Date: January 9, 1994

Exeter Chess Teams Bruised by Torquay School

Two war-parties from Torquay Boys Grammar School visited Exeter Chess

Club on Saturday last, and left with a handful of scalps.

 The matches included 12 junior players from the two clubs represented, and indeed Exeter's top board for the Gambit Team, Mark Blackmore, won't be expecting his pension for some years yet. Whoever reckons young people of today have got little attention span would have been impressed with the display of silent diligence over the four hours of play that afternoon.

 In the Moyle Cup a young team from Torquay won by the narrowest of margins after Exeter anchor man Brian Aldwin lost a close battle that was decided by an extra pawn.

 Exeter's new Junior Chess Team had their debut against an older selection of Torquay Boys in the Bloodworth Cup for junior teams, and came away with only a single half-point. Exeter's top board Stefan Butterfield held on with the Black pieces to score a creditable draw, while none of the other players need feel ashamed of what were some hard-fought games.

 Richard Reti commanded, many years ago now, that "A beginner should avoid Queen's Gambit and French Defence and play open games instead!" - that is, those games beginning 1 e4 where Black may reply 1 ... e5. These open games provide an exciting training-ground for acquiring an eye for combinational play. Beginning chessplayers often play obediently 1 e4, e5; 2 Nf3, Nc6; 3 Bc4, Bc5; 4 Nc3, Nf6; 5 d3, d6, which is a line of the Guioco Piano, or from the Ruy Lopez opening 1 e4, e5; 2 Nf3, Nc6; 3 Bb5, a6; 4 Ba4, Nf6; 5 Nc3. Sadly these rather balanced positions with all four knights nicely placed can be rather drawish. In fact, both sides will often settle for playing their queen's pawn just one square forward, and then these positions will lack a lot of the 'open' character of many lines beginning 1 e4 and can be slow and dull.

 There are many alternatives to playing these two lines, but the most important thing that White should know is that in neither line need the e4 pawn be defended by Nc3.

 In the Guioco Piano line White can play 4 c3, planning to roll down the centre after 5 d4. If Black plays 5...exd4; 6 cxd4 gives White the c3 square for his knight in any event. Fine gives the example line 4 c3, Nf6; 5 d4, exd4; 6 cxd4, Bb6; 7 d5, Nb8; 8 e5, Ng8; 9 O-O, Ne7; 10 d6, Ng6; 11 Ng5, O-O; 12 Qh5 and wins. Black must react more quickly with 6...Bb4+ when either 7 Nc3, d5 or 7 Bd2, Bxd2+; 8 Nbxd2, d5 lead to the kind of open combat that Reti had in mind.

 In the Ruy Lopez, after 1 e4, e5; 2 Nf3, Nc6; 3 Bb5, a6; 4 Ba4, Nf6 White can play 5 O-O because Black cannot hold the pawn after 5...Nxe4. Black has a number of ways, though, of slowing the position up, and young players (and older ones who don't tire of the open game) are advised to choose 5 d4 or 5 Qe2 (idea O-O and Rd1) to keep the lines loosened up.

EXETER GAMBITS 11/2-21/2 TORQUAY BOYS

 Mark Blackmore 1/2-1/2 Adam Clarke

 Eric Soper 0-1 Daniel Horsman

 Hunshank Ehtesham 1-0 John Minshall

 Brian Aldwin 0-1 John Pescott-Day

Exeter Juniors 1/2-31/2 Torquay Boys

 Stefan Butterfield 1/2-1/2 Ivan Delft

 Edwin Radway 0-1 S Richards

 Reuben Hind 0-1 J Gaywood

 Robin Goldsworthy 0-1 A Latchem

Back to Exeter Chess Club home page [cool blue cat]
Dr. Dave
Back to Chess Coaching Page

This document (ECC\eccp3.html) was last modified on 13 Aug 2005 by [cool blue cat]

Dr. Dave