It’s always been a bit of a condundrum for the NLC Chess Team – does one imbibe before and during the match or not? There are two schools of thought. One is that a bit of a livener inhibits passive play and stops you thinking too hard. The other is that it’s best to have all brain cells focused on the opposition.
This Hamilton Russell match has provided us with clear scientific fact*. Mister Dias not only imbibed, he had a pre-match Old Fashioned cocktail and won. Doctor Kirby had a glass of wine and drew. The other four players stayed stone cold sober and lost. What more proof do you need?
*More research on this issue clearly needed.
But let’s remember we were taking on the MCC – the reigning Hamilton Russell Champions. This wasn’t the MCC’s top side, but it was full of strong matchplayers. The NLC played well though. There are times when a 1.5 – 4.5 scoreline reflects what went on but this wasn’t one of them. The MCC were excellent guests and reflected that the match score should have been a lot closer.
Board 1
Doctor Kirby led off as white against Ian Reynolds. It was a hard-fought positional Nimzo-Indian with both sides pressing. Queens were exchanged then a slip by black allowed white’s king into the K-side. Doctor K gained a pawn but couldn’t find the route to victory in time trouble. Giving back the pawn was the solution, but a difficult mental step to find with four minutes left.
Board 2
Mister Whiteley had black in a King’s Indian Defence against Nick Collacott. Black was slightly unprepared for white’s early h3. White earned a nagging advantage which he converted into a winning K-Side attack.
Board 3
Captain Chamberlain had white on Board 3 against MCC Captain Chris Waites. Black attained a strong central position early and kept pressing. Captain Chamberlain had chances to save the game, but couldn’t find them under pressure.
Said the Captain in his post match interview: “I was always a little behind from the start, and although he gave me a sniff of a draw after his unneeded Q swap (he’d have been better to have continued pressure on the e3 pawn) I was soon running short of time and blundered a piece”.
Board 4
Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) had black against Louis Ditz in a Sicilian 2 c3 variation. Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) says this was one of the best games he played. And it was going very well until time trouble struck and our legal star missed (on consecutive moves) a skewer winning queen for rook, and then a win of a rook in the corner. Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) was suggesting he ask Mister Widdicombe for lessons in how to play in time trouble. Not sure that’s wise….
Board 5
Young Master Jacobs had his first defeat of the season against Wil Ransome. It was one of those games which wasn’t going well, then it was, then finally at the end it wasn’t as white lost a couple of pieces and the endgame. Still, commendable fighting spirit from Young Master Jacobs against a good player.
Board 6
Finally, our star of the night Mister Dias managed to win on bottom board against Geoff Dawson. Mister Dias was black in a King’s Indian Defence Samisch variation. It was a tough game, but Mister Dias got on top late on and used some neat tactics to wind up.
And so to dinner. The Dining Room came through again with a Chorizo and Artichoke Salad, Chicken Stew with vegetables and potatoes and Bread and Butter Pudding. It was MCC Captain Chris Waites’s first trip to the NLC and he was suitably impressed. Just so long as he keeps his sons away we don’t mind.