Libs bowled out

NLC chess news

The daffodils are in bloom, the clocks have sprung forward and trees are in blossom. Yes, the cricket season is upon us. The NLC chess circle duly put their boards to one side and donned their cricketing whites to take on the mighty MCC in a friendly match.  

The NLC pitch was in good condition, with a greenish top on the wicket.
Outclassed but unbowed – the Libs about to face the MCC attack. (L-R: Mr Trivedi (capt), Mr Widdicombe, Dr. Kirby, Mr Osseiran, Mr Taylor , young Master King, Victor the barman)

Doctor Kirby opened the batting.

Doctor Kirby at the crease

He faced the slippery young quick David Bates who sent a series of spitting fast balls down the kingside. With only a straight bat and a firm resolve he stoically played a Nimzo-Indian forward defensive and was able to protect his wicket, along with his opposite coloured bishop, to secure the half point, not out.  

Try as they might, the MCC just couldn’t remove Doctor Kirby from the crease

Mister Widdicombe batted at number 2.

Mister Widdicombe dealing with a dastardly Sicilian wrist spinner

 

He faced the experienced and wily spinner Peter Rust who got some great purchase off the wicket. Mister Widdicombe bravely held on for a series of overs but it was only a matter of time. With a stream of fast balls down the c-file, Mister Widdicombe attempted a desperate stroke only to see his off stump nicked, along with his queen.

Jubilation as 27…Be3 sends Mister Widdicombe to the pavilion

At three was the doughty NLC captain.

Mister Trivedi knows how to play a few strokes

A tough innings for the all-rounder. A couple of aggressive pawn advances in the centre of the wicket from David Longgrigg had Mister Trivedi batting on his back foot. A further few ferocious overs ended with  the NLC skipper’s middle stump flying – a zipping 20. Bxh6 delivered with perfect line and length. Unstoppable.

There could be no argument with the dismissal

Mister Osserian came in at 4 needing to arrest the decline.  

Could Mister Osserian steady the ship?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mister Osserian played his usual positive game. Playing on the front foot and picking his strokes he looked like he’d run up a good store of runs as his pieces moved into some very good positions. Alas, some reverse spin took Mister Osserian’s unawares and his queen fell to a wonderful diving catch.

Mister Osseiran’s dame was caught at leg gully

With the collapse of the middle order, hopes rested with Mister Taylor. An ever-reliable tail-end slogger when the run chase is on, Mister Taylor didn’t disappoint. In at 5, he hit a series of beautiful cover drives. Perhaps bouyed by the cheers from the livelier elements of the David Lloyd George stand, he finished with a flourish, striking a magnificent six hit high over the terrace to finish off.

Mister Taylor punishes some loose bowling

With Mister Taylor retiring not-out, the score rested with the NLC 1.5 runs for 3.5 wickets. The captains agreed to award the match to the MCC. Stumps were drawn in fading light and the players retired to the pavilion for tea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New game

[Fritz 13 SE (15m)]

 

[B90: Sicilian Najdorf: Unusual White 6th moves, 6 Be3 Ng4 and 6 Be3 e5]

 

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 b5 7.f3 [7.a4 b4 8.Nd5 Nxd5 9.exd5 Bb7 10.Bc4 Qc7 11.b3 Nd7 12.Nf3 Nf6 13.a5 g6 14.0–0 Bg7 15.Ra4 Ne4 16.Rxb4 0–0 17.Bb6 Qd7 18.Bd4 Bxd4 19.Qxd4 Nf6 20.Re1 Rfc8 21.h3 Rc5 Popovic,P (2526)-Djukic,Z (2407) Herceg Novi 2001 ½–½ (32)]

 

7…Bb7 [7…e5 8.Nb3 Nc6 9.Qd2 Be7 10.a4 b4 11.Nd5 Rb8 12.a5 0–0 13.Bb6 Qd7 14.Nxe7+ Qxe7 15.0–0–0 Ne8 16.Bc4 Qb7 17.Qe2 Ra8 18.Kb1 Be6 19.Nd2 Nc7 20.Bxe6 fxe6 21.Nc4 d5 22.exd5 Racz,Z (2235)-Farago,S (2234) Hungary 2012 0–1 (31)]

