Having won our other two matches, we went into our last game with league victory assured, and so we ventured a younger team against Broadclyst Primary School, who for so long have been the core of Devon's junior squad.
When Ethan missed the start and Henry out-tricked himself, it looked as though we were going to struggle for any sort of result. Oliver set up a solid fortress while Redmond went fishing for chances against his opponent's King. After Redmond hooked a mate and Oliver's castle was breached, we went home with just one point.
Ethan finally found the venue, and salvaged some honour by defeating the home side's top board in a friendly game.
Games to follow!
[Event "EJCC vs BCPS"]
[Site "BCPS"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Sparkes, Oliver"]
[Black "Wheatcroft, Ethan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B01"]
{ You played sensibly but got a bit stuck, made some holes and missed a
threat. Both sides made 'counting errors': that often happens, but is
easy to cure. Black played the opening as you should have done, and got
an advantage in space and activity. } 1. e4 { Great move!} 1... d5 {
Unusual, but also a good move.} 2. Nc3 { Good move} ( 2. exd5 { is
probably best} ) 2... Nf6 3. Bb5+ ( 3. exd5 Nxd5 4. Bc4 { is best,
with one idea to follow up being} 4... Nxc3 5. Qf3 ) 3... c6 4. Be2 {
You could have got here in one move: it's as though Black has had an
extra move to play ...c6} 4... e5 { Black is trying to take over the
centre.} 5. f3 ( 5. d3 { is a bit better, as it helps get out your
other Bishop} ) 5... Bb4 6. d3 { Black has the sort of space and
activity that you can expect to get as White!} ( 6. exd5 cxd5 ) 6...
Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 O-O 8. Rb1 { That's a fine move, developing one of your
pieces and stopping Black from developing their Bishop.} 8... Qd6 9. h4
{ You should probably concentrate on getting your pieces out. This makes
some holes.} 9... Nh5 10. g4 Ng3 11. Rh2 dxe4 12. fxe4 Qc5 $1 { A
clever move, forking c3 and g1.} 13. Rb4 $4 { Missing both threats.}
( 13. Rg2 ) ( 13. Nf3 ) ( 13. Rb3 ) 13... Qxg1+ ( 13... Qxc3+ { looks
like a fork of e1 and b4, and I suppose it is, but} 14. Bd2 { saved
it} ) 14. Bf1 Qxh2 15. Qf3 Qxh4 16. Be2 Bxg4 $4 { The Bishop is
defended once but attacked twice - Black didn't count properly.} 17.
Qxg4 $1 Qh1+ 18. Bf1 $4 { Just as before, the Bishop is attacked twice
and defended only once.} 18... Qxf1+ { Game over - Did you think it
was checkmate?} 0-1
[Event "EJCC vs BCPS"]
[Site "BCPS"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Coleman, Henry"]
[Black "Bishop, Ben"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C65"]
{ In a messy position that happened very early on, you out-tricked
yourself. } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 ( 2... Nf6 { That's the Petroff
Defence, and I think you must have remembered this trick:} 3. Nxe5 Nxe4
4. Qe2 Nf6 5. Nc6+ { A clever discovered check.} 5... Qe7 6. Nxe7 )
3. Bb5 { The Ruy Lopez Opening.} 3... Nf6 ( 3... a6 { is OK for
Black:} 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nxe5 { doesn't win a pawn, because of} 5...
Qd4 $1 ( { or } 5... Qg5 ) ) 4. Bxc6 { There is no need to give up
this strong Bishop.} ( 4. d3 ) ( 4. d4 ) 4... dxc6 5. Nxe5 { It's
important to know that the Ruy Lopez doesn't usually win a pawn (see
above). Here there are complications.} 5... Nxe4 { Black is too keen
to get his pawn back} ( 5... Qd4 $1 { is still best} ) 6. Qe2 ( 6.
O-O $1 { is best of all} ) 6... Qd5 7. Nc3 $2 ( 7. Nf3 $1 ) 7... Nxc3
8. Nc4+ $4 { White is determined to play a clever discovered check.}
( 8. dxc3 Qxg2 ) 8... Nxe2 { Oh dear} 9. d3 Nxc1 10. Rxc1 Qxg2 11.
Ke2 Qg4+ 12. Kf1 Qf3 13. Ne5 $4 { Loses both Rooks!} 13... Qxh1+ 14.
Ke2 Qxc1 { I guess you might get a stalemate, but I wouldn't mind if
you resigned here, the rest of the game didn't look like much fun!} 15.
c4 Bd6 16. Nf3 O-O 17. b3 Re8+ 18. Ne5 Rxe5+ 19. Kf3 Qg5 20. d4 Rf5+ 21.
Ke4 Rxf2 22. d5 Qe5+ 23. Kd3 Rf3+ 24. Kd2 Qe3+ 25. Kc2 0-1
[Event "EJCC vs BCPS"]
[Site "BCPS"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Marriott, Craig"]
[Black "Coleman, Redmond"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C20"]
{ Some odd opening development by both sides } 1. e4 e5 2. Bd3 $6 {
That doesn't give the light-squared Bishop a better career, and makes it
awkward for the other Bishop.} 2... Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. O-O Bd6 $6 {
Black is persuaded to make the same mistake!} ( 4... Bc5 $1 ) 5. Nc3
O-O 6. Nb5 a6 ( 6... Bc5 ) 7. Nxd6 { Removes a defender of e5,
although there were two defenders.} 7... cxd6 { Another defender
steps up} 8. Nxe5 $4 { A counting error?} 8... dxe5 9. Qf3 d6 10.
Kh1 ( 10. Bc4 ) 10... Nd4 11. Qg3 Be6 12. h3 Nh5 { No harm in that,
but I think it's best to rush to get your Rooks into play. Or did you
hope to play ...f5?} 13. Qg4 $4 { Missing an attack from Be6} ( 13.
Qe3 ) 13... Nf4 $4 { Also missing it?!} ( 13... Bxg4 ) 14. Bc4 $4
Bxg4 15. g3 $4 { Counter-attacking, but just loses another piece.}
15... Be2 $6 ( 15... Bxh3 $1 ) 16. Re1 Bxc4 ( 16... Qc8 ) 17. gxf4 {
You're winning now, so your plan should change: get all your pieces out
so you can swap off all your opponents pieces/} 17... Ne2 $2 { Sort
of attacking, but actually losing a piece} ( 17... Nxc2 $1 ) 18. d3 Qh4
19. Kg2 $4 { Now Black finishes off nicely.} ( 19. Rxe2 ) 19... Nxf4+
20. Kg1 Nxh3+ 21. Kf1 Qxf2# 1-0