bc2 e5 15.dxe5 Qxe5 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 {Black has the advantage here with 2 bishops and better development but Jack battles on.} 17.Qd3 g6 18.O-O-O Bf5 19.Qe2 Bxc2 20. Qxc2 Rab8 21.Rd4 Qe7 22.Rg4 Rb7 23.h5 g5 24.Kd2 Rfb8 25.Rb1 Qd7 ( 25...Qe6 {would be better.} 26.Ra4 Bxc3+ 27.Qxc3 Qf5 {wins a clear pawn.} ) 26.Ra4 d4 ( 26...Bxc3+ {can be answered by 27.Kxc3.} ) 27.exd4 Bxd4 28.Ke1 Re8+ 29.Kf1 Qd6 30.Ne2 Be5 ( 30...c5 {obtaining a passed pawn if the bishops are swapped is a better idea. Now the pressure is off and Jack picks up a pawn.} ) 31.Rxa6 Rc7 32.Rd1 Qf6 33.b3 g4 34.Qe4 Re6 $2 35.Qxg4+ {This wins another pawn, but } ( 35.Ra8+ {is crushing} 35...Kg7 36.Rdd8 Qh4 37.Qf5 $1 {forces black to sacrifice queen for rook.} ) 35...Kh7 36.Ra8 Qg7 $2 ( 36...Qg5 {is the only move to keep black in the game. Now Jack blasts through.} ) 37.Qf5+ Rg6 38.hxg6+ fxg6 39.Qf8 Rf7 40.Qxg7+ Kxg7 41.Rc8 1-0
[Event "Competitors League"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.01.19"] [Round ""] [White "C Howard"] [Black "P Brooks"] [Result "0-1"] [EventDate "2023.01.19"] [FlipB "1"] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Nf3 Bf5 7.Bd3 Bxd3 8.Qxd3 Be7 9.O-O O-O 10.Bd2 {Charlie's quiet opening has left him slightly worse, with a blocked bishop. He makes the best of things over the next few moves by trying a minority attack.} 10...Nbd7 11.Rab1 a5 12.a3 Re8 13.Qc2 Bd6 14.Rfd1 Ne4 15.b4 axb4 16.axb4 Ndf6 17.b5 c5 $6 {Paul makes a mistake. He should have attacked with } ( 17...Ng4 18.Be1 Ng5 {winning a pawn.} ) 18. dxc5 Bxc5 19.h3 Rc8 {Now the position is much more level. Paul has to look after his isolated queen pawn.} 20.Qd3 Qd6 21.Be1 Rcd8 22.Ne2 h6 23.Ned4 Nd7 24.Rbc1 Ne5 $6 {Paul gives Charlie a chance.....} 25.Nxe5 Rxe5 26.Nf3 $6 {But he fluffs it..} ( 26.f3 $1 {causes problems. The best Paul can do is } 26...Nf6 27.Bg3 Bb6 28.Bxe5 Qxe5 {when he has a bit of pressure but white should be winning.} ) 26...Rh5 {Paul goes for a kingside attack.} 27.Bc3 Qg6 28.Kf1 Qf5 {Here's a threat...} 29.Bd4 {...which Charlie misses!} ( 29.Ke2 {holds the position, when the best might be } 29...Qg6 30.Kf1 Qf5 31.Ke2 {with a repetition.} ) 29...Bxd4 30.Qxd4 $6 {and here } ( 30.exd4 {is the only move, when the queen protects the knight and the position is fairly level.} ) 30...Rxh3 $1 {This sacrifice breaks the defences.} 31.gxh3 Qxf3 32.Qb2 Qxh3+ 33.Ke1 Qh1+ 34.Ke2 Qg2 {Black is completely lost.} 35.Kd3 ( 35.Rf1 {loses a rook to} 35...Ng3+ ) 35...Nxf2+ $1 36.Kd4 Qe4+ {Charlie resigns as the best he can hope for is an ending 4 pawns down.} 0-1
[Event "Competitors League"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.01.19"] [Round ""] [White "A Brusey"] [Black "J Blackmore"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [EventDate "2023.01.19"] 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 e6 4.Be3 Nf6 5.e5 Nfd7 6.f4 c5 7.c3 Nc6 8.Nf3 Be7 9. a3 cxd4 10.cxd4 O-O 11.Bd3 f6 12.O-O f5 13.Nc3 Nb6 14.b4 Bd7 15.h3 Rc8 16. Ne2 Qe8 17.g4 g6 18.gxf5 gxf5 19.Kh2 Nd8 20.Rg1+ Kh8 21.Rc1 Nf7 $6 {Now white can build his attack.} 22.Rxc8 Qxc8 23.Ng5 Nc4 24.Bc1 b5 25.Ng3 Nxg5 26.fxg5 Be8 27.Nh5 Bxh5 $2 {This move brings white's queen into the attack, which should be winning for Alan.