2021-22 Season Review

In the main league competitions it proved to be a good season for Sandwich, even if the trophies remained tantalising out of reach. In the Walker Shield, we finished strongly by beating this year’s champions Folkestone at home in our final match, holding them to 14 points and boosting our total to 10. Nevertheless, Sandwich did finish a lowly 5th out of 6 in the final standings, albeit 9 points ahead of Sheldwich. In the Steele Cup, where Woodnesborough/Sandwich were defending champions, a similar last-ditch win over Folkestone in our rescheduled home fixture boosted us to 2nd place overall, just one point shy of eventual winners Bridge. But arguably our greatest success was in the Millar Cup in the club’s first attempt at this level, where our 6-1 win over Broadstairs earlier in the season proved sufficient to snatch 3rd place from them on game points in the final standings. Sandwich finished on 6 points, with Folkestone 2nd on 11, and Bridge top of the heap on 15. Robert Starley’s unbeaten sequence on Board 1 was broken only by Bridge’s Richard Eales, and between them it was honours even across their two Millar Cup encounters. We expect to enter the Millar Cup and Steele Cup again next year, but even with the rating limit raised to 1550 it seems doubtful that the Walker Shield will suit us very well.

However, it was in the one-off league competitions that Sandwich excelled this year - even if it wasn’t quite the “Grand Slam” I proudly proclaimed after the Jamboree. (I conveniently forgot about Bridge’s win in the Team Buzzer in May…) First, in December, our team of Robert Starley, Harry Sharples, John Thorley and Mark Towlson won the Team Quickplay, beating nearest rivals Bridge A 3-1 in their direct encounter (though Bridge B valiantly held them to a draw in the final round). Then, at Sheldwich Primary School in March, Robert Starley shared the honours in the Individual Buzzer with host Patrick Burns. Sandwich players took the top two places in June’s Individual Quickplay, with Robert Starley taking top spot on 5 points out of 5, and Mark Towlson finishing 2nd out on his own on 4 points - with a rating performance of 1783! Finally, in the end-of-season Jamboree at Margate, a fine victory by Ethan Latymer on Board 6 and a crucial draw on Board 1 in the ongoing Starley-Eales debate saw the Sandwich team (consisting of Robert Starley, Harry Sharples, Jon Hunt, Mark Towlson, Adrian Tottenham and Ethan Latymer) singlehandedly hold Bridge to a score draw on 4½ points each to share the shield.

The club is finishing the year by throwing its doors open for the Sandwich Summer Rapid, and we have already announced that, as well as a club all-play-all tournament, there will be a new, rapidplay rated, open competition for the 2022-23 season, the Sandwich “Black-and-White”, which will run as a 5-round Swiss approximately once a month from October to March, with each round consisting of back-to-back games (45 minutes on clocks) against the same opponent, one with Black and one with White. Entry will be free to members of Sandwich Chess Club, and £10 to non-members. We are incredibly lucky to have landed on our feet with our new venue, and the officers of St Clement’s Church continue to be very kind to us - they have recently allowed us to take over what may now be referred to as “the chess cupboard”. Our sponsors, Chaos Cards, have also shown us great generosity this year, endowing our Kent Megafinal in May with extra prizes for the section winners. The latest news - and I know this will matter much more to some people than any of the above - it that there will now be, at least on special occasions, biscuits with the tea and coffee. This is the mark of a top-drawer club, and a sign that we have really “made it”.

As always, please keep sending in your games for publication here on the website - even over the summer, if you’re playing online or at a congress and have a game you’d like to share. Quick links to all the 2021-22 League results and standings are as always available on the Results page.

