Wednesday 30th April

Rotherham Juniors B (H)

Deputy Vice Captain's View

To follow.

Wednesday 23rd April

Chesterfield B (H)

Wednesday 9th April

Woodseats B (H)

Wednesday 2nd April

Ecclesall C (H)

Wednesday 12th March

Barnsley B (H)

Vice Captain's View

We'd been badly beaten by Barnsley B earlier in the season so Captain Kev put together an elite fighting unit seeking revenge. The plan for ruthless extermination never really get off the ground as Ray took a tame early draw. Graham similarly meandered along inoffensively. Ian had a good position but let it slip badly and lost. I got an even better position and somehow contrived to throw that away. Kev led by example saccing a knight for two pawns to expose his opponent's king and won on time in an overwhelming position. Phil also entered into the intended spirit of things by sacrificing a rook to win a queen. 3-3.

Wednesday 5th March

Aughton B (A)

Friday?! 29th February

Rotherham Juniors B (A)

Vice Captain's View

Kev was three pawns down and totally lost against a strong opponent, and we all know what happens in this situation. Ray's opponent was off in a corner gathering Rook for Bishop leaving himself open to a mating attack. Simon built up a strong attack but missed a crushing pawn move - later pointed out by Paul Blackman - while calculating variations and eventually had to settle for an enjoyable draw. I played my part in promoting junior chess by encouraging a local youngster, and captain for the day, who did well to take advantage of my mistakes and hallucinations. Eric's verdict was that his opponent backed himself into a corner and was mated, and Robert won the exchange against his young opponent who then fought back but eventually succumbed to knight fork. 4½-1½. A comfortable win.

Paul B

Wednesday 6th February

Ecclesall C (A)

Vice Captain's View

Over the course of the evening Eric steadily acquired enough pawns for a comfortable win. My opponent worked himself into a good position, my knights kept visiting b6 and d7 as there didn't seem to be much else to do, ten of the first 21 moves were knight moves and four of these were Nd7, fortunately, after my one good move of the game, he overpressed near the time control and dropped a couple of pieces. On recent evidence it might be fair to say that endings are perhaps not Simon's strong point. He'd worked himself a huge advantage with a protected passed pawn on the sixth rank but his opponent steadily turned the tide till Simon comfortably lost on time. Azmiddin also lost and understandably didn't seem to want to go into details. Under the guidance of the A Team Sicilian guru Jeremy, Ian has recently swapped systems as White. Tonight he played a really excellent game, castling on opposite sides, erecting an impenetrable barricade on his queenside and cracking open the kingside. C Team game of the season so far. Captain Kev was a not very important pawn down with a big advantage in time but took a draw to secure us a win in the match 3½-2½.

Wednesday 30th January

Darnall & Handsworth (H)

Vice Captain's View

Kev planted a Black knight on e3 won the exchange very early on and...lost the game convincingly. You can see Ray's win here. I took the radical measure of adopting a plan which helped me win my game albeit with a tactic that had been sitting there unnoticed by both sides for a couple of moves near the time control. Les had an overwhelming advantage and duly converted. Bill seemed to be short of a rook with not enough of a kingside attack to show for it. Robert's result was a surprise as he had tied his opponent down. 3-3.

Paul B

Monday 21st January

Chesterfield B (A)

Vice Captain's View

Kev was six pawns to two down in a Rook and Bishop ending with no apparent compensation. A couple of loose moves and Kev hoovered up, leaving himself with a choice of which pawn to queen. A bewildered Chesterfield team spent a long time in post mortem analysis, apparently under the mistaken impression that something out of the ordinary had occurred. Ian didn't give his opponent a moment's peace and broke through for a convincing win. Ray hung on to an Albin Counter Gambit pawn and used it to good effect in the ending. Simon had a strong attack against a King's Gambit but unfortunately overlooked a win on his way to a loss. I had a textbook Minority Attack set up for which these links: what it is, how to do it 1, how to do it 2 may be useful in future - and there's chapter in Michael Stean's Simple Chess which might repay close attention. I only briefly caught a glimpse of Eric's game but it seemed pretty even throughout. A good win.

