Sheffield Woodseats Chess Club

Screaming start to the not so new season by the C Team on Halloween, turning around an early scare into a confident victory.  So many things seeemd to go well.  Srini played fast, Chern played slow, Jim and George played and Gleb didn't play at all.  Does it get better?

It was said alot last season (by me) that I deserved more credit for our success.  This campaign I intend to get all the credit due me.  Not only did I win the toss (100% this year) but my decision to play Black on odds had them frozen like rabbits in the headlights of a particularly bright digital clock.  Further more it was pointed out to me (by me) that we won all 3 games with the Black pieces.  Am I Napoleon or what!?

As is so often the case it was a bumpy road.  Dave seemed more concerned with dreaming about his weekend in a 5 star hotel than concentrating on the game.  He was drawn into uncharacteristic aggression and even sitting next to him I could feel the draft from the open channels infront of his king. More of a wind tunnel actually and Mr Reliable was being blown to defeat. 

On my right Chern, as usual had handled the opening quickly and accurately.  My glances at his game suggested he was the more comfortable without having a winning advantage.  Norman's pieces we well placed to protect the isolated d pawn and even Chern's rook battery could not penetrate.  So it proved, and Chern accepted a chanceless draw offer.

I have decided not to view Srini's games during play.  They are normally too confusing and the clock too upsetting. 

But all the same I took a couple of peeps.

It was confusing and upsetting.  

Confusing not least because Srini was not TOO far behind on the clock.  More confusing because it appeared he had castled behind a wall of WHITE pawns.  To be honest it didn't look good.  Actually it was worse than that it looked rather bad.  It was a bit like the Psycho film where she gets stabbed behind the shower curtain.  You can't see exactly what is going on and which thrust will be the lethal one, but all that has to happen is to keep the knife working and the end is very near.

I was defending too.  Not quite such a desparate situation.  But not much fun.  And, with Srini set to lose, some way from the win required if we were to have any chance of maximum points.  Thankfully boards 5 and 6 looked more promising.  George was a piece up and Jim was conducting exchanges which I assumed would be to his benefit.

It was around this time that the treats turned to tricks for our visitors.  My opponent, striving to find a way through the ugly mass of material around my king became bewitched and simply lost on time.  George lost a piece but was still winning in a 2 R + P's ending and Jim had reached a Knight endgame a pawn ahead.  Srini had somehow defelcted whites attack, showered, changed, got ahead on the clock (!!!) and was bossing his way to an unlikley but typical win.  Jim played out his ending rather masterfully, Srini had enough material to lose the exchange but squash his opponent with connected passed pawns.  George completed the turnaround pushing home a similar advantage and we had won 4.5 - 1.5.

All in all the most promising of starts.  Performance of the night must be Srini.  Truely a caged tiger.  Where so many of us drop our game when we are down Srini gets nasty and results follow.

We travel to Darnall on Thursday for what on paper may be an easier match but we must take a leaf from Srini's book and fight to the end. 

2011/12 Fixtures:

Oct

31 Ecclesall B Home

Nov

3 DARNALL AND HANDSWORTH AWAY

10 Barnsley B Away

21 SASCA B Home

Jan

16 Chesterfield B Home

23 University Home

Feb

1 Ecclesall B Away

6 Barnsley B Home

16 University Away

Mar

5 Stanington B Home

12 Chesterfield B Away

20 Phoenix B Away

26 SASCA B Away

April

16 Darnall and Handsworth Home

23 Phoenix B Home

30 Stannington B Away