Maidenhead A 2 - Ealing A 5
: Created:10 Nov 2009 , byAn away victory at Maidenhead is always an achievement and Ealing were well pleased to come away with the full point in division one of the Thames Valley league tonight.
Veljko Stanisic gave us a good start with a draw with Black against experienced John Wager and I was very pleased to add a full point despite poor management of my clock. It is the second year that I have won with the Sicilian Nadjorf at our west of London rivals and this time in an exciting contest with players castling on opposite sides, my attack got there first. However we lost on board eight where late replacement Dominika Ociepka bravely went down. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to her for turning out for the first team and she should be proud of her achievement in competing well for a strong club - Ealing.
Our board one, Alan Perkins won with masterful positional play against Neil Dickenson's Dutch Defence, combined with sound tactics to exploit his better position. The Alekhine formula for successful chess. Simon Randall added to Ealing's lead with a smart tactic that won his opponent's queen because the alternative was checkmate in two.
Meanwhile Sainbayar Tserendorj was getting on top against Nigel Dennis so it boiled down to a rook and pawn versus a bishop and pawn ending with the pawns on one side of the board. This commentator was enormously impressed with Sainbayar's accuracy in a tricky ending because if pawns were exchanged it was unlikely that the win could be proved. However Martin Smith could not convert an early advantage on board six and going wrong near to the time control emerged a pawn down but with a well centralised king and even with a few adventures along the way, perhaps the draw was inevitable.
On board three the players adjourned and are examining the position. I believe that our man, Adrian Ociepka holds the advantage.
What is certain is that Ealing are currently top of the Thames Valley league.