Adrian Tottenham v Seymour MacMahon (Folkestone)

[Event "Sandwich v Folkestone (Walker Shield)"] [Site "St Clement's Hall, Sandwich"] [Date "2022.05.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Adrian Tottenham"] [Black "Seymour MacMahon"] [Result "1-0"] [BlackElo "1524"] [ECO "B76"] [EventDate "2022.05.24"] [WhiteElo "1421"] { Sandwich won their last Walker Shield fixture of the season thanks to wins on the top two boards, including this thrilling victory from Adrian - against one of my former students! I did not teach Seymour chess, however, as evidenced by his confident handling of the Sicilian Defence... } 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 { Ah, the Dragon! This was all the rage among the top players in our school squad in the early 2000s. Main lines were regularly hotly contested. } 6.f3 { Safeguarding e4 and preventing ...Ng4, although after the main line move 6.Be3, 6...Ng4?? can in fact be met by 7.Bb5+! } ( 6.Be3 Ng4 $4 7.Bb5+ $1 Nc6 ( 7...Bd7 8.Qxg4 { winning a piece } ) 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.Bxc6+ { forking king and rook } ) 6...Bg7 7.Be3 { Transposing back to the main line } 7...O-O 8.Qd2 Re8 { This move takes play "out of book". } ( { The main line continues: } 8...Nc6 { after which White has the positional line } 9.O-O-O ( { or the Yugoslav Attack: } 9.Bc4 ) ) 9.O-O-O { White opts for the positional approach, although 9.Bc4 is certainly still playable after 8...Re8. } 9...a6 10.Bh6 Bh8 $5 ( { I would have expected } 10...Bxh6 { since White's queen on h6 is not in itself a terrible threat: } 11.Qxh6 e5 $1 12.Nb3 Be6 13.h4 $1 $14 { Perhaps it's this idea of a march by "Harry-the-h-pawn" which encouraged Black to hold onto his dark-squared bishop instead. } ) 11.g4 $5 { I can't remember seeing such aggression from Adrian before. I like it! } 11...b5 12.Nb3 $6 { Odd - if the idea is Nb3-a5-c6, then Black's next move is the problem. } 12...Nc6 13.g5 $6 { Probably not the right pawn push } ( 13.h4 $1 { looks much more juicy! } 13...b4 14.Nd5 a5 15.Bb5 Bd7 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxc6 Bxc6 18.Bg5 Be5 19.h5 a4 $6 20.Nd4 b3 21.cxb3 axb3 22.a3 $1 ) 13...Nd7 14.f4 Nb6 15.h4 $6 { It's the timing, not the move, that's just a little off, but it turns out not to matter. } 15...Bb7 $2 { Wrong way! } ( 15...Bg4 $1 { gives Black the initiative now: } 16.Re1 b4 17.Nd5 Na4 $1 18.c3 Rb8 19.h5 bxc3 20.bxc3 Qc8 $1 $17 ) 16.h5 $44 { White has really piled on the pressure. Even HIARCS, a strong chess engine, is having trouble finding its way from this supposedly even position. } 16...Rc8 $2 ( { FIrst HIARCS suggests } 16...Na4 $2 { but then quickly retracts it, finding this ingenious line for White: } 17.hxg6 $1 hxg6 18.Qh2 $1 e6 19.Bf8 $1 Kxf8 20.Qxh8+ Ke7 21.Qf6+ Kd7 ( 21...Kf8 22.Rh8# ) 22.Nxa4 Kc7 ( 22...Qxf6 23.Nb6+ Kd8 24.gxf6 ) 23.Nc3 $18 ) ( { Then it fancies this line for Black for a bit, in spite of an incursion by the white queen: } 16...Nc4 17.Bxc4 bxc4 18.hxg6 fxg6 19.Qd5+ e6 20.Qxc4 Rc8 $14 ) ( { Finally, it settles on this safety move first, which prevents any queen incursion: } 16...e6 $1 17.a3 Na4 18.hxg6 fxg6 19.Rh3 $1 Nxc3 20.Rxc3 Bxc3 21.Qxc3 Qe7 22.Bh3 e5 23.f5 Rad8 $44 ) 17.hxg6 $1 { Well timed } 17...fxg6 18.f5 $6 { Missing a chance against Black's weak central pawns } ( 18.Bh3 $1 e6 19.Qxd6 Qxd6 20.Rxd6 $16 ) 18...Ne5 19.fxg6 Nxg6 20.Bd3 $6 ( 20.Bh3 { is still better: } 20...e6 21.Qxd6 Qxd6 22.Rxd6 Bxc3 23.bxc3 Rc6 24.Rhd1 $14 ) 20...Qc7 ( 20...Bxc3 $1 21.bxc3 Qc7 $15 ) 21.Rh2 e5 $2 { Blocking the dark-squared bishop's excellent long diagonal } ( 21...Bxc3 $1 22.Qxc3 Qxc3 23.bxc3 Na4 $17 ) 22.Nd5 $4 { At this point, the complexity of the position reached seems to be baffling both players. There's no shame in that - it baffled me and my chess engine many moves ago!! } 22...Nxd5 23.exd5 e4 $1 ( { Presumably, White was hoping for the misstep } 23...Bxd5 24.Bxg6 $1 hxg6 25.Qxd5+ ) 24.Be2 $4 ( { Believe it or not, White needs to give up his bishop now for this dangerous passed pawn: } 24.Bxe4 $17 ) 24...e3 $1 $19 { White has suffered a devastating reversal. How can he ever recover from it? } 25.Qd3 Re7 $2 ( { The problem in the position for White is: } 25...Nf4 $1 26.Qf5 Re5 27.Qxc8+ ( 27.Qg4 $4 Qxc2# ) 27...Bxc8 $19 ) 26.Rf1 $1 { White is working hard on his comeback. Now there is no ...Nf4. } 26...Ne5 $2 27.Qf5 $2 ( 27.Qd1 $1 $10 { and a calm equilibrium is (temporarily) restored. } ) 27...Rf7 $1 $17 28.Qe4 Bxd5 29.Rxf7 Nxf7 $2 ( 29...Bxe4 $1 { There is nothing for Black to fear from losing his own queen for a rook: } 30.Rxc7 Rxc7 $19 ) 30.Qd3 Bc4 $2 { Black inadvisably blocks the dangerous mating threat at c2, which has been keeping White honest. } 31.Qxe3 Bxe2 $6 { does nothing except help White reorganise his pieces. } ( 31...d5 $1 { gives Black a new initiative. } ) 32.Rxe2 $1 $14 { White is fine again. } 32...Qc6 33.Nd4 $2 Qh1+ $1 $15 { The game has swung once more. What a rollercoaster! } 34.Re1 $2 ( { The careful } 34.Kd2 { was required. } ) 34...Qa8 $4 ( { Black may need to sharpen his tactical play: } 34...Bxd4 $1 { This deflection is a game-winner. } 35.Qe6 ( 35.Qxd4 $2 Qxe1+ $19 ) 35...Qc6 36.c3 Kh8 37.Qxf7 Bxc3 38.Kb1 Bxb2 39.Qf5 Be5 40.g6 hxg6 41.Qxg6 Qc4 42.Bd2 Qh4 43.Qf7 Qh7+ $17 ) 35.Nf5 $1 { Black cannot satisfactorily meet the unexpected mate threat on e7. } 35...Re8 $2 ( 35...Be5 36.Ne7+ Kh8 37.g6 Nxh6 38.Qxh6 Rxc2+ 39.Kxc2 Qg2+ 40.Qd2 Qxd2+ 41.Kxd2 $18 ) 36.Qxe8+ Qxe8 37.Rxe8# 1-0

