Banks V Insurance

Match report from the Insurance Chess Club archive

A successful first leg of our attempt to retain the Bronowski Trophy! This season matches are to be played over 16 boards. I managed to get out most of our "big guns", though Julian Ward and Terry Bennett are unavailable this season due to pressure of work. I could easily have fielded 20 players and could not offer a game to James Aldred or Brian Atkinson. If the Civil Service do not give a definite commitment in advance to rejoin the tournament next season I shall push for a resumption of 20-board matches. Despite our strong side the teams were surprisingly evenly matched, though four Banks players failed to arrive and substitutes had to be used - this probably tilted the match in our favour. A couple of their strongest players were also out of the country. Ian Calvert was the first to finish, drawing after 15 moves. He won a pawn, but his opponent had good compensation for it. "Tony's eaten the Fried Liver!" was Michael Wiltshire's comment on the next game to finish (and he wasn't talking about the refreshemtns on offer). Tony Paish sacrificed a pawn, then another for a strong attack and a big lead in development. He won quickly, after 24 moves. "He got into a line known to be risky for white. I knew it, he didn't" was Tony's comment. John Philpott then drew in about 25 moves, followed by Ian Hunnable. Then a flood of results came in after nearly 2½ hours, as the time-control in most games approached. Mark Rich drew in a game in which nothing was exchanged for a long time. Paul Garner was R+N for Q+P down and had both his rooks on the 7th rank, but could not have prevented the passed b-pawn queening and lost. David Sedgwick, playing quickly, outplayed his opponent, created a passed QRP and forced home his advantage in style. Sam Essen, playing his first match for us, lost on time and Paul Barclay, who arrived late, had the worse of it and resigned just before his flag fell. Ian Reynolds won a pawn, obtained a strong position whilst his opponent's king's side remained undeveloped and duly won. This flurry of results left the match all square, but then Richard Tozer won just after the time-control, as did Julian Farrand, and Martin Page drew. Anthony Kent got well on top near the end of his game, was three pawns up and eventually mated his opponent, to take us to 8½ points and give us the match. David Malcolm won soon afterwards. He said he willingly gave up the exchange for a pawn and his opponent then overlooked a combination winning a piece. Although the match result had already been decided Michael Wiltshire and their captain, Mike Jones, fought on to the bitter end. In a fluctuating and exciting Albin Counter Gambit Michael feels he should have lost, but doubled Mike's passed pawns in the time-scramble and managed to draw, so not such a bitter and for him! A good result, but the Commercial League beat a weakened Legal League by the same score, so there's still all to play for! -- Geoff Naldrett

Daniel Lindner