Norfolk and Norwich A Vs Templars
Tuesday the other night in Norwich. Things going down the way they usually do: I gots the itch to play some chess and it just so happened the newly-promoted Templars had their first Division One match against the wunderkinds and wunderolds wot make up top team Norfolk and Norwich A. Oh yeah, babe, that chess itch was gonna get sated no matter what happened unless what happened was nothing happened and then it didn't take a Hoskins to know that would be nothing more happening than nothing at all. Luckily for me, after a lovely perambulation to the venue, I noticed the handsome stilettoes of Messrs. Payne, Hall and Yelverton lurking in the darkness. These are some pretty pretty dudes and I felt we were on to a winner wot with a Ben having a stomach upset, a Payne with a helluva stomach and a Hall with some shorts that his body just got poured into by God her own Godmanself. We rocked our way into the venue to face one of the best teams in the division. Sure, we were out-graded, but never outgunned due to Ben's bulging biceps and a determination the likes of which a slacker such as mybadself had never seen before. And so it was that Hall (1855) sat down opposite Orton (2159); Payne (1809) took his seat the other side of Smith (1997); I (1697) shuffled into Slobodan's (1902) line of sight and Ben (1700) gingerly (because of stomach complaint alone) took a chair facing the kid, Arfur (much higher than his rating) Dammit (1582). And it began ... I saw none too much of Anthony's opening game, but was privvy to see Orton sac the exchange resulting in a very interesting position with dangerous bishops, rook and a far-pushed passed pawn against rooks and pawns. Hall was excellent in his defence and there seemed to be no way for Orton to make progress. The N&N man pushed on and, with Hall in extreme time trouble, but defending well, Orton hung a bishop and it was all change. Things looked to be winning or drawing for Hall, but he was now playing great moves on the increment alone until he missed a discovered check and made an illegal move. This flustered our man and, with just seconds on the clock, he walked into a mate in one. A damn shame, but a great lesson in how to play cooly under pressure until the time just didn't allow enough time to play at all. To my left, Cap'n Dave got into a spot of bother early on and, I think, dropped a pawn. Paul Smith - wearing a superb T-shirt that had Godzilla standing in the middle of The Great Wave off Kanagawa - showed no mercy and our Welshman was the first to finish. To my right, Ben was dealing with both stomach troubles and Arfur Dammit well. Things were very even until some tactical possibilites presented themselves in which the kid got the better of the man with the dreads. Still, all was not lost and Ben played on well looking for activity and draws and, at one point thought about some tricky perpetual tactics but, sadly, discounted them. The kid was then able to swap off some heavy peices and go into a winning endgame and The Dreaded Ben conceded defeat magnimanimously. On my board, Slobodan had played the Caro Cann againt me. It was an exciting line with an early ...Ne4 for Black. I had lines for it and he made a mistake which allowed me to either win a piece for two pawns or ruin his kingside pawn structure. He chose the latter (incorrectly, I thought) and I got a great position. Now out of book. I dodged his tactics and pushed pawns, strengthening my position and applying pressure. He finally blundered a queen move that allowed me to take a crucial central pawn via tactics, but, with only 13 mins left to his 40 in a position that he could easily complicate with all the heavy pieces, a minor piece each and lots of pawns still on, I offered the draw and he took it readily. So, we got smashed up, but it was a good showing and signs that a fit Ben, a non-pawndropping Payne; a non-cowerdly drawer me; and a Hall with just a touch more time on his clock can and will cause some upsets in future. Rock on the next match. Harry
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