Round three done and dusted.
Four games were played, and the field is beginning to stretch out.
Here’s what happened in each of the games.
Game 1 – Doctor Widdicombe v Mister Jacobs
Doctor Widdicombe got off to a good start, spying a mistake by Mister Jacobs to go a piece up. This was, however, at the cost of a couple of pawns, one of which was jammed on the second rank and an eternal thorn. Once Black had got to other pawns rolling in support the extra piece didn’t matter a jot.
Game 2 – Mister Barnett vs Mister Barton
The Caro-Kann is a tricky defence to meet. And Mister Barton is an aficionado. Some try to play down the mainline. Others choose a well-documented sub-variation. Not Mister Barnett. He creates new chess theory on move 6. The ingenuity and sheer cheek of the 6. Nxh7 deserved at least half a point. But Mister Barton, one feels, is in no mood to give an inch in his pursuit of the Big Cup.
Game 3 – Doctor Saldanha vs Our Good Friend Mister Taylor
A close fought encounter in game 3, won by Doctor Saldanha.
Doctor Saldanha’s own report tells it best: “A very even game in which Black and White stand absolutely toe-to-toe for the majority of the game. White misses the opportunity to trap a knight with 15. f4 and scores another miss at move 46 by electing to swap queens rather than playing 46. Re3. (You were completely right here Mark.) By move 50, the game is dead equal and squarely in draw territory but Black elects to capture the passed pawn, which has been a thorn in his side for far too long. Sadly, that’s a blunder which hands the game to White.”
Game 4 – Mister Sharland vs Mister Dias
Alas, the moves to this game, whilst recorded on the night, were later lost. This particular chess brilliancy is now beyond the reach of man.
But Mister Dias won.
Byes for everyone else, either chosen or enforced.
Standings
So with those games done the table is looking like this is as we head into the all-important round 4:
| Position | Player | Score |
| 1 | Barton | 3 |
| 2 | Saldanha | 2.5 |
| 3= | Barnett | 2 |
| 3= | Dias | 2 |
| 5= | Taylor | 1.5 |
| 5= | Jacobs | 1.5 |
| 5= | Birrane | 1.5 |
| 8= | Sharland | 1 |
| 8= | Singh | 1 |
| 8= | Landless | 1 |
| 8= | Lamentillo | 1 |
| 8= | Widdicombe | 1 |
| 13 | Ross | 0.5 |
Barton v Saldanha is looking tasty. But will the chess gods pit them together in rd 4 or rd 5? Only Caissa knows…