Paul B

Wednesday 9th January

Worksop B (A)

Vice Captain's View

Loitering scruffily near the foot of the table we made the trip to a smart top of the table Worksop outfit expecting a clip round the ear and to be sent on our way. Ian made a succession of mediocre moves and admitted he could have resigned after move 12. With pawns en prise on both sides Azmiddin played very nicely near the time control securing his own position and picking off a pawn in the meantime. He carried this advantage into the endgame and played very calmly to pick up the rest of his opponent's pawns with both teams looking in on this the decisive game. Ray somehow held together a very loose and exposed position for a half point. Simon's death or glory antics ended in mutual annihilation and a dead position. My opponent hung a pawn in the first five moves. I gave it back in the middlegame which triggered an overambitious attack during which I picked up a pawn then the exchange and soon after the game. 4-2. We'd picked their pockets. Kev's game report to follow.

Paul B

Monday 17th December

Woodseats B (A)

Vice Captain's View

Kev's opponent stopped him castling, perhaps mistakenly viewing this as some kind of triumph, but a strong queenside attack left Kev's Rook pinned to his Queen, he played on for a few moves but the result was not in doubt. Ian's opponent played a strong strategic game, again taking aim at a queenside target and forcing a mistake near the time control. Simon won a pawn but couldn't disentangle himself as his opponent hit back actively with pins and threats. Simon was forced to give the pawn back and after a flurry of exchanges the position was dead drawn. My opponent played very quickly, using around 15 minutes for 25 moves, and lost a pawn and then a rook to simple tactics. Eric tied his opponent in knots after advancing a pawn to h2 and won nicely. Robert won a rook, then lost it, but picked up enough pawns in the meantime to win the ending fairly comfortably. A good performance - on the lower boards.

Paul B

Wednesday 5th December

Aughton B (H)

Thursday 22nd November

Barnsley B (A)

Vice Captain's View

Haidar worked hard all night to secure an advantage but then threw it away by placing a Bishop en prise in a won ending. Ian mentioned something about good Knights and Bad Bishops. We had no idea what he was talking about. He's obviously spent far too long in the B Team. See if you can figure out what he meant here. Captain Kev won in customary style by losing material and getting into a poor position. I lost by getting into a great position and using too much time looking for a forced win - Crafty cheerfully pointed it out later. This left me no time to figure out how to mount a rescue operation for my Queen - my opponent cheerfully pointed it out later. Simon was a pawn up in the ending and then a Queen and Rook down, but drew! The first I saw of Les's game his two Rooks were forked by his opponent's Bishop. It didn't get any better from there. 2½-3½. C Team chess at its finest.

Paul B

Hallowe'en

Darnall & Handsworth (A)

Vice Captain's View

In the style of James Bond Ian confidently walked into a trap but then in the style of Frank Spencer he couldn't find his way out. Kev was in so much trouble that he took the desperate and dramatic measure of castling. Over the course of the evening his position slowly worsened till eventually he won. Simon managed to hang on against a tricky opponent who'd ruined his pawn structure looking for an elusive win. Having been on the back foot most of the game Simon was happy to agree a draw. My opponent blundered a pawn very early on and resigned in disgust on move 11(!). Les's pawns won a footrace against Brian's and although Robert managed to hang on to his Queen he did lose the exchange and with it eventually the game.

Paul B

Wednesday 17th October

Worksop B (H)

Vice Captain's View

Ian overlooked a very simple pawn fork, Kev had the wrong coloured Bishop for his attack and his opponent launched a strong counter. I played my worst game in Nomads colours and my opponent played well to take full advantage with Bill and Eric also losing we were grateful to Azmiddin for holding things together with a steady game and well earned point.

Paul B

06/07 matches are in the archives