David Erwee (Folkestone) v Mark Towlson

[Event "Sandwich v Folkestone (Walker Shield)"] [Site "St Clement's Hall, Sandwich"] [Date "2022.05.24"] [Round "?"] [White "David Erwee"] [Black "Mark Towlson"] [Result "0-1"] [BlackElo "1540"] [ECO "A01"] [EventDate "2022.05.24"] [WhiteElo "1533"] { Mark has defied me to find fault with his Board 1 victory in this week's Walker Shield fixture against Folkestone. I have, of course, endeavoured to do so, but it must be said that Black finds the necessary counterplay to frustrate a principled kingside attack from White and finish the job quickly and efficiently. Well played, Mark! } 1.b3 { The Nimzo-Larsen Attack } 1...e5 2.Bb2 d6 3.e3 Qe7 $5 { Typical Towlson - the game is thrown immediately "out of book". } 4.Ne2 g6 5.h3 { White's approach begins to resemble the Hippopotamus Defence. } 5...Bg7 6.g4 $6 { This doesn't prevent ...f5. Perhaps the intention is rather to deter ...Bf5. } 6...h6 7.Bg2 c6 8.d3 Nf6 9.Nd2 O-O 10.Ng3 Kh7 { Stereotypical Towlson again - but why not? When there is no clash between the armies, as in this game, the king is perfectly safe on h7. } 11.Qe2 Ng8 { This type of manoeuvre is rather slow and offers White the chance to seize the initiative. } 12.h4 $1 { This move comes HIARCS-recommended. } 12...Na6 13.a3 { This one less so } ( 13.O-O-O $1 d5 14.g5 Nc7 15.Rdg1 Bd7 16.h5 $1 Qxg5 17.Ba3 $1 Rfe8 18.hxg6+ fxg6 19.Nh5 $1 gxh5 $4 20.Be4+ $1 dxe4 21.Rxg5 $18 ) 13...Nc7 14.O-O-O d5 15.e4 $6 d4 $1 { Black is able to fix his space advantage in the centre. } 16.Kb1 a5 $1 17.h5 { The lost tempi of a3 and Kb1 have given Black time to conjure up good counterplay to this attack. } 17...Nb5 ( 17...Be6 $1 { (HIARCS) } 18.hxg6+ fxg6 19.Nf5 gxf5 20.exf5 Bd5 21.Be4 Kh8 $15 { at least allows White to force the black king into the corner. } ) 18.Ka2 $2 { Never try and imitate the Towlson! } 18...Nc3+ $6 { Tempting, but not best } ( 18...a4 $1 19.b4 c5 20.bxc5 Qxc5 21.hxg6+ fxg6 22.Nc4 Be6 $17 ) 19.Bxc3 dxc3 20.hxg6+ fxg6 21.Nc4 b5 22.Nb6 Be6 23.Nxa8 { A rook for the taking, but not one worth taking... } 23...Rxa8 24.g5 $2 { Inviting disaster on the queenside } ( { White has a longer but ultimately equally fruitless struggle after: } 24.Ra1 a4 $1 25.Kb1 axb3 26.cxb3 Bxb3 27.Rc1 b4 28.Nf1 Ba4 29.Ra2 Rb8 30.Qe1 b3 31.Ra1 b2 32.Rxc3 bxa1=Q+ 33.Kxa1 Bf8 34.Qc1 Qa7 $1 $19 ) 24...a4 { Clearly winning - but it's my job to point out that Mark misses mate in four here... } ( 24...Bf8 25.Kb1 { Run for it! } 25...Qxa3 26.Rxh6+ Nxh6 27.gxh6 Qb2# ) 25.gxh6 axb3+ $6 { Missing the same mate, now in three } ( 25...Bf8 26.Kb1 Qxa3 27.bxa4 Qb2# ) 26.cxb3 ( { White lasts longer (by means of numerous sacrifices) after } 26.Kb1 Qxa3 27.hxg7+ Kxg7 28.Rh7+ Kxh7 29.Rh1+ Kg7 30.Rh7+ Kxh7 31.Qh5+ gxh5 32.Nxh5 Qa1# ) 26...Qxa3+ 27.Kb1 Qa1+ { White resigns, in view of: } 28.Kc2 Qb2# 0-1

Mark Towlson v Clive Le Baigue (Margate)

