King's Head 3rds 3 - Ealing 2nds 5
: Created:10 Nov 2009 , byNo King's Head side doesn't come out fighting so Ealing were well pleased to enjoy "Lady Luck" in their victory in division two of the Middlesex league.
Acting captain, Simon Healeas writes:
Playing a King's Head team on their manor was never going to be an easy match despite the grading advantage. First to finish was 'supersub' Geoff Richards. He stepped in at the last minute and proved too strong for his opponent. In fairness, his opponent informed before the match that he had been drinking since lunchtime which is not always the best preparation for a serious chess game. Nevertheless, Geoff got a clear opening advantage against the Tarrasch and never really looked back.
As far as I could ascertain, the games of Tony Wells, John Harvey and Dale Gibbons were evenly-matched affairs that never really escaped the boundaries of the drawing zone. It was a delight to see Gary P. Smith back in Ealing colours: he is always most welcome at the Harvester. Unfortunately he suffered his first defeat of the season. Having sacrificed a pawn in the opening for active piece play, he recouped it and subsequently lost it again. An ending of king and four pawns versus king and three on the same side proved untenable; an impressive, albeit circuitous, king manoeuvre netting the point for the home team.
But the real fun was happening on board five. In one of Houdini's famous tricks, the great escapologist was locked in chains and shackled to a stool which was fixed to the bottom of a giant tank which was then filled with water. Houdini had to escape before the water rose above his head causing him to drown. Knowing that it would take exactly ten minutes to escape and the rate at which the water entered the tank, the Great Man used calculus to work out the height of the stool in order to avoid drowning. Well, Mark Winterbotham did not use sophisticated mathematical calculation to escape but it was no less impressive. In the opening he played a move of which Nimzowitsch would have been proud: he gave up his powerful g-7 bishop for the opposing c-3 knight, thereby doubling white's pawns. Observing this, I thought he will now close the position, fix his pawns on dark squares and gradually simplify in readiness for the better ending. Nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, I'm not too sure what happened in the middle game but, suffice to say, Mark found himself a piece and three pawns down. However, with the aid of a monster passed pawn, the tables were turned and victory secured. Amazing.
Meanwhile I played the ultra-solid Petroff and never looked like winning, or losing. A mistake by my opponent in the quickplay finish allowed his queen to be skewered, at which point he promptly resigned.
Playing the black side of a Closed Sicilian, Alastair Johnstone showed admirable restraint. It was clear from the outset that, as the Russians say, he was playing for two results. Despite a slight material advantage in the end game, it was difficult to see how progress could be made with such a locked pawn formation. With both players having little time left, a draw was agreed.
Overall a pleasing result against King's Head, although one cannot help but feel - particularly in respect of the Ealing victories - that Caissa was shining down on our club last night. Long may it continue!
0.5 A. Wells v D. Razzell0.5 J. Harvey v B. Jackson
1-0 S. Healeas v A. Morton
0.5 D. Gibbons v A. Frazer
1-0 M. Winterbotham v D. Bonn
0-1 G.P. Smith v R. Mumford
0.5 A. Johnstone v F. Ainscow
1-0 G. Richards v B. Dennis