 

8.Bd3N [Black’s piece can’t move: f8]

 

[8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.g4 (9.0–0–0 Rc8 10.g4 Nc5 11.g5 b4 12.Nce2 Nfxe4 13.fxe4 Bxe4 14.Bh3 e5 15.Bxc8 exd4 16.Bxd4 Qxc8 17.Bxc5 Qxc5 18.Rhe1 Be7 19.Nf4 Bf5 20.h4 a5 21.Qg2 Qc8 22.Rxd6 Qb8 23.Qc6+ Kf8 Schein,K (2155)-Rockenschaub,M (2280) Austria 1994 1–0) 9…h6 (9…Ne5 10.Be2 Rc8 11.a4 Nc4 12.Bxc4 bxc4 13.0–0 e6 14.Rfd1 Be7 15.Nde2 0–0 16.Ng3 Nd7 17.f4 Qc7 18.g5 Rfd8 19.h4 Nc5 20.Qe2 d5 21.exd5 exd5 22.Nf5 Bf8 23.Qf2 Ne6 24.Nd4 Mannion,S (2315)-Yewdokimov,O (2345) Gistrup 1990 0–1 (40)) 10.Nf5 g6 11.Nxh6 b4 12.Nd1 d5 13.g5 Bxh6 14.gxf6 Bxe3 15.Nxe3 Nxf6 16.Qxb4 Qc7 17.exd5 Qe5 18.Qxb7 Qxe3+ 19.Be2 0–0 20.Qb3 Qg5 21.c4 Rab8 22.Qc3 Nh5 Laubsch,B (2221)-Borik,O (2415) Germany 2011 1–0 (55); 8.Qd2 e6±]

 

8…Nbd7 [8…e5 9.Nf5²]

 

9.0–0± e6 [Prevents intrusion on d5+f5]

 

10.a3 [10.Qe1 Ne5±]

 

10…Nc5 [10…Be7!?=]

 

11.Be2± Be7 12.b4 Ncd7 13.Bf2 [13.Qd2!?±]

 

13…Qc7= [Black threatens to win material: Qc7xc3]

 

14.Qd2 Rc8 15.Be1 0–0 16.Rc1 [16.a4!? is worth consideration 16…d5 17.Qe3 dxe4 18.axb5 exf3 19.Bxf3 Bxf3 20.Rxf3 (20.Qxf3? Bxb4 21.Nce2 Bxe1 22.Rfxe1 axb5–+) 20…Bxb4 21.Rxa6µ]

 

16…Rfd8³ 17.Nd1? [¹17.a4!? must be considered 17…d5 18.Rb1 bxa4 19.exd5 Nxd5 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 21.Bxa6µ]

 

17…d5µ 18.exd5 Bxd5 19.Bg3 Qb7 20.Ne3 Nb6 21.Nxd5? [¹21.Be5µ]

 

21…Nfxd5–+ [21…Qxd5?! 22.Rfd1µ; Weaker is 21…exd5 22.Nf5 Nh5 23.Be5²; 21…Rxd5?! 22.Qe3µ; 21…Nbxd5?! 22.c4 bxc4 23.Rxc4³]

 

22.c3 Nc4 23.Bxc4 Rxc4 [23…bxc4?! 24.Rcd1³]

 

24.Rc2 [24.Qb2 Bg5 25.f4 Bh6–+]

 

24…h6 [24…Bf6 makes it even easier for Black 25.Nb3 Nxb4 26.cxb4 Rxd2 27.Rxd2–+]

 

25.Rfc1 [25.Qe1 Bg5 26.Bf2 Qc8–+]

 

25…Bf6 [¹25…Bg5 might be the shorter path 26.f4 Bf6–+]

 

26.Be1?? [White falls apart]

 

[26.Qe1 Rxc3! Decoy: c3 27.Bf2 Rxa3 28.Nc6–+]

 

26…Bg5 27.Qf2 [27.Qd1 hoping against hope 27…Qc7 28.Bg3–+]

 

27…Be3

 

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