[Event "Margate v Sandwich (Walker Shield)"] [Site "Union Church Hall, Margate"] [Date "2022.05.05"] [Round "?"] [White "Mark Towlson"] [Black "Clive Le Baigue"] [Result "1-0"] [BlackElo "1548"] [ECO "B21"] [EventDate "2022.05.05"] [WhiteElo "1540"] { A ratings duel on the top board produces a close-fought game where patience wins out - but only after White misses a last-ditch chance to draw! } 1.e4 c5 2.f4 { The Grand Prix Attack without Nc3 } 2...d6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Bd7 5.Bxc6 $6 { This exchange shouldn't help White. } 5...Bxc6 6.d3 e6 $10 { Black has attained easy equality early in the opening. } 7.O-O h5 $5 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.h3 g6 10.Re1 b5 11.f5 $5 { Inviting... } 11...b4 $1 12.Nb1 gxf5 13.exf5 e5 14.Qe2 Rg8 $15 { Black's pressure against the g2-pawn gives him the edge at this stage. } 15.Nbd2 Qd7 16.Nh4 ( { White could have considered: } 16.a3 b3 17.Nxb3 Qxf5 18.Rf1 $1 Qxh3 19.Bg5 Qf5 20.Bxf6 Qxf6 21.Nfd4 $1 Qxf1+ 22.Kxf1 cxd4 23.Nxd4 Bxg2+ 24.Kf2 $14 ) 16...Be7 17.Qf2 O-O-O { Both kings have castled to less than ideal safety. } 18.Ne4 $2 Nd5 $2 { White dodges a bullet. } ( { Trouble is brewing on the long diagonal: } 18...Qb7 $1 19.Ng3 ( 19.a3 Bxe4 $1 20.dxe4 Nxe4 21.Rxe4 Qxe4 22.f6 Bf8 $1 $17 ) 19...Ng4 20.hxg4 Bxh4 21.g5 Bxg5 22.Bxg5 Rxg5 23.Ne4 Rg4 $17 ) 19.f6 $1 { Now the knight on h4 is no longer a target. } 19...Bf8 20.Nf5 ( { HIARCS proposes instead: } 20.Qf5 $1 Qxf5 21.Nxf5 Rg6 22.Bg5 Nf4 $44 ) 20...Qe6 21.Kh2 $6 Nxf6 $1 { The black knight enjoys a last hurrah. } 22.g3 $6 Nxe4 $1 23.dxe4 Kc7 24.b3 Bd7 25.a3 $1 a5 26.axb4 axb4 $10 { The open a-file has improved how White stands. Black's initiative has petered out. } 27.Bd2 Rb8 28.Ra5 Qg6 29.Rea1 Bxf5 $2 { Perhaps out of frustration, Black insists on his attack. } ( { Had he remained patient, White might have found a breakthrough anyway via the a-file, e.g.: } 29...Bc6 30.Ra7+ Rb7 31.Qe2 Qe6 32.Ra8 f6 33.R1a7 Rxa7 34.Rxa7+ Kb8 35.Rh7 $1 $14 ) 30.exf5 Qf6 $2 ( { Even after } 30...Qg7 { Black has severe problems, e.g.: } 31.c3 $1 bxc3 32.Bxc3 $18 { and Ra7+ is coming. } ) 31.Qf3 Rh8 $4 { Now there's mate in 6 on the board. White starts off correctly... } 32.Ra7+ Kd8 33.Qc6 Qxf5 34.Qg2 $4 { Safety first? Nope. A terrible blunder! } ( { Here's what *should* have happened: } 34.Qc7+ Ke8 35.Qxb8+ Qc8 36.Qxc8# ) 34...Qc8 $4 { Black reciprocates the blunder. } ( 34...Be7 $1 35.Qc6 Qc8 $10 ) 35.Rf1 f5 36.Rf7 $2 ( 36.Bg5+ $1 Be7 37.Bxe7+ Ke8 38.Qd5 $18 ) 36...Rb7 $2 ( 36...Be7 $1 { still offers Black some hope, e.g.: } 37.R1xf5 Qe6 38.Qc6 Rg8 39.c4 $1 $16 ) 37.Rxb7 Rg8 38.Ra7 Qe6 39.Qa8+ Qc8 40.Qd5 { Black resigns. } 1-0

Daniel Allen v Don Richards (Ramsgate)

