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Exeter Junior Chess Club

Some of these pages are quite old; we have a new site for the

[LINK] Exeter Junior Chess Club



and more recent chess advice is accumulating at

[LINK] Devon Junior Chess Association.

Exeter Juniors 2-3 Torquay Boys' Grammar School

A well-fought match which could have gone either way, with lots of good ideas shown by the players. I think in most games the advantage changed hands a couple of times - exciting stuff!

I've added the PGN file so you can play through the games and variations on your own computer.

[Event "EJCC vs TBGS"] 
[Site "Palm Handheld"] 
[Date "2012.02.24"] 
[Round "1"] 
[White "Trott, Tomas"] 
[Black "Worsley, Elliott"] 
[Result "1-0"] 
[ECO "C11"] 
[PlyCount "45"]
{White's home-made opening was good enough to get into a fair fight, and both 
sides has good ideas.  Black tried to win quickly but it all went horribly 
wrong.} 1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 {You might want a pawn on that square!} (2. d4 d5 3. e5 
(3. exd5 exd5 4. c4 {is what I recommend to attacking players.}) 3... c5 4. c3 
Nc6 5. Nf3 5... Qb6 {is the most common line at club level.}) (2. f4 { 
is the fashionable anti-French variation at the moment}) 2... d5 3. Nf3 (3. d4 
{gets into the main lines}) 3... Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. d4 c5 6. Be3 {White is inven 
ting a system to play against the French over the board, but it's best to go a 
game with a plan in mind.} (6. dxc5 {is the best way to handle this position, 
hoping to control the centre with pieces and not pawns.} 6... Nc6 7. Bf4 Bxc5 
8. Bd3 f6 (8... O-O $4 9. Bxh7+ $1) 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. Qe2 O-O 11. O-O-O { 
is one popular line, where White has a grip on e5}) 6... Nc6 7. Bb5 $6 { 
With central pawns on dark squares, White should hang on to the light-squared 
Bishop.} 7... a6 8. Bxc6 8... bxc6 { 
Black can play ...cxd4 and still be able to attack d4 again with ...c6-c5} 9. 
O-O Be7 10. Qe2 10... cxd4 {Black undermines the White centre.} 11. Nxd4 11... 
Nxe5 {Apparently winning a pawn, but it's not so simple.} 12. f4 $1 12... Nc4 ( 
12... c5 $1 13. fxe5 cxd4 14. Bxd4 $11) 13. Nxc6 $1 13... Qd7 14. Ne5 (14. Nxe7 
$1 14... Nxe3 15. Qxe3 15... Qxe7 {when White has control of the dark squares.} 
) 14... Nxe5 15. fxe5 15... d4 $5 {Looked like a winner!  But...} 16. Rad1 $1 ( 
16. Qf3 $1 {is also an escape, with advantage to White.} 16... Rb8 17. Qxf7+ 
Kd8 18. Qxg7 Re8 19. Rad1) 16... Bc5 17. Ne4 17... Bb6 $2 18. Nd6+ $1 18... Kf8 
19. Rxf7+ Qxf7 20. Nxf7 Kxf7 21. Bxd4 (21. Qf3+) 21... Bxd4+ 22. Rxd4 { 
with a Q for R+B, but more important is that all Black's pieces are still in 
bed.} 22... Re8 $4 23. Qf3+ {Good night, nurse.} 1-0

[Event "EJCC vs TBGS"] 
[Site "Palm Handheld"] 
[Date "2012.02.24"] 
[Round "2"] 
[White "Wray, Jared"] 
[Black "Royle, James"] 
[Result "1-0"] 
[ECO "C55"] 
[PlyCount "44"]
{Black set out with great determination to attack the White King, but couldn't 
find their way.  White's counter-attack through the centre was devastating.} 1. 
e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3 4... h6 $2 { 
Boo, a Dreadful Little Rook's Pawn Move.  Black must keep up with development} 
(4... Nxe4 $1 {must be played if it is possible.  Compare these variations 
with what Black got in the game...} 5. Nxe4 (5. Bxf7+ Kxf7 6. Nxe4 d5 7. Neg5+ 
Kg8) 5... d5 6. Bxd5 Qxd5 7. Nc3 Qa5) 5. O-O {Castling early is normally 
recommended, but these Old Stodge positions can be tricky, as the closed 
centre makes it hard to get defenders across.  If Black hasn't castled 
King's-side, they will be free to charge forwards with their pawns on that 
wing.} 5... d6 $6 {voluntarily caging the Bf8.} (5... Bc5 $1 {with an Old 
Stodge position is pretty dull but equal, while Black's move is worse.}) 6. d4 
Bg4 7. d5 Nd4 8. Qd3 (8. Be2 $1) 8... Nxf3+ 9. gxf3 Bh3 10. Re1 10... Nd7 $6 ( 
10... Nh5 $5) 11. f4 11... Qh4 {Black has got two pieces into the attack, but 
that's as far as they can get without assistance.  And because White owns the 
centre, it's going to be easier for White to defend than it is for Black to 
attack.} 12. Re3 Bg4 13. Rg3 13... exf4 {A nice idea, clearing e5.} (13... 
O-O-O) 14. Bxf4 14... Nc5 $2 { 
A free hit on the Queen, but it doesn't hook up with the other pieces.} (14... 
g5 $1 15. Bd2 15... Bg7 $1 {gets another piece into play.} (15... Ne5 $1 { 
gets another piece into the attack.} 16. Qf1 (16. Qd4 $2 {loses a Rook!} 16... 
Qxg3+ 17. hxg3 17... Nf3+ $1) 16... Nf3+ $1)) (14... Ne5 $5) 15. Qd4 { 
Now White's dominance of the centre keeps him out of most trouble, and Black 
still can't unravel.  Black's next move is a mistake:} 15... Be7 $2 16. e5 $2 { 
leads to an advantage, but} (16. Qxg7 $1 {is winning, as it forks h8 and g4}) 
16... dxe5 (16... O-O-O) 17. Bxe5 {Black is outgunned.} 17... Rg8 18. Bxc7 { 
Going for the smaller prize...} (18. Rxg4 $1) 18... Rc8 19. d6 (19. Rxg4 $1) 
19... Ne6 (19... Be6) 20. d7+ Kf8 21. dxc8=Q+ Nd8 22. Bxd8 (22. Qdxd8+ $1 { 
mates:} 22... Bxd8 23. Bd6+ Ke8 24. Bb5+ Bd7 25. Qxd7#) 22... Bxc8 { 
And Black's remaining struggles were pretty hopeless.} 1-0

