The final round was upon us. Nerves were taut. Hopes were high. Gladstone looked on.
Much was to be settled this night. Six of the ten players were still in the running and the various combinations of results was just too confusing to even pick a favourite. Captain Chamberlain and Mister Widdicombe led the field with 3/5 each, but if both failed to secure the full point the chasing pack could still clinch it.
It was a topsy turvy evening, with Gladstone toying with the players through the course of the games. Great drama unfolded on the top boards as we will see, but that didn’t mean Gladstone wasn’t watching the lower boards.
So we start with a landmark on the lower board – Mister Pitt the Younger’s first Gladstone victory. Regular readers of this organ will have been tracking Mister Pitt the Younger’s strengthening game over each round so it is no surprise that he’s taken his first scalp. And with the black pieces. Well done sir, the first of many I’m sure. Sadly, it was at the expense of Mister Sharland, leaving him with only the 0.5 from the bye, but hopefully also a renewed enthusiasm for NLC chess.
This was the first entry to Club chess for both players and both make sterling additions to the Circle.
So on to the contenders. Doctor Hamme was out of the running with only 1.5 going into the final round, but Mister Whiteley had an outside chance. He played a tough game against Doctor Hamme and things were looking close, but he calculated the end game well and saw that the e pawn was a winner. Being the first to wrap up his game his hand was at this point on the trophy. Would the other results go his way?
All eyes on Mister Widdicombe and Young Master Jacobs. Mister Widdicombe was optimistic having bettered Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) in round 3 and wrenched a draw out of Captain Chamberlain in with black in round 4. Could he see it home?
Young Master Jacobs began with an unorthodox Caro-Kann that had Mister Widdicombe playing carefully so as not to slip up. Black’s queen was the constant target of attack and Mister Widdicombe was able to develop quickly and well into the early middle game. He pushed on and bagged a few pawns, and a commanding position. But Young Master Jacobs is made of strong stuff, and kept scheming to get back in the game. He forced a trade of the white queen for a rook, knight and pawn which levelled things up a bit, but Mister Widdicombe was still on top. Mister Widdicombe’s arch nemesis time trouble began to drip in to the game, and with white’s pawn on d7 all it would have taken is for Mister Widdicombe to find 35.Re1 and the game was won. Alas, it was not what Gladstone wanted, and he lost his way, and with it, the game. One false move, and it had all evaporated.
The heat was on Captain Chamberlain. Win, and the Trophy was his. Lose, and Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) may yet hold the prize aloft. Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) came out of the blocks hard, and was clearly better for much of the game. If white had seen his way through to 27. f5 f6 28. fxg hxg 29. gxf e5 30. f7 then Mister Fritz thinks the game is over. Even after 42. gxh6+ allowing 42…Kxf6 white was still in the lead, but Gladstone has the final say and had a different fate in mind for Captain Chamberlain.
So the Captain is the Champion. Nerves shot, surprised and elated, Captain Chamberlain rose from his chair in victory. The National Liberal Club Champion, 2019. Gladstone’s favourite son.
The final standings (with tiebreaks to split same scores):
- Captain Chamberlain – 4
- Young Master Jacobs – 3.5
- Mister Whiteley – 3.5
- Doctor Kirby – 3.5
- Mister Widdicombe – 3
- Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) – 3.5
- Mister Pitt the Younger – 1.5
- Doctor Hamme – 1.5
- Our Good Friend Mister Taylor – 1.5
- Mister Sharland – 0.5
The celebratory dinner was well deserved by all. Following a gracious acceptance speech from the new champ all agreed that the Gladstone 2019 had been a success, in most part due to the excellent dinners and company surrounding the games.
And Captain Chamberlain, as ever a generous Captain, supplied a bottle of port for his vanquished rivals. That’s the sort of captaincy we like.
And so, now, on to the Hamilton Russell season. The team are battle hardened and keen to get stuck into the finest Pall Mall has to offer.
Well done Chaps! Excellent stuff.