League: TVCL, Season 2021-2022
Played : 21st February, 2022
This is a return match played at our club’s venue. We lost narrowly with the score 2.5 to the opponent’s 3.5. Maidenhead B are currently leading the leader board. All the matches were closely fought, which means the opposing team is not immune to defeat. David Websdale was leading our team. David English and Geoff secured wins in their games and Michael secured a draw in his.
| Board | Colour | Ealing B | Results | Maidenhead B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | White | George Masefield | 0-1 | Paul Janota |
| 2 | Black | David English | 1-0 | William Castaneda |
| 3 | White | David Websdale | 0-1 | Stephen Briggs |
| 4 | Black | Michael Stern | 0-1 | Yuri Krylov |
| 5 | White | Geoff Richards | 1-0 | Dariusz Sikora |
| 6 | Black | Michael Smith | 1/2 – 1/2 | Keith Trower |
Comments and Games:
David Websdale
All games were close against higher rated players.
Geoff Richards
First win this season
Geoff’s Game: Played White, won; opening “Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, ECO D13”
David English
White opened with e4 and black responded with the Sicilian Defence but then missed the cue to take white’s advancing c-pawn and instead allowed his knight to be chased around the board whilst white developed several pieces. A careful period of development followed where white retained a positional advantage but failed to capitalise, seeming bereft of any attack lines and already taking considerably more time over each move. Black miscalculated when making the 30th move, resulting in the first pawn falling to white unchallenged but despite white’s lead, the game continued in a slow-paced positional fashion. Reaching 100+ moves, white’s lack of time-management came back to bite and black made a series of quick containing moves to limit white’s progress and enable a time forfeiture, with twelve minutes remaining on black’s clock as white was forced to concede.
David English’s Game : Played Black, won; opening “Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit, ECO: B21”
Click on a move shown below to show the popup interactive chess board
Michael Smith
I thought I was doing well against a stronger rated player, but then he became very active with his queen and seemed to be about to win a pawn. In countering that, I allowed my queen and bishop to get into a difficult position and I thought I must lose the bishop. But in the flurry of exchanges I think he miscalculated and I saved the bishop by swapping off queens. His rook was now in a strong position for eating up pawns. However, he now became ultra cautious and retreated his rook. A few moves later he swapped off rooks and offered a draw. I think we both scared each other and were both we’re glad of a draw. The final position was even, but he played better than I did and should have pressed his advantage.
Michael Smith’s game: Played Black, drew; opening “Four Knights Game, ECO: C46”
Michael Stern
Slightly in my favour until move 15, then 2 bad moves caused a rapid collapse.
Michael Stern’s game: Played Black, lost. Opening “Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack, ECO B21”