[Event "EJCC vs TBGS"] 
[Site "Palm Handheld"] 
[Date "2012.02.24"] 
[Round "3"] 
[White "Nagy, Dan"] 
[Black "Rosser, Jonathan"] 
[Result "0-1"] 
[ECO "C34"] 
[PlyCount "48"]
{Some very wobbly tactical play by both sides early on eventually saw Black 
emerge with an extra Exchange.  The task of swapping off and winning was made 
unexpectedly short.} 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. Bb5 { 
That doesn't look the right square in the King's Gambit Accepted!} (4. d4) (4. 
Nc3) 4... d6 5. Bxc6+ (5. d4) 5... bxc6 6. O-O Nf6 7. d3 (7. e5 $2 { 
Looks the right sort of move, but} 7... dxe5 8. Nxe5 Qd4+ 9. Kh1 9... Qxe5 { 
winning a piece}) 7... Ba6 8. Re1 8... d5 $4 { 
Giving up a pawn and helping Black's attack.} 9. e5 $2 { 
White looks the gift horse in the mouth, and thinks it might need fillings.} ( 
9. exd5+ $1 9... Be7 10. dxc6 O-O 11. Bxf4 {and White is a good pawn ahead.}) 
9... Bc5+ $4 10. Kh1 (10. d4 $1 {With this simple block, White defends and is 
attacking two Black pieces at once, winning one of them.}) 10... Ng4 11. Qd2 $2 
(11. Rf1 $1 {is bad but best!}) 11... Be3 (11... Nf2+ 12. Kg1 12... Ne4+ { 
wins the Queen}) 12. Qe2 (12. Qa5) 12... Nf2+ 13. Kg1 Nxd3+ 14. Kh1 $4 (14. 
Bxe3 {is best, although leads to a losing position.} 14... Nxe1 15. Qxa6 Nxf3+ 
16. gxf3 fxe3 17. Qxc6+ 17... Kf8 {And Black should come out with a win.}) 
14... Nxe1 (14... Nf2+ $1 {picks up the Queen because of ...Ba6xe2}) 15. Qxe1 
Bxc1 16. Qxc1 {White is lucky to be only an Exchange behind.} 16... O-O 17. 
Qxf4 Qe7 18. Nc3 Rab8 19. b3 f6 20. Re1 fxe5 21. Qxe5 Qxe5 22. Nxe5 (22. Rxe5) 
22... Rbe8 {Forcing more exchanges, if nothing else.} 23. Nf3 $4 23... Rxe1+ 
24. Nxe1 Rf1# 0-1

