Nomads I	2-4	Rotherham Juniors
Jonathan Nelson	½-½	Peter Shaw
Chris Shephard	½-½	Paul Blackman
Jeremy Hamm	0-1	Tom Whitaker
Aref Vasli	0-1	Nipruna Senaratne
Andy George	1-0	Alan Coupe
Stuart Crosthwaite	0-1	Ashley Littlewood

We all (or almost all) played badly at the same time, and put in a wretched performance to achieve a disastrous result.  We were forced to field a depleted side with three of our best players missing because of Rotherham Juniors' inconvenient Friday club night, but we still turned out a team that comfortably outgraded the opposition, so the way we played was very disappointing.

 Andy had nobly agreed to play despite another commitment, and sacrificed a pawn early on for active play.  The last time I looked at his position his initiative appeared to have ebbed away, but soon afterwards he reported a win - he had managed to gain B+N for R+P and his opponent lost on time with a move still to make.  Jon had diligently studied some of his opponents games on the internet, and prepared a pawn sacrifice line in the Kings Indian which gave him active play.  Within a few moves he regained the sacrificed pawn, and agreed a well earned draw soon after.  We seemed to be off to a good start with 1½/2 with the black pieces, but our luck didn't last.  Jeremy was also black, and early in the game allowed his queen side pawn structure to be weakened.  Unfortunately he failed to find any compensating counterplay. and with a steady exchange of pieces he soon reached a bad bishop v good knight ending which his opponent played in exemplary fashion.  My opponent surprised me with an early central pawn exchange against my English/Reti opening.  Faced with an unfamiliar pawn structure, I couldn't think how to play the position despite some lengthy thought, so I unwisely shuffled pieces, and soon my opponent had built up a formidable attacking position.  After surviving the first time control I played more actively, infiltrated with my queen and he finally had to allow perpetual check. 

The score was now 2-2, but with board count in our opponents favour so that Stuart's result on board 6 was of no relevance unless he could win.  Time pressure was the decisive factor when both our players got a long way behind on the clock.  Stuart got a good attacking position from the opening, but couldn't find a knockout blow, and was down to his last three minutes when he declined a draw.  His position first deteriorated but then improved considerably before a hasty move blundered away his queen and the game.  Aref was two pawns down in a heavy piece ending, but managed to establish a supported passed pawn on e6.  Queens were exchanged, and in the subsequent double rook ending he started to play well and won his pawns back.  He was on the verge of victory, his opponent had caught him up on the clock, and he only needed to march his advanced pawn forward.  Unfortunately though, continuing to play instantly he captured an irrelevant pawn giving his opponent time to activate his second rook and a move or two later he overlooked a mate in one.

Chris

Nomads I	4½-1½	Barnsley
Kieran O'Driscoll (b)	½-½	Andy Butterworth
Jonathan Nelson	1-0	Tony Pogson
Paul Cumbers	1-0	Ken Hunter
Chris Shephard	1-0	David Greensmith
Aref Vasli	1-0	R Atkinson
Mursal Mohammed	0-1	Neil Todd

We took a formidable team to Barnsley, anticipating their best team would give us a hard fight, so it was something of a disappointment when I saw that three of their best players were missing from the teamsheet. 

I made such heavy weather of my game that I didn't see much of the other games.  Kieran faced Andy Butterworth for the third time this season, and as black facing white's 3.Bb5 against the Sicilian seemed in the early stages to have good prospects.  However, I'm told he lost two pawns in time trouble, and was in the end fortunate to draw.  Jon gained another of his smooth wins as white with the English opening here.   Paul was making a most welcome guest appearance for us - his first since forsaking Sheffield for Lincoln at the end of last season, and also appeared to achieve a smooth win, playing the French Defence, and winning a pawn at quite an early stage of the game.  I achieved an overwhelming position by about move 20, but then mishandled the attack and reached a superior ending which I also mishandled.  My opponent missed a drawing opportunity and I finally won on move 60.  Aref  as black reached a very interesting looking position from a standard two knights defence variation when suddenly his opponent, concentrating on his own attack, overlooked an obvious mate in one.  Mursal is currently suffering from time trouble addiction which proved to be his downfall.  He achieved a promising opening, and evidently was doing well because he was a piece up when he lost on time. 

All in all, a good match for us.  In the semi-final we'll play the winner of SASCA and Rotherham Juniors.  Chesterfield and Woodseats or Stannington will fight it out in the other half of the draw. 

Chris

Nomads I	4½-1½	Ecclesall I
Jonathan Nelson (b)	0-1	David Adams
Chris Shephard	½-½	Peter Hempson
Jeremy Hamm	1-0	Gordon Stables
Aref Vasli	1-0	Ken McIntosh
Stuart Crosthwaite	1-0	Patrick Gower
Masrura Khakimova	1-0	Ken Norbury

Nomads I	5½-½	Aughton
Kieran O'Driscoll (w)	1-0	Peter Swanson
Jonathan Nelson	1-0	David Glossop
Chris Shephard	1-0	Jim Barker
Mohammad Said	1-0	Barry Williams
Jeremy Hamm	½-½	Patrick Connolly
Masrura Khakimova	1-0	Peter Higgins