This article could have been written as the Magnificent Seven. But most of them are dead by the end of the film and someone would have to be playing Horst Buchholtz. We’re not doing that. The theme music is great though.
The NLC band approached Pall Mall with some optimism following our 5-1 victory over the Reform in the friendly. The Reform had a stronger side, yes, but the NLC was packing a decent punch too, with Mister Chamberlain making a welcome appearance on Board 2 and new recruit Mister Corrigan on Board 3. Captain Giffin KC MA (Oxon) was having a night off, claiming ‘preparation’ for various court appearances. Evidently winging it isn’t seen as appropriate in our higher courts.
But sometimes everything just goes right. The matches weren’t particularly one-sided in most cases, but the NLC just ground forward and everything turned into a victory. It was 7-0 at the end. Who needs the Captain?
Board 1
Acting skipper Doctor Kirby led off on Board 1 as Black against Richard Saunders (after losing the toss naturally). Until today the Doctor had never actually won a Hamilton Russell match. Many scrounged half points, even a few he should have won, but no actual full points. The Doctor went a pawn up in a Caro-Kann but was subject to mounting K-Side pressure. Eventually the opponent tried a combination thinking it won, but ignored a back capture, then made another blunder next move.
Board 2
Mister Chamberlain made a welcome appearance on Board 2 as White against Benedict Koehler. An English opening ensued where White used doubled pawns on the c-file to anchor his centre and launch a textbook K-Side attack. The pawns rolled, the pieces followed and Mister Chamberlain broke through to record an excellent victory.
Board 3
Board 3 saw the first match for the much-heralded Mister Corrigan, bringing his new-fangled ‘modern chess knowledge’ to the NLC ranks along with a rather natty bow-tie. It seemed a fairly straightforward victory in a Q-pawn opening against Marc Hammerson with Mister Corrigan attacking on the Q-side against a King which had perhaps unwisely castled long. White didn’t have a corresponding attack going so had to sit there and absorb punches, which didn’t work for too long.
Board 4
Young Master Jacobs’s experiments in hypermodern chess continue. Starting with g3 and then a double fianchetto involving 3 c3 and 5 b4, the Young Master didn’t deign to put a pawn into the centre until move 13. Still he must be doing something right as the restrained pieces and pawns sprang into life with energy late on to record a good victory against Carl Troman.
Board 5
Board 5 saw Mister Ioannou as Black against a gentleman by the name of Gordon Hamme.
Sure we’ve heard of him before. Can’t think where. Anyway, the game rested on an opening
decision where the Reform player swapped bishop and knight for rook and pawn. You’d
think the two minor pieces would be ever so slightly stronger and so it proved. Eventually
Mister Ioannou managed to get an attack going and trained his raking bishops on the White
K-side. Actions have consequences and it was another victory for the NLC player.
Board 6
Miss Widger played as White against Dominic Atwell-Harris on Board 6. A complicated and closely fought game, but Miss Widger managed to go a piece up, draw the Black King down the board and then use a nice revealed check to win a rook, and the game. Sharp stuff.
Board 7
Finally, Mister (not yet quite Doctor) Widdicombe played James Yu on bottom board. This was probably one of the easier wins of the night with Mister Widdicombe winning a piece for a pawn early on in the game. After some simplification the opponent then blundered into a King and Rook fork.
Dinner
And so to dinner, and very good it was too. A fish terrine to start followed by sea bass, spinach and roasted vegetables. Mister Ioannou tucked into his vegetarian alternative with enthusiasm and it did look extremely good. Mister Corrigan was appreciating the advantage of Club Chess rather than club chess. Here you get dinner afterwards. Doctor Kirby gave a victory speech quietly in the Reform Dining Room. And the exceedingly generous Benedict Koehler treated us all to a very good bottle of champagne in the bar afterwards. The Reform are a class act.
We came, we saw, we won, we had dinner. Sometimes everything just goes right.
Well done Doctor Kirby! First full HR point! Only taken…err…5 years…
Joking aside – thanks for soaking up all the top board beatings for so long just so the rest of us have a chance!