} 28.Qxh5 Rg8 29.g6 Rg7 30.Bh6 Rxg6 31.Rxg6 hxg6 32.Qxg6 Qg8 {Alan has conducted his attack well, but now he falters.} 33.Qxg8+ $2 ( 33.Qh5 $1 {wins.eg} 33...Qh7 ( 33...Bd8 34.Bg5+ Qh7 ( 34...Kg7 35.Bxf5 $1 exf5 36.Qh6+ Kf7 37.e6+ Ke8 38.Qh5+ Kf8 39.e7+ $1 Bxe7 40.Bh6+ {is a lovely variation.} ) 35.Qe8+ Qg8 36.Qxd8 ) 34.Qe8+ Qg8 35.Qxe7 ) 33...Kxg8 {Now Josh has the advantage.} 34.Bc1 Bd8 $6 ( 34...Bh4 $1 {allows black to get to the pawns.} 35.Kg2 Be1 36.Kf3 Bc3 37. Bc2 Bxd4 {and black will win.} ) 35.Kg3 Bb6 36.Bxc4 dxc4 37.Bb2 Kf7 38.Kf4 a5 39.Bc3 axb4 40.axb4 Bd8 41.d5 {This move makes the draw clear.} 41... Bh4 42.d6 Ke8 43.Kf3 1/2-1/2
[Event "NA 2 v S Hams"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.01.12"] [Round ""] [White "P McConnell"] [Black "R Brenton"] [Result "1-0"] [EventDate "2023.01.12"] 1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 a6 4.Bf4 Nc6 5.Nf3 Nh5 6.Qd2 Bg4 7.Be2 Bxf3 8.Bxf3 Nxf4 9.Qxf4 Nxd4 10.O-O-O e5 11.Qe3 Be7 12.Qd3 c6 13.Ne2 Nxf3 14.Qxf3 b5 15.Ng3 g6 16.Qc3 c5 17.Nf1 b4 18.Qc4 O-O 19.Ne3 a5 20.Qd3 Qd7 21.Nc4 Qc7 22.Nxd6 $2 {Phil takes a risk hoping that he can use tactics to escape the pin on the knight.} 22...Rfd8 23.Nb5 Qc6 24.Qc4 $6 Rdb8 ( 24...a4 $1 { stops the pawn from protecting the knight and it will be won in a couple of moves.} ) 25.a4 bxa3 26.Nxa3 Qb7 27.Qc3 {Richard should take the pawn with 27...Qxe4} 27...f6 28.Rd5 c4 29.Rhd1 Rd8 $2 {This gives up a pawn allowing Phil to turn the tables.} 30.Qxc4 Kg7 31.Rxd8 Bxd8 32.Qd5 Qxd5 33.exd5 Bb6 34.f3 f5 35.Nc4 Bd8 36.Nxe5 Kf6 37.Nc6 Bb6 38.Re1 Kf7 39.d6 Rc8 40.Ne5+ Kg7 41.d7 Rf8 42.Nc6 Rf6 43.d8=Q Bxd8 44.Nxd8 Rb6 45.Re6 Rb8 46.Nc6 Rb6 47.Nd4 Rb4 48.c3 Rc4 49.Ra6 1-0
[Event "NA 2 v S Hams"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.01.12"] [Round ""] [White "A Doble"] [Black "S Howard"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [EventDate "2023.01.12"] 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.c3 Nge7 6.Bd3 Ng6 7.Bg3 Be7 8.Nbd2 cxd4 9.exd4 b6 10.O-O O-O 11.Re1 Bb7 12.b4 Rc8 13.a3 Nb8 14.Rc1 Nd7 15.Qa4 Ra8 16.Bb5 Nb8 17.Bd3 a6 18.Qd1 b5 19.Nb3 Nd7 20.Na5 Rb8 21.Bxb8 Qxb8 22. Nxb7 Qxb7 23.Bxg6 hxg6 24.Ne5 Nb6 25.Re3 Bg5 26.Rh3 Bxc1 27.Qxc1 Nc4 28. Nxc4 dxc4 29.Qg5 Qe4 30.Qc1 Rd8 31.Re3 Qf4 32.g3 Qg5 33.f4 Qg4 34.Kg2 Rd5 35.h3 Qh5 36.Qe1 Qf5 37.Re4 Qf6 1/2-1/2
[Event "Challengers League"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.01.19"] [Round ""] [White "R Brenton"] [Black "M Hussey"] [Result "0-1"] [EventDate "2023.01.19"] 1.e4 c5 2.b4 b6 3.Bc4 e6 4.Bb2 Qg5 5.Qf3 Nc6 6.Nh3 Qg6 7.b5 Nd4 8.Bxd4 cxd4 9.O-O Bb7 10.d3 Nf6 11.c3 Bc5 12.Nf4 Qg4 13.Ne2 Qxf3 14.gxf3 e5 15. Nd2 dxc3 16.Nxc3 Bd4 17.Rac1 Bxc3 18.Rxc3 O-O 19.Rd1 d5 20.Bb3 Rfd8 21.Nf1 Nh5 22.Ng3 Nf4 23.Kf1 g6 24.Ne2 Ne6 25.exd5 Bxd5 26.Bxd5 Rxd5 27.a4 Nc5 28.Ra3 Rad8 29.Nc1 Rd4 30.a5 Ra4 31.Rxa4 Nxa4 32.axb6 axb6 33.Na2 Rd5 34. f4 e4 35.d4 Rxb5 36.d5 Nc5 37.Rd4 f5 38.Nc3 Rb3 39.Na2 Nd7 40.Nb4 Kf7 41. Rc4 Ke7 42.Na6 Kd6 43.Nc7 Nc5 44.Ne8+ Kxd5 45.Rc2 Kd4 46.Nf6 h6 47.Kg2 Rd3 48.Rb2 Rb3 49.Rc2 Kd3 50.Ra2 Kd4 51.Ng8 Ne6 52.Ra1 Nxf4+ 53.Kf1 h5 54.Nf6 b5 55.Nd7 b4 56.Nb6 Nd3 57.Rd1 Rb2 58.Na4 Rc2 59.h4 Rxf2+ 60.Kg1 Rf4 61. Kg2 Rxh4 62.Kg3 Rg4+ 63.Kh3 Ke5 64.Rb1 f4 65.Nb6 Kf5 66.Nc4 Kg5 67.Nd2 f3 68.Nf1 Nf2+ 69.Kh2 Rg2# 0-1