Final Round

 

1 Wall (5 1/2) 1 - 0 Phillips (4 1/2)
2 Dilleigh (4) 0 - 1 Baker (5)
3 Thompson (4 1/2) 1/2 1/2 Cole (4)
4 Beaumont (3 1/2) 1 - 0 Humphries (3 1/2)
5 Lesniowski (3 1/2) 0 - 1 Rudd (3 1/2)
6 Haydon (3) 1 - 0 Sharp (3 1/2)
Wall's win against Rudd put him in the driving seat, playing white in the last round, but knowing that Baker would be seeking to make amends for his slip and trying hard to win and possibly share 1st place. A win would give Phillips himself the chance of a shared 1st place, so Wall still had everything to play for and needed a win to be sure.

 

White: G. Wall
Black: R. Phillips

1. d4 Nf6

2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 0-0 5. Bg5 d6 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Be2 e5 8. Qc2 Re8 9. 0-0 c6 10. Rfd1 Qc7 11. b4 h6 12. Bh4 Nh7 13. c5 dxc5 14. dxc5 Ndf8 15. Bg3 f5 16. Rd6

  White comes to dominate the d file to winning effect.

 

16. ....Qf7 17. h3 f4 18. Bh2 Be6 19. Rad1 Bc4 20. Nd2 Bxe2 21. Nxe2 g5 22. a4 Ne6 23. Ne4 Re7 24. b5 Rc8 25. bxc6 Rxc6 26. N2c3 Rec7 27. Nb5 The c7 rook is stuck for a move; Re7 would seem a better alternative as the text loses the exchange. 27......Bf8 28. Nxc7 Rxc7

  [28...Bxd6 29.Rxd6 Rxc7]

 

29. R6d3 Nxc5 30. Nxc5 Bxc5 31. Qb3 Nf8 32. Qxf7+ Kxf7 33. Kf1 Ke6 34. Rc1 b6 35. e4 Nd7 36. f3 Rb7 37. Bg1 Bxg1 38. Kxg1 Nc5 39. Rd5 Nxa4 40. Rc6+ Kf7

41. Rxh6

  [41.Rxe5 Kg7 42.Ree6 Rf7 43.Rg6+ Kf8 44.Rc8+ Ke7 45.Rc7+ Ke8 46.Rg8+ Rf8 47.Rxf8+ Kxf8 48.Rxa7 b5 49.Kf1 Nc3 50.Ra3 b4 51]

41. ....Re7 42. Rh7+ Kf6 43. Rxe7 Kxe7 44. Rxe5+ Kf6 45. Rf5+ Resigns

  Meanwhile, Baker needed to press on in case of any slip by Wall ahead of him

 

White: S. Dilleigh.
Black: C. W. Baker
Nimzo-Indian

1. d4 Nf6

2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 Nc6 5. Nge2 d5 6. a3 Bf8 A retreat of unusual totality - which is repeated later in the game.

7. cxd5 exd5 8. Nf4 Ne7 9. Be2 c6 10. b4 a6 11. Bd2 Nf5 12. 0-0 Bd6 13. Nd3 0-0 14. a4 Re8 15. Rb1 Ne4 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Ne1 Re6

  Black builds up a King-side attack, where the advanced pawn cramps white's position.

18. g3 Rh6 19. Ng2 Ne7 20. f4 Bh3

21. Rf2 The rook is hopelessly blocked on f2 and becomes trapped. 21...Nd5 22. Qb3 b5 23. a5 Qd7 24. Qd1 Nf6 25. Bc3 Re8 26. Qd2 Bf8 27. Ne1 Qd5 28. Ng2 Bg4 29. Bf1 Bf3 30. Ne1 Ng4 31. h3 Nxf2 32. Qxf2 g5 33. g4 gxf4 34. exf4 Bg7 35. Qe3 Rd8 36. Nc2 Rhd6 37. Kf2 h5 38. g5 f6 39. h4 Qf5 40. Ne1 fxg5 41. hxg5 Rf8

 

-------------------
|-+-+-rk+|
|+-+-+-b-|
|p+pr-+-+|
|Pp+-+qPp|
|-P-PpP-+|
|+-B-Qb+-|
|-+-+-K-+|
|+R+-NB+-|
-------------------

  Final position.

  The time control is reached and white takes stock before resigning. Black's queen and h-pawn are ready to invade the king's position where the bishop is already entrenched.

  Having started the final round in joint 3rd (4 1/2) Thompson settled for an early draw in the hope that this would guarantee clear 3rd place, which subsequently it did.

  Thus Wall took the money, Baker the WECU trophy and Thompson the British Championship entry.

  Cole, Rudd and Beaumont finished 4th= on 4 1/2

 

Back to West of England Chess Union home page, or the Exeter Chess Home Page [cool blue cat]
Dr. Dave