We travelled to Horfield for the semifinal of the cup, our last chance for glory this season. Both sides were not at full strength and, with Horfield having more of their top players missing, we had a rating advantage on most boards. Still, ‘the play is the thing’.
Alexis and Peter on board 8 had a balanced game which soon resolved into a level endgame and an agreed draw - both sides off the mark.
On board 4 I (Nigel) was soon in trouble with my pieces in a tangle. My attempt to free my position only made matters worse; Mike effectively refuted my plan as he won a pawn and soon afterwards finished me off in fine style.
Events happened rapidly on Board 2 with both players going down a theory line for more than 20 moves. It is a line which Steve knows well, indeed he suggested he has been playing it since before Aron was born! He gained some advantage but my computer suggests a capture with the bishop rather than the knight was preferable. After that Aron fought back well in a mutually difficult position with a draw agreed after Aron had successfully blockaded Steve’s extra queenside pawn.
No such luck for Peter on board 3. Oscar played a textbook positional game. He gained the two bishops early on, together with a queenside majority and better development. Oscar advanced his pawn majority and threatened to win a pawn. Peter tried to react by going for some kingside counterplay but this only allowed Oscar a neat tactic to win a piece. The match was level 2-2.
In three of the remaining games mobile queen side pawns were the key feature, and we held some advantage in all three, whilst Peter was a pawn down on board 6 with far less activity than usual. Would it be possible to turn the potential into points?
The answer was yes. James pushed his queenside pawns forward, won a pawn, avoided Phil’s tricks and simplified down to a won ending.
On top board Haroon pushed his queenside pawns forward and, with the aid of a clever knight sacrifice, was able (with the white pieces) to establish a passed pawn on b7, soon to be joined by another one on a7. Derek tried for swindling chances against Haroon’s king but cool defence and a second queen on b8, with the possibility in some lines of a third one on a8, wrapped up the game and gave us a winning 4-2 score as board count was in our favour.
The pressure was off but as usual Martin kept his cool. He pushed his queenside majority forward and in an effort to stem the tide James grabbed the a pawn, whereupon a pin enabled Martin to win a piece. He kept control as James went for perpetual check possibilities and Martin was at one point down to 2 seconds on the clock. Increments are a great thing and Martin clinched the win.
There was still excitement to be had on board 6. Peter was now a pawn and the exchange down, with time running short for both players. Peter charged forward with his central passed pawn and after the ensuing confusion, during which Brent surely missed some good chances, a drawn rook ending was reached.
A match result (5½-2½) which puts us in the final next month against Clifton. We can dream!
Nigel Hosken