Nomads D vs Worksop C

Nomads E Worksop C
Eric McKenna (w) 1 0 H Osborne
Dave Kesteven 0 1 Tim England
Jo Woollard 0.5 0.5 Alan Story
Natasha Withington 0 1 Ross Phillips

Playing the English opening, Eric put his bishop on g2 and quickly went two pawns up then castled king-side.  In the mid-game he won the queen with a knight fork, then pinned his opponent’s rook.  Osborne promptly resigned.

Jo also played the English opening, putting her bishop on g2 and castling king-side.  Eventually, Alan traded his queen for a rook, then immediately won Jo’s queen with a knight fork, but Jo captured his knight, leaving her with a bishop, knight and five pawns against a bishop, rook, and five pawns, a slight disadvantage but not decisive. A draw was soon offered, and accepted.

Dave developed his pieces solidly, avoiding speculative gambits, then swapped down to queen, rook and knight, with a one pawn deficit. After much manoeuvring, the queens were swapped off, but then Tim forced mate.

Natasha went a knight down early on, then lost her queen to a knight fork, and her knight was forced to retreat to h5.  Ross then forced an exchange of the remaining rooks, before pressing home the attack. Faced with multiple strong mating threats Natasha resigned.

 

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