It’s been a while since we had one of David’s games featured as Game of the Week so it is a pleasure to redress the balance with this fine victory in the knockout semi-final. Let’s hear what David has to say about his win:
‘My 13.Be2 and 14.Qe1 were quite subtle, threatening to trap Black’s queen. Nick could have escaped with just the loss of a pawn or two but he spotted a neat counter-trick with 16…Nb4, expecting that I would have to play 17.Bd3 in order to stop the mate on c2. Unfortunately for Nick, I had an even better move in 17.Nce4, after which he has to drop at least a knight in order to save his queen.’
White: David Faldon (174) Black: Nick McBride (176)
John Couzens Vase
This week’s Game of the Week, nominated by Michael Doyle, is his demolition of Richard Bowles in the second round of the Summer Swiss. Michael is proud of the win and says of the game, ‘I haven’t seen a black blitzkrieg like that since I first played chess when Bobby Fischer torpedoed Spassky’.
White: Richard Bowles (52) Black: Michael Doyle (81)
Summer Swiss Round 2
Most players would be happy to have one game included in Game of the Week but John ‘the Gullbuster’ Couzens has played two cracking games recently against strong opponents so for those who were not lucky enough to be there on the night it is only fair to share them with a wider public. First up is a tremendous win in Broadstairs’ 3½