Richard makes Steve the king! (game added)

Kingmaker Richard Bodily beat Marc Obi on Thursday to take second place himself and leave Steve Ledger as the winner of the Club Championship – many congratulations to him!

My reporter on the spot tells me that Marc won a pawn quite early on and seemed to have a won game, but with time running out Marc misplayed a Rook and pawn ending allowing Richard to Queen first despite still being a pawn behind.

   [Event "Bedford Chess Club Division 1"]  [Date "2018.06.14"]  [White "Marc Obi"]  [Black "Richard Bodily"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "D00"]  [Annotator "User,Windows"]  [PlyCount "134"]  1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 Nf6 3. e3 c5 4. c3 e6 5. Nd2 Bd6 6. Bg3  O-O 7. Ngf3 Qc7 8. Bd3 Nbd7 9. e4 dxe4 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. Bxe4 Nf6 12. Bd3 b6 {  The opening is level in this London system but this allows white's next when  the h file is opened improving White attacking chances} 13. dxc5 Bxg3 ({Not}  13... Qxc5 14. Bxd6 Qxd6 15. Bxh7+ {winning}) 14. hxg3 Qxc5 15. Qe2 Bb7 16. Rh4  Rfe8 17. O-O-O e5 {Position was level before this error which both loses a  pawn and white is then close to mating. 17....h6 is fine for black} 18. Bxh7+  Nxh7 19. Rdh1 e4 20. Rxh7 g6 21. Nd4 Qg5+ 22. Kb1 Re5 {A further error  although black is at a loss for decent moves} 23. Qc4 ({Better is} 23. Rh8+ Kg7  24. R1h7+ Kf6 25. Rxa8 Bxa8 26. Qc4 {is winning} Bd5 27. Qc8 Ke7 28. Rh8) 23...  Bd5 24. Qc7 {Now the queens come off and I start to breathe more easily  although white has the advantage in the endgame} Qe7 25. Qxe7 Rxe7 26. c4 Bb7  27. Nc2 Rd7 28. Ne3 Rad8 29. Kc1 Kf8 30. g4 Ke7 31. Rh8 Ke6 32. Rxd8 Rxd8 33.  g3 Ke5 34. Rh7 Kf6 35. Kc2 Rd7 36. Rh8 Ke7 {Too passive, better is Kg5  according to Fritz, not the type of move I'd play. White's advantage steadily  increases from here} 37. g5 Rc7 38. Kc3 Rc5 {Better is 38...Rd7} 39. Rb8 Rc7  40. b4 Kd7 41. Rh8 Ba6 42. Kd4 Bb7 43. Nd5 Bxd5 44. Kxd5 Ke7 45. Ra8 f5 46.  gxf6+ Kxf6 47. c5 bxc5 48. bxc5 Ke7 49. Rh8 {49 c6 is better but the move  played is fine and maintains white's advantage} Rd7+ 50. Kc6 {The first  mistake, 50 Kxe4 or even better 50 Ke5 are far better} Rd2 51. Rh7+ Ke6 52.  Rxa7 Rxf2 53. Ra3 {Better is 53 Ra8 although white still has an edge after Ra3}  Rf3 54. Ra6 {Black has now equalised. Both players were now very short of time  and this affects the play. 54 Ra8 is muchbetter} e3 55. Kb7+ {The final  mistake, failing to guard the c pawn although it does look a natural move to  me. 55 Kb5+ holds the draw White's rook is poorly placed for defence} Kd5 56.  c6 e2 57. c7 Rf7 (57... e1=Q 58. c8=Q Qb4+ {looked good but with so little  time I took the safe route}) 58. Ra5+ Kd4 59. Ra4+ Kd3 60. Ra3+ Kd2 61. Rf3  Rxc7+ 62. Kxc7 e1=Q 63. Kd6 Qe4 64. Rf4 Qe3 65. Kd5 Qxg3 66. Rd4+ Kc3 67. a4  Qg5+ {White resigns} 0-1

Joe beat Ben Cox in the second division.

In the Game of the Season poll, the bad news is that only one person has voted. The good news is that they voted for my somewhat sketchy effort so it looks like I will win the prize! To avoid this clear travesty, please vote now!