Gladstone Trophy – the opening chapter – National Liberal Club Chess Circle

The 2019 Gladstone Trophy got off to a fine start on Wednesday 01 May. The evening saw three games in the first round of the all-new 5 round swiss system.

Game 1

Captain Chamberlain vs Mister Pitt

The first game of the evening to conclude saw our Captain make short work of the debutant Mister Pitt. A tough start for the new recruit, but a very welcome addition to the Circle nonetheless.

Welcome Mister Pitt (and blame William Ewert Gladstone for the tough first game)

   [Event "Gladstone Trophy 2019"] [Date "01 May 2019"]  [Round "Round 1"]  [White "Captain Chamberlain"]  [Black "Mister Pitt"]  [Result "1-0"]  e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Qd7 4. O-O Nc6 5. Re1 Nb4 6. c3 Nd3 7. Bxd3 Nf6 8.  Bc2 Qb5 9. Ba4 Qxa4 10. Qxa4+ Bd7 11. Qb3 Bc6 12. Ng5 Ng4 13. Qxf7+ Kd8 14.  Ne6+ Kc8 15. Qxc7# 1-0

Game 2

The second game saw another NLC Chess Circle debutant Mister Sharland taking on the old hand Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon). The QC won the trial.

Mister Sharland has the makings of a decent player, but tonight was not to be his

 [Event "Gladstone Trophy 2019"] [Date "01 May 2019"]  [Round "Round 1"]  [White "Mister Sharland"]  [Black "Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon)"]  [Result "0-1"] 1. c3 g6 2. Qc2 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Na3 Nf6 5. h3 O-O 6. g4 Nc6 7. Nf3 Re8 8. Nh4 e5 9. Qd3 e4 10. Qc4 Be6 11. Qa4 Nd7 12. Qc2 Qxh4 13. e3 Bxg4 14. Rg1 Bf3 15. Bg2 Bxg2 16. Rxg2 Qxh3 17. Rg3 Qh1+ 18. Ke2 a6 19. Nc4 h5 20. a4 h4 21. Rg4 Qf3+ 22. Kf1 Qxg4 23. b3 h3 24. Qe2 Qg2+ 25. Ke1 h2 26. Bb2 h1=Q+ 27. Kd2 Qhh2 b4 Re6 29. d5 Rf6 30. Rf1 Rxf2 31. Rxf2 Qxf2 32. Qxf2 Qxf2+ 33. Kc1 Qe1+ Kc2 Qe2+ 35. Kb3 Nce5 36. Na5 c5 37. Nxb7 cxb4 38. cxb4 Nd3 39. Ba3 Rc8 40. a5 Qc2# 0-1

Game 3

Young Master Jacobs made the questionable choice to prioritise his university examinations over his chance of chess glory. That sort of behaviour never got anyone anywhere. He proposed a postponed game with Our Good Friend Mister Taylor. They are due to play in mid-May so their game result will be listed in the round 2 report.

Game 4

The Grand Old Man was in no mood to give the favourites an easy start, and had paired the NLC’s two top boards in the first round. A close game, but the Doctor shaded it.

Fischer v Spassky, Kasparov v Karpov, and now Whiteley v Kirby

 [Event "Gladstone Trophy 2019"] [Date "01 May 2019"]  [Round "Round 1"]  [White "Mister Whiteley"]  [Black "Doctor Kirby"]  [Result "0-1"]     e4 {Notes by the Doctor: e4 threw me out of my limited prep. Was expecting Nf3 for a King’s Indian Attack. We get there through another route} c6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 e5 4. Ngf3 Bd6 5. g3 Nf6 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Re8 8. b3  Bg4 9. h3 Bxf3 {  9...Book until here. Bh5 is preferred } 10. Qxf3 Na6 {  10...Bb4 probably stronger to inconvenience the bishop. I was developing the last minor piece } 11. a3 {  11 Qe2 stronger } Nc7 {  11...maybe Bc5, but I was manoeuvring and waiting to see what Mr Whiteley had in mind. Thought at that stage the knight was going to e6. } 12. Bb2 d4 13. c4 {  13 c4 isn’t good as it gives me a target on d4 and allows the knight to move with gain of tempo. } dxc3 14. Bxc3 Nb5 15.  Bb2 Bc5 16. Nc4 {  16 maybe a4 }Bd4 17. Rac1 {  17 Rac1 loses a pawn } Bxb2 18. Nxb2 Nxa3 19. Qe3 Nb5 20. f4 Qd4 {  20...Qd4 to short circuit any attack. }21. Nc4  exf4 {  21 ...Qxe3 or Nh5 slightly stronger } 22. gxf4 Rad8 23. Qxd4 Rxd4 24. Rfd1 {  24 Rf3 stronger. }Red8 {  24...Nh5 better, spent most of my time looking at this. Should have played it as knight gets into white position }25. e5 Nh5 {  25...Nd5 slightly stronger }26. Na5 {  26 Na5 is good attempt to complicate position and get bishop involved. Could have been played a move earlier. }Rxd3 27. Rxd3  Rxd3 28. Nxb7 Nxf4 {28…maybe Nd4} 29. Rxc6 g6 30. Nc5 {  30 Nc5? Rf6 would be better. White is still a pawn down but has counter-chances.  }Rd1+ {  30....Rg3 better } 31. Kh2 {  31 Kf2 far better. Kh2 is losing error. } Rd2   {31...Rd2+ wins piece and game} {0-1]

Mister Hamme took a bye which left Mister Widdicombe as non-playing participant on the night.

Chess always brought a smile to his face

The charge for the Trophy is well and truly on.