We're still here
I seem to have become a bit lazy about putting up my games recently and now have a small backlog to clear. I'm not expecting to play again before January, though, so probably I should be able to catch up with myself by then...
Let's start with the adjourned game of my last post. I'd previously written that, two up and two to play, I didn't expect to be offered a draw. Turns out I was wrong: the draw was both offered and accepted. I felt a bit guilty taking it - I probably ought to show more fighting spirit or ruthlessness or something, and at least make Opponent work for his half point. But I felt that a draw was the right outcome, and after all it did clinch the match.
Opponent suggested afterwards that the game was unlikely to make my Best Games anthology. He's right that we both made some rather serious mistakes (34. ... Qh5? 35. Rf1? Nxf3? to reach the time control was particularly unimpressive), but then any collection of my games that excludes the ones with serious mistakes is going to be slim indeed.
In the final position I'd sealed 39. ... Bd6. After that, my analysis kept leading to an ending where White is surely worse - but the computer, at least, always seems able to hold on. This sort of thing: 40. Rxf7+ Rxf7 41. Qxf7+ Kh6 42. Qf2 Qxe4+ 43. Qg2 Qxg2+ 44. Kxg2 d2 45. Kf3 Kg5 46. Rd1 Bb4 47. Ke2:
)
Losable, but probably not lost.
So anyway, this took our first team to three wins out of three in the Hertfordshire first division. Three games is only three games, but we're very happy to keep winning!
Let's start with the adjourned game of my last post. I'd previously written that, two up and two to play, I didn't expect to be offered a draw. Turns out I was wrong: the draw was both offered and accepted. I felt a bit guilty taking it - I probably ought to show more fighting spirit or ruthlessness or something, and at least make Opponent work for his half point. But I felt that a draw was the right outcome, and after all it did clinch the match.
Opponent suggested afterwards that the game was unlikely to make my Best Games anthology. He's right that we both made some rather serious mistakes (34. ... Qh5? 35. Rf1? Nxf3? to reach the time control was particularly unimpressive), but then any collection of my games that excludes the ones with serious mistakes is going to be slim indeed.
In the final position I'd sealed 39. ... Bd6. After that, my analysis kept leading to an ending where White is surely worse - but the computer, at least, always seems able to hold on. This sort of thing: 40. Rxf7+ Rxf7 41. Qxf7+ Kh6 42. Qf2 Qxe4+ 43. Qg2 Qxg2+ 44. Kxg2 d2 45. Kf3 Kg5 46. Rd1 Bb4 47. Ke2:
Losable, but probably not lost.
So anyway, this took our first team to three wins out of three in the Hertfordshire first division. Three games is only three games, but we're very happy to keep winning!
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