MAY 2, 1994
Peasants revolt in Exeter chess derby.
In a match between two Exeter teams in the Exeter and District League
it was the heavily outgraded Exeter Pawns who came out on top.Eric Soper had a quick win, and with Steve Webb finding some tactical resources to compensate for a weak e-pawn it all looked good for the Pawn's fourth successive win. Another win and a draw brought it home, all before the third hour of play had elapsed.
There was an interesting game on Board Two between Mike Blackmore and the Hon. Sec. Geoff Jenkins. Mike unleashed a secret weapon as Black, and both sides went wrong inside the first five moves! In the end, White secured a massive pawn centre but Black sneaked 'round the side to create a headache for White's King, in the end contriving a draw through repetition of moves through alternating threats.
The line in question has a venerable history. It was associated with the player Blackburne, whose bushy black beard and forceful attacking style earned him the nickname 'Black Death'. He used to win games from casual players for the stake of a shilling, and the line became known as 'Blackburne's Shilling Gambit'.
Play it over and see if you would have fallen for it! We start 1. e4, e5; 2. Nf3, Nc6; 3. Bc4, which is as orthodox as you can wish for. Blackburne (and Mike Blackmore) then whipped out the apparent blunder 3...Nd4. White may continue blithely 4. Nxe4, which is met by the equally naive-looking 4...Qg5. Now 5. Nxf7 is a step too far in the wrong direction - 5...Qxg2; 6. Rf1, Qxe4+ wins the queen after 7. Qe2, for 7. Be2, Nf3 is mate!
In the game, Geoff took the first pawn, 4. Nxe4, Qg5, but smelled a rat and retreated with 5.Ng4. After the game we discovered that this should have lost to 5...d5! The books give as best for White the simple 4. c3, Nxf3; 5. Qxf3 when White has a healthy lead in development and control of the centre. Another line we unearthed after the game was 4. Nxe4, Qg5; 5.Bxf7+, Kd8; 6. O-O, Qxe5; 7. c3, Nc6; 8. d4 with a pawn-roller as compensation for the sacrificed piece. I'm sure White isn't really better here, but it certainly gives Black a problem in defence, which of course the opposite of the original idea of the line. This is rather like the Cochrane Gambit line against the Petroff Defence, recently revived by Vitolins.
Here's a game of his from 1989, which is a model of how to play with pawns.
Vitolins-Meiers. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7 Kxf7 5.d4 g6 6.Nc3 Kg7 7.Be2 d5 8.e5 Ne4 9.Nxe4 dxe4 10.0-0 Nc6 11.Be3 h5 12.f3 exf3 13.Rxf3 Be6 14.c4 Bg4 15.Rf4 Bxe2 16.Qxe2 Kh7 17.d5 Qe8 18.dxc6 Qxe5 19.Qf2 Rd8 20.cxb7 c5 21.Rf7+ Bg7 22.Bxc5 Qg5 23.Bd4 Rhg8 24.Bxg7 Rxg7 25.Rxg7+ Kxg7 26.b8Q 1-0
Exeter and District League - Exeter Pawns vs. Exeter Knights (Pawns named first, white on odds): Shorthose 1-0 Palmer, Blackmore 1/2-1/2 Jenkins, Soper 1-0 , Webb 1/2-1/2 Bazley.
Other recent Exeter results include a draw against Exmouth in the Devon League Division 2 (Mamhead Trophy), and a 5-3 win against Exmouth in the Newman Quickplay League.
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Dr. Dave
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This document (ECC\eccp7.html) was last modified on 13 Aug 2005
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