Hammersmith B 3.5 Ealing B 3.5
: Created:14 Oct 2009 , by Alastair JohnstoneEaling B started off the new season with an equitable draw at Hammerith in Thames Valley League, Division 2.
Thames Valley League Division 2 | 12th October 2009 | ||||
Bd | Hammersmith A | Result | Ealing B | ||
1 | 168 | Ahmad, Ari | 0.5 | Wells, Tony D | 182 |
2 | 157 | Price, Michael C | 0-1 | Tserendorj, Sainbayar | 174 |
3 | 151 | Collard, Amel | 0-1 | Lamb, H Michael | 171 |
4 | 149 | Mabud, Sheikh A | 0.5-0.5 | Harvey, John T | 157 |
5 | 149 | Woolley, John H | 0.5-0.5 | Healeas, Simon | 151 |
6 | 145 | Birhane, Dawit | 1-0 | Gibbons, C Dale | 148 |
7 | 123 | Hedger, Ken M | 1-0 | Johnstone, Alastair G | 133 |
3.5-3.5 | |||||
With a strong performance from the top half of the order offset by some ring-rusty play from the lower orders, a draw was probably the right result on the night. Hammersmith lacked some of their heavy hitters, but were still a competitive outfit.
Sainbayar was first to score with a typically vigorous display securing an early win. Sadly, this was soon offset by yours truly's criminal negligence on bottom board, succumbing to a less than subtle trap which netted my opponent a piece for two pawns and a decisive advantage.
The only compensation for my early demise was that I was thus able to follow events on the remaining boards more closely.
It wasn't long before peace negotiations broke out on Board 4 and a fairly bloodless affair was soon concluded amicably.
The status quo was retained when Mike Lamb's win on Board 3 was cancelled out by Dale's loss on 6. Mike had a solid two-pawn plus and his opponent prudently resigned when Mike commenced offensive operations against his exposed King in the centre of the board. Dale meawhile was dying a death of a thousand cuts (of the pin and skewer variety). With both bishops, a queen and a rook in the attack, Dale's King simply had nowhere to hide.
The remaining two games went into the quickplay finish with all to play for. John Harvey's game featured an almost entirely closed position with zippered pawns and only the heavy pieces left on the board. The only opportunity for a breakthrough would have required a brave and accurately calculated rook sac on the h-file. It looked tantalisingly as though the chance to make the sac was there but such a move is not taken lightly and John wasn't convinced. Consequently, after some probing behind the lines, a draw was agreed.
On top board a sharp and tense battle was being waged, with both players close to unleashing a decisive threat. A kind of mutual zugzwang was in operation, however, as neither player could unleash the threat without a fatal response in return and so deep into the final minutes, moves were repeated and the draw agreed.
Hammersmith were 3rd in this division last year. So, as the 'new kids on the block' we can be well-satisfied with a draw in our first outing of the season.