[Event "EJCC vs TBGS"] 
[Site "Palm Handheld"] 
[Date "2012.02.24"] 
[Round "4"] 
[White "Passmore, Munro"] 
[Black "Finch, Taylor"] 
[Result "0-1"] 
[ECO "A00"] 
[PlyCount "68"]
{White's Vulcan Death-Grip on the dark squares, preventing Black from castling, 
looked awesome, but White didn't find a way to take advantage of it.  Black 
hung on, gradually uncurling and picking up a loose piece.} 1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 
3. Nf3 c5 ({I like} 3... Nf6 {here, as more likely to give a standard French 
position that I know how to play!}) 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Be2 {A pawn sacri 
fice, in effect, but if you want to try those you need to have your pieces on 
more active squares than e2.} 6... dxe4 7. O-O Bxc3 8. bxc3 Nf6 (8... Ne7 { 
with hopes of castling}) 9. Ba3 {With the strong dark-squared Bishop and the 
black King trapped in the centre, White has good compensation for the pawn.} 
9... a6 10. Rb1 e5 11. Nb3 Qc7 (11... Qxd1 $5 12. Rfxd1 {and White is fully 
developed, but the danger of a mating attack has been much reduced.}) 12. Qd2 
Bf5 13. Rbd1 Nc6 14. Bd6 Qb6 15. c4 Rd8 ({ 
I kept looking for the right moment to play} 15... e3 $5 {and this might be it: 
} 16. Qxe3 (16. fxe3 Ne4) 16... Qxe3 17. fxe3 17... Bxc2 {with an extra pawn}) 
16. c5 Qa7 17. Na5 (17. Qg5 $1 {forking g7 and f5} 17... Bg6 18. Bxe5 { 
when White has the pawn back and a better position to go with it}) 17... Be6 
18. Qg5 Rg8 19. Bc7 Rxd1 20. Rxd1 20... h6 $2 21. Qd2 $2 (21. Nxc6 $1 21... 
bxc6 22. Qxe5 $1 {with a dominating position}) 21... Nd7 22. Nxc6 22... bxc6 { 
uncovering an attack from a7 to c7} (22... Qxc5 $1 {is a hard move to spot, 
and probably best, but if Black had played it, he might not have won!}) 23. Bc4 
$4 (23. Qa5 $1) 23... Qxc7 {Grabbing the loose piece} 24. Bxe6 24... fxe6 { 
With an unusual pawn formation.  Black just needs to occupy the centre, swap 
off and win.} 25. f3 exf3 26. Qf2 fxg2 (26... Rf8 $1 27. gxf3 27... e4 $1 { 
activates the sleep Black Rook.}) 27. Kxg2 Qa5 (27... Rf8 $1 { 
really, until that Rook is developed, Black isn't winning!}) 28. Rf1 28... Rf8 
$1 {Now there should be no more problems.} 29. Qe2 Rxf1 30. Kxf1 Qb5 31. c4 
Qxc5 32. a4 Qb4 33. Qa2 Nc5 34. Qe2 Qxa4 0-1

[Event "EJCC vs TBGS"] 
[Site "Palm Handheld"] 
[Date "2012.02.24"] 
[Round "5"] 
[White "Trott, Becky"] 
[Black "Cawley, Bradley"] 
[Result "0-1"] 
[ECO "C34"] 
[PlyCount "46"]
{A well-contested game with some important ideas.  Both sides stood better at 
some point or other, but as the game entered its final phase White overlooked 
a big threat.} 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Nf6 (3... g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5) 4. Nc3 
(4. e5 $1 {is the book move.}) 4... Nc6 (4... d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Bc4) 5. d4 d5 
6. e5 (6. exd5 Nxd5 7. Nxd5 Qxd5 8. Bxf4 Bg4 9. Be2 O-O-O) 6... Nh5 7. Bb5 $6 { 
With central pawns on dark squares, White should hang on to the light-squared 
Bishop.} (7. Be2 $1 {sets up a discovered attack against the Knight on h5.}) ( 
7. Bd3) 7... a6 8. Bxc6+ 8... bxc6 {All that has happened since 6...Nh5 is 
that White has given up the important light-squared Bishop.} 9. Ne2 g5 10. g3 ( 
10. h4 {is the usual move to play after ...g5, but here it is no good because 
e5 is not free.} 10... g4 11. Ng5 11... h6 {and White has to go in for} 12. 
Nxf7) 10... fxg3 11. hxg3 11... Bg4 $1 {Making use of the light squares.} 12. 
Bxg5 Be7 (12... Qb8 $5 { 
and White loses a pawn, but gets to finish development first.} 13. Qd3 Qxb2 14. 
O-O {with some compensation for the pawn}) 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Qd3 14... O-O-O $4 
15. Rh4 (15. Qxa6+ $1 {is simple and good.}) 15... Bxf3 16. Qxf3 Ng7 17. Qc3 ( 
17. Qd3 $1 {forks h7 and a6}) (17. Rc1) 17... f6 18. Qxc6 fxe5 19. dxe5 $2 { 
This is very dangerous, bringing the Black Queen into the centre with an 
awkward pin.} (19. Qxa6+ $1 {or}) (19. O-O-O $1 {leaves White on top.}) 19... 
Qxe5 20. Qxa6+ Kd7 21. c4 ({With the Knight covered, the King can flee} 21. 
O-O-O $1) 21... Nf5 22. Rf4 22... Rhe8 $1 { 
Both Kings are stuck in the middle, but the Black Rooks are better placed.} 23. 
Rc1 $4 {White has overlooked something important!  It's easy to get wrapped up 
in your own ideas in chess.} (23. cxd5 {defends e2, when it's still a fight} 
23... Nxg3 $2 {Watching the game, I thought this move just won for Black, but} 
24. Rf7+ $1 {turns the tables} 24... Re7 25. Qe6+ Qxe6 26. dxe6+ Kxe6 27. Rxe7+ 
Kxe7 28. Nxg3 {with an extra piece}) 23... Qxe2# 0-1

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