[Event "Ramsgate v Sandwich (Walker Shield)"] [Site "The Red Lion, Ramsgate"] [Date "2022.03.01"] [Round "?"] [White "Daniel Allen"] [Black "Don Richards"] [Result "1-0"] [BlackElo "1402"] [ECO "A00"] [EventDate "2022.03.01"] [WhiteElo "1188"] { Little did Daniel know, when he gave me a copy of his fine win against Ramsgate's captain Don Richards, that it would become this week's junior club quiz... The winners' names appear below - and congratulations too to my online student Charlie, who put the same lesson to good use by finishing 3rd (and unbeaten, drawing to the eventual winner with the black pieces in the final round) in the Bucks U9 Practice event this weekend! } 1.b4 e5 $1 2.Bb2 { It's the Orangutan! } 2...d6 { Third most popular after 2...Bxb4 and 2...f6!? } ( { Black usually plays } 2...Bxb4 { after which play may continue: } 3.Bxe5 Nf6 4.c4 O-O 5.Nf3 d5 6.e3 Nc6 7.Bb2 Re8 8.a3 Ba5 9.Be2 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Be6 11.Bxe6 Rxe6 12.Qc2 Ne4 13.O-O Qd5 14.d3 Nc5 15.d4 Ne4 16.Nbd2 Nxd2 17.Nxd2 Bxd2 18.Qxd2 Na5 19.Qe2 Nb3 $10 ) ( 2...f6 $5 3.e4 Bxb4 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.f4 $5 Qe7 6.f5 g6 $5 7.Nc3 Qc5 $1 $146 $15 ) 3.c4 $1 { The main line } 3...Nd7 4.e3 g6 5.d4 Bg7 6.Nf3 e4 7.Nfd2 Ngf6 8.Nc3 Qe7 9.a3 b6 10.Qc2 Bb7 11.d5 c6 12.Ncxe4 { The first capture of the game! Q1. What should Black take care *not* to play now? Suggest a strong move instead. } 12...Nxe4 $2 ( 12...cxd5 $1 13.cxd5 O-O ( 13...Bxd5 14.Be2 O-O 15.Nxf6+ Bxf6 16.Bxf6 Nxf6 $14 ) 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.Be2 $14 ) ( 12...O-O $1 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Be2 cxd5 15.cxd5 Rac8 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 $5 17.Qd1 $1 Qc3 $5 18.O-O { Calm } 18...Nf6 19.Nb3 { Improving the knight } 19...a5 20.Nd4 $1 Nxd5 21.Bf3 axb4 22.Ne2 $1 Qc4 $6 23.axb4 Nc3 ( 23...Nxb4 $4 24.Bxb7 $18 ) 24.Nxc3 Bxf3 25.Qxf3 Qxc3 $14 ) 13.Nxe4 $2 ( 13.Bxg7 $1 Nxd2 14.Qxd2 Rg8 15.Bb2 cxd5 16.cxd5 $16 ) ( 13.dxc6 $5 { first is also quite good. } 13...Bxc6 14.Bxg7 Rg8 15.Bb2 $16 ) 13...Bxb2 14.Qxb2 Rg8 $2 ( 14...O-O $1 ) 15.Nc3 $1 c5 $6 ( 15...cxd5 16.cxd5 f5 $1 { Preventing e4 to support the d5-pawn } 17.Bb5 Kf7 18.O-O Nf6 ) 16.Nb5 Kd8 17.Be2 a6 18.Nc3 Re8 19.bxc5 { Q2. Which recapture should Black avoid playing now? } 19...dxc5 $6 ( 19...Nxc5 $1 { is in fact best, even though Black loses the b-pawn now: } 20.Qxb6+ Qc7 21.Qxc7+ Kxc7 ) ( 19...bxc5 $4 20.Qxb7 ) 20.Bf3 ( { Perhaps better still was } 20.O-O { after which: } 20...Rb8 21.e4 Qf6 22.Rab1 g5 { To restrain White playing f4 } 23.Bg4 Bc8 { And now White has a lovely pawn push... } ( 23...Ne5 24.Qxb6+ Qxb6 25.Rxb6 Nxg4 26.Rfb1 Kc7 27.Na4 Bxd5 28.Rxb8 Rxb8 29.Rxb8 Kxb8 30.exd5 $16 ) 24.d6 $1 Qe5 ( 24...Qxd6 $2 { Awards White an important tempo on the open d-file } 25.Rfd1 $1 Qf6 26.Bf5 Rb7 27.Qd2 h6 28.Nd5 $1 $18 ) ( 24...Nf8 { Probably best, but it allows: } 25.Bxc8 Kxc8 26.Rfd1 Re6 27.Qd2 Nd7 28.Nd5 Qe5 29.Ne7+ Kb7 30.f3 Rf6 31.Nf5 g4 32.Nh6 gxf3 33.Ng4 $1 ( 33.gxf3 $4 Rxf3 $15 ) 33...f2+ 34.Qxf2 $1 Rxf2 35.Nxe5 Rxg2+ 36.Kxg2 Nxe5 $16 ) 25.Qb3 $1 Qxd6 26.Rfd1 Qc6 27.Nd5 Rb7 28.Qb2 $1 b5 29.Bf5 bxc4 30.Qc3 Rxb1 31.Rxb1 Re7 32.Bxd7 Kxd7 33.Rb6 $1 Qa4 34.Qd2 Kd8 ( 34...Ke8 $2 35.Rb8 $1 Qc6 36.Qxg5 Rxe4 37.Rxc8+ Qxc8 38.Qg8+ Kd7 39.Nb6+ $1 $18 ) 35.Nf6+ Rd7 ( 35...Kc7 $4 36.Qd6# ) ( 35...Bd7 $2 36.Qd6 $1 Qb5 ( 36...Qc2 37.Rb8# ) 37.Rxb5 axb5 38.Nd5 Re6 39.Qc7+ Ke8 40.Qb8+ Bc8 41.Qxc8# ) ) 20...Qe5 21.O-O Rb8 22.Rab1 Bc8 23.Ne4 $6 { Allowing an exchange of queens } 23...Qxb2 24.Rxb2 Ne5 { Q3. White played Be2 now, but this would have been better after first playing a daring attacking move with the knight. What is that move? } 25.Be2 $2 ( 25.Nd6 $1 Rf8 26.Be2 f5 27.f4 Nf7 28.Nxf7+ Rxf7 $16 ) 25...Nxc4 $1 26.Bxc4 Rxe4 27.Bd3 { Q4. Where should the black rook go now? } 27...Re5 $2 ( 27...Ra4 $1 28.Ra2 Bf5 $1 29.Bxf5 gxf5 30.f3 Kd7 31.e4 Re8 32.h3 b5 $1 33.g4 fxe4 34.fxe4 Rexe4 $1 35.Rxf7+ Re7 $1 36.Rxe7+ $4 Kxe7 37.Kg2 Kd6 $17 ) ( 27...Re7 28.d6 $2 Rd7 29.Bc4 Rxd6 30.Bxf7 b5 31.Rc2 c4 32.e4 Bb7 33.f3 Ke7 { The bishop is trapped. } 34.Bxc4 bxc4 35.Rxc4 $19 ) 28.e4 $1 b5 29.f3 c4 { Q5. Where should the bishop go? (This is something of a trick question.) } 30.Be2 $2 ( 30.Bxc4 $1 bxc4 $4 31.Rxb8 $18 ) ( 30.Bb1 $6 f6 31.f4 Re8 $1 $44 ) 30...Bd7 $2 ( 30...Rb7 $1 31.Rfb1 f5 $1 { and now White has nothing better than } 32.Bxc4 bxc4 33.Rxb7 Bxb7 34.Rxb7 fxe4 35.fxe4 Rxe4 $10 ) 31.a4 $2 ( { Again: } 31.Bxc4 $1 bxc4 $4 32.Rxb8+ $18 ) 31...Kc7 32.Rfb1 Ree8 $2 ( 32...Rbe8 $10 ) 33.axb5 axb5 { Q6. What tactic has Black allowed now? } 34.Ra1 $2 ( 34.Bxc4 $1 bxc4 35.d6+ $1 Kxd6 36.Rxb8 Rxb8 37.Rxb8 $16 ) ( { The immediate } 34.d6+ $5 { is less impactful: } 34...Kxd6 35.Bxc4 { and now Black can turn down the recapture in favour of } 35...f5 $1 $14 ) 34...Ra8 $1 35.Rba2 $2 Rxa2 $1 36.Rxa2 Kb6 $2 ( 36...f5 $1 37.exf5 Bxf5 38.Kf2 Kd6 39.g4 Bd7 40.f4 Rc8 41.Ke3 c3 42.Bd1 Kxd5 43.Bb3+ Kc5 44.h3 Re8+ 45.Kf2 Bc6 $17 ) 37.Kf2 $1 Kc5 38.Ke3 Rb8 $6 39.Ra7 $1 Be8 40.Rc7+ { Q7. How can Black try to force a draw here? } 40...Kb4 $2 ( 40...Kd6 $1 41.Ra7 Kc5 42.Rc7+ ( { It's an imperfect question, since White does have another option here. Still, the engine is still yelling 0.00 very insistently after: } 42.f4 $5 f5 43.Rxh7 fxe4 44.Kxe4 Rd8 45.Rc7+ Kd6 $1 46.Ra7 Kc5 $10 { and White is right back where he started, with no more good alternatives. } ) 42...Kd6 43.Ra7 Kc5 $10 ) ( 40...Kb6 41.d6 $1 ) 41.Kd4 $1 Kb3 { Q8. This was probably the final decisive moment of the game. What should White play here to head for a winning endgame? } 42.d6 { Good... } ( { ...but not quite as good as the other pawn pushes in the position: } 42.e5 $1 ) ( { or } 42.f4 $1 ) 42...Rd8 43.e5 Bd7 44.f4 Kb4 $6 ( 44...Kc2 $1 { The king must keep active. } 45.Bf3 Be6 46.Bd5 h5 47.Kc5 Kd2 48.Bxe6 fxe6 49.Kxb5 c3 50.d7 c2 51.Rxc2+ $1 Kxc2 52.Kc6 Ra8 53.Kc7 Ra7+ 54.Kd6 Ra8 55.Ke7 $18 ) 45.h3 Be6 46.Bg4 $6 { Q9. What happens if Black tries to drive back the bishop now with 46...h5? } ( 46.Bf3 $1 ) 46...Ka5 $4 ( 46...h5 47.Bxe6 fxe6 { and now } 48.g4 $1 { wins. } ( 48.Re7 ) 48...hxg4 ( 48...g5 49.fxg5 hxg4 50.hxg4 $18 ) ( 48...Rh8 49.f5 $1 hxg4 50.hxg4 gxf5 51.gxf5 exf5 52.e6 $18 ) 49.hxg4 $18 ) 47.Bxe6 $1 fxe6 { Q10. What is the strongest move for White now? (Hint: It threatens mate.) } 48.Rxh7 ( 48.Kc5 $1 { Threatening mate! } 48...Ka4 ( 48...c3 $4 49.Ra7# ) 49.d7 c3 50.Kd6 $1 Kb3 51.Kxe6 c2 52.Kd6 Kb2 53.e6 c1=Q 54.Rxc1 Kxc1 55.e7 $18 ) 48...Ka4 49.Kc3 $1 b4+ 50.Kxc4 Rc8+ 51.Rc7 $1 Ra8 52.d7 Ka3 53.Rc8 Ra4 54.d8=Q b3+ 55.Kc3 b2 56.Rb8 Ka2 57.Rxb2+ Ka3 58.Qd6+ Rb4 59.Qxb4# 1-0

Junior Club Quiz

St Clement’s Hall, Friday 4th March 2022

Joint winners: Jordan & Roy!