Haste

Exeter 4-2 Teignmouth 15th March 2014 (W) Paulsen (186) 1-0 (181) Brusey (B) Regis (176) 1-0 (160) Ingham Waters (165) 1-0 (139) Gorodi Frangleton (153) ½-½ (133) Doidge Marjoram (146) 0-1 (123) Tidy Dobber (136) ½-½ (119) Ariss Exeter, away and fielding a stronger team than of late, beat a rather less highly graded team from Teignmouth on Saturday, but the match looked like it was going to be a victory for the home side for most of the afternoon. The normally solid Will Marjoram handed his opponent a Rook early on and found his King chased into a mating net. John Ariss was content to draw with Queen and Pawn against a pair of Rooks when Piet Dobber blockaded pawns on the same colour squares as John's Bishop. Bill Ingham calmly took apart the Black Queen's-side when Dave was thrashing around trying to get some play against the London System, and it looked as though a second win would soon be recorded for Teignmouth. Simon Waters centralised with devastastating effect against veteran John Gorodi and although Andy was angling for an attack against the White King in a Winawer, it fizzled out into an opposite-coloured Bishop endgame, leaving the scores level. With all the other players in time trouble, Bill looked to be cruising to victory, but allowed himself to be swindled, dropping a piece by overworking his Queen. Alan's command of the b-file on top board came to nothing when he lost on time after falling for a late trick. We saw a second swindle on the last board when, in the blitz phase of the endgame, Dave generously donated a whole Rook on f2, but to everyone's astonishment it was found that Black could still Queen a pawn. Poor Bill deserved better luck!