ECB 2.5 ECA 3.5

In the second head-to-head match of the season the result could have gone either way as the top two games were decided at the death. In the end the A team won narrowly but the B team put up a sterling fight.

1. Phil 1-0 Paul

I decided to attempt to destroy Paul's Modern Defence with the "150 attack". This involved Be3, Qd2, castling Queenside and a quick pawn storm on the Kingside. However Paul was careful not to commit his King too soon and after some cagey manoeuvring got a good position. I struggled to find a plan but eventually won a pawn and then when things opened up on the Kingside managed to bamboozle Paul in the time scramble with some weird tactics. It looks like Paul would have achieved a winning position if he had taken a different route.

2. Dave N 0-1 Nick

Dave quickly assumed the initiative on the Black side of a Benoni and eventually won an exchange. However Dave used up a lot of time finding the best plan and a time scramble ensued. When Nick had about 15 seconds left on his clock and Dave about 60 it looked like a certain win for Dave but Nick found some great attacking moves and Dave lost on time trying to find a defence.

3. Tudor 0-1 Alan

Tudor struggled to create an attack against the stodgy Czech Benoni and eventually blundered in a complicated endgame.

4. Dave B 0.5-0.5 David T

Dave B took a poisoned pawn and ended up down a Bishop for two Pawns. However his connected passed pawns seemed to be enough to prevent David making any progress.

5. Keven 1-0 Roger

Keven kept on winning Queenside pawns and smoothly rolled home for the first win of the night.


6. Bill 1-0 Myles

Myles got a good lead in development out of the opening but let Bill back into it. I didn't see how this one ended but gather that it was a close game.

A hard-fought and enjoyable match.