C beat D! – Gerry’s view (game added)

(last weeks matches made T&C’s hockey page (?) this week – I’m expecting this one to feature on next week’s back page! – Ed)

The match was a very close run affair until the end of each of the games. The C team marginally outgraded the D team overall, though Boards 1 to  4 were very closely matched in grades.

On Board 4, Nigel was first to finish, after a hard fought draw with Ben. The game was quite complex and a draw was a fair result.

Peter G was next to finish, with a nice win that ended up with two connected passed pawns on the 6^th and his opponent folded shortly afterwards, despite being way ahead on the clock. This proves that time advantage doesn’t help without a decent position to go with it.

Joe finished next after a complicated battle with John and rounded it off nicely with a good win.

My game against Neil was difficult, but after building on a small advantage, things gradually improved and in the end the pressure was too strong to overcome.

That left one small flicker of hope for the D team on board 5, where Mac had the advantage of three passed pawns and a rook against Peter H’s rook and bishop, but the flicker was snuffed out by the evil clock, as Mac lost on time.

Overall, a great result for the C team, but one in which the result didn’t truly reflect the overall quality of play.