Hi all, I have never played an individual slow format congress/tournament in the UK before. So firstly I have to mention Nathan and Harry, the culturists implanted this Norfolk championship seed into my brain on a late night stroll after club night. I wasn't keen to play 5 long games in 2 games until then. Getting into the arena, I was happy to be ranked 23rd in the list of 24. Losing a game at 1797 is not going to cost me a lot of rating and I was ready to play for a win even at slightest advantage. Rd 1, I was paired with Stephen Pullinger, who I recently shared the Broadland rapidplay with & that helped. I put him into a Nimzowitch-Larsen attack as white and ended with a strong queen bishop battery towards his king. I grabbed a pawn with my knight which was actually a blunder (I immediately realized) and he missed to punish me and after that, I was able to beat him through a 2 knight 5 pawns vs 2 knight 3 pawns endgame. Rd 2, Ben Collinson. Played him once in a rapidplay which resulted in a draw. As black, I was playing some outrageous moves such as h5 and Ng4 in the opening which the engine does not like. I actually don't know the opening but it's kind of a Reti into Queen's Gambit. I didn't castle this game as well. Somehow managed to gain a pawn and also double his f pawn and went into a winning end game. Post-game, analyzing with him different options he could have done, all of it seems better for me but there was a rook lift which both of us missed even at post analysis. In this variation, I have to give my queen for a rook & knight and enter into a different defensive game totally. Rd 3. I was surprised to see the table at this point as it was just myself and Martin Walker at 2 points in the table. The Rd 3 didn't last very long. I played black again and made the mistake of not being unpredictable. I played a perfect French Tarrasch opening till move 7 and without pushing f6, I went developing all my pieces on the queen side and trying a queen side attack. While Martin didn't bother anything I did and ultimately sacked a knight and that followed a forced Mate in 9. A game to forget that happened, Great learnings actually during post analysis with him. I think he can write a book on just this variation at this point. Rd 4. Paul Smith, Last time we played in the league, he dropped a piece when I was in trouble and resigned. Hoped for something like that but only my time trouble repeated. I was a pawn down with a bishop queen rook endgame and threatened so many ways to checkmate him which he blocked well and ultimately forced to exchange the big pieces for a comfortable win. Lost. Rd 5. Phil Bonafont. David mentioned before the game he isn't the player he used to be, and he just wasn't in the zone. He dropped a knight and bishop for 2 pawns in the opening, missing my queen check tactic and a quick resignation followed. Overall pleased with my performance of 3/5 & a weekend well spent with fellow chessnuts. I have to mention the prizes - 1. U1940 Norfolk championship 2022 trophy, 30 GBP cash and an engraving of the name in the shield. 2. Best rating improvement cup. I was told I had reached closer to 1850 now. Exciting times. Though I wanna get my form rolling in the league, my big break has come and I am visiting home in India this week and would be back for the big home night, Templars vs Crusaders game in Nov. Thanks to Mark for waiting for the prize show, clicking pics and giving a lift back. Ciao, Senthil As I was at the bottom of Cap’n Dave’s bottom and to the right, I was unhappy with the gaseous emissions therewith. Still, I managed to come joint second in my section despite those noisome proclamations of a fundamentally Welsh nature. Rd 1 – Andrew Duffel 1581 as black Chicken Dinner Rd 2 – Colin Payne 1657 as white Panties Rd 3 – Bysie Bye Rd 4 – Arfer Dammit 1582 as black Panties Rd 5 – Barath Klass 1600 as white Chicken Dinner 3.5/5 Chess-Results Server Chess-results.com - Norfolk County Chess Championships Interesting points arising were that in my first draw I was much better and then, later, up against it when Colin offered me the panties – much to his own chagrin I took them readily. In my second draw I was winning, then losing, then winning, then drawing then losing and then forcing my oppo into panties with a knight sac into a rook pawn and wrong bishop endgame (after missing that I could do the same thing several moves earlier). Last game went more than the distance and has quite an exciting end with me almost blundering a winning tactic at the death with not much time on either clock. As always, a good time was had by all the many St Johnites in attendance. Big congratz go to super-Senthil (see ya in November and have a great holiday); thanks to The Desley for liftage and good company; and thanks also to the rest of you lovely St Johnners for providing such a strong showing and amplifying the fun times. Lovely. Ciao for nows Harry x As I was bottom of the Championship section I was happy with my 3 draws v respectable opposition. rd 1 Dave Dempster 1938 draw rd 2 Roy Hughes 2085 loss rd 3 Bye rd 4 Mark Lim 1934 draw rd 5 Stephen Pullinger 1988 draw Performance rating 1862 Senthil was the Star performer with 3 / 5 and a performance rating of 2130 ! rd 1 Stephen Pullinger 1988 win rd 2 Ben Collinson 2072 win rd 3 Martin Waltker 2180 loss rd 4 Paul Smith 1997 loss rd 5 Phil Bonafont 2043 win Hi all, a brief report on my weekend exertions at Tithe Barn in the Challengers section of the Norfolk championships.
Saturday morning I had White versus Stephen Livermore (1659) and got a very strong sacrifice attack in the London system, but I couldn't find the key winning move and bailed on the attack thinking I had material equality..... I miscounted! Ended up Rook and 6 pawns versus his 3 minor pieces and 2 pawns but the pieces told and I succumbed. Had I found the key move it would have been Queen, rook and 2 extra pawns vs Rook and 3 minors, Harry is of the opinion it was not sound, i reckon it was winning, I haven't computered it yet! Saturday Afternoon Shavari Sahanker (1125) young 8-year-old who is much better than her grade. She played for a big attack on my Pirc and had various threats, but she allowed 2 pawns to drop as she looked for mate and down to major pieces I found a way to force queens and a rook pair off and the 2 pawn advantage told (on move 90!). She duffed up 1600 rated John Weston in round 5.... one to watch! Saturday evening Colin Payne (1657) horror show! We were both tired but no excuses, Colin completely schooled me. I tried to play a kind of hippohog mashed together set-up but it went horribly wrong, and Colin smashed me up frankly. He also won the title! Nice work Colin. Sunday Morning John Weston (1598) i had white both games today. John I've always struggled against, he is a very solid player. I drew an error out of him today though and won a pawn and weakened his king. I think I was well ahead, but I made one of my hasty decisions and exchanged queens, this allowed him to mount a decent defence with the bishop pair. I then probed relentlessly and restricted him to almost no moves but couldn't find a killing blow. In the end I hassled his king but my pieces got displaced in the attack and, with no mate, I had to drop a pawn back. With material now even i took his offer of a draw. Sunday Afternoon Chris Flynn (1607) Chris told me on Saturday if we met he'd decline my London with the Englund Gambit, so I played 1 Nf3. He replied 1 d5 and walked straight back into it ..... d4, e6, Bf4. Mwahahahaha, I'm evils! I quite like the KIA and Reti set ups anyway if needed ;) Fair play he found a nice tactic and got the upper hand, even material but my pawn structure was poor. He had a won rook pawn endgame but missed it and went into a drawn rook and pawn endgame he had convinced himself was winning. Once I rounded up the pawn we agreed the draw. 1 win, 2 draws, 2 losses but i played ok apart from a poor game versus Colin and had chances in them all. Good to face some competitive chess in again after the summer. Game versus John Weston attached, quite interesting! Regards Dave
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