Gladstone upsets the odds

NLC chess news

A hangover from round 1

There was one game that was postponed from the round 1 match day so didn’t make it into the report. Young Master Jacobs took on Our Good Friend Mister Taylor.

The main event

Round 2 was upon us. After the heavyweight Whiteley-Kirby bout of round 1, round 2 suggested a gentler evening. ‘Twas not to be…

What did Gladstone have in store for his favourite sons?

Board 1

On paper this looked to be the tie of the round. Title contender Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) was up against the promising (but little tested) Young Master Jacobs. Would the experienced silk win out? Or would the young pup blitz out the older man?

In the end experience won out, as Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) developed more quickly and controlled the centre – good classical chess. After some exchanges he drew the black king into the centre ground and ruthless killed him in a cross fire of pins and revealed checks.

Experience wins out.

Board 2

The betting markets had odds on for Doctor Kirby to take the full point, and the game began according to form, with Doctor Kirby’s white pieces developing quickly and efficiently, holding the centre and building up pressure. Black was on the back foot, and a wayward 17…Qe6 allowed the threat of a 19. f5 fork, so a black piece had to be lost. Things got worse as white turned the screw on f7 with a series of rook for queen exchanges that led to a won game for white. All the Doctor had to do was mop up with his queen and knight and it was off to the bar to celebrate the full point.

Then the thunder clap. Had Mister Hamme uncorked a 15 move long-term positional sacrifice? Was Doctor Kirby trying to avoid further engraving costs? Or did Gladstone intervene from on high?

We may never know. In what will surely be one of the great unresolved sporting ‘what ifs’ of the 21st century, Mister Hamme delivered a hammer blow of a bank rank mate to the reigning NLC joint champion and board 1 maestro. It must have hurt.

Chess. Bloody hell.

Who needs a rook, three pawns and a defensible position when there’s a mate in 3?

Board 3

After being on a bye for round 1 this was Mister Widdicombe’s first Gladstone outing. He faced Mister Pitt the Younger. Both players started solidly, and with queens coming off early the players were settling in for a long night of attrition. Luckily for Mister Widdicombe, Mister Pitt the Younger misplaced a knight on move 12 and so allowed black to gather the advantage. After another white bishop bit the dust on move 15 Mister Widdicombe ruthlessly swapped off pieces and the material difference proved too much.

Mister Pitt the Younger is rapidly removing the rust.

Board 4

With Mister Sharland and Our Good Friend Mister Taylor both losing their round 1 games, they were out take grab some points. A cut and thrust game, with queens flying around and kings distinctly airy…Our Good Friend Mister Taylor won out.

Rough and tumble on Board 4

Standings

So after two punishing rounds the standings are looking like this:

  1. Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) – 2 points
  2. Mister Hamme – 1.5 points
  3. Mister Chamberlain – 1.5 points
  4. Mister Widdicombe – 1.5 points
  5. Young Master Jacobs – 1 point
  6. Doctor Kirby – 1 point
  7. Our Good Friend Mister Taylor – 1 point
  8. Mister Whiteley – 0.5 points
  9. Mister Pitt the Younger – 0 points
  10. Mister Sharland – 0 points

Mister Giffin QC MA (Oxon) is steaming into the lead, but has a bye for fourth round. Who will be able to catch him?

Dinner

The Dining Room rose to the occasion, putting on an excellent three course menu for the tired combatants.

Nothing done by halves
The consensus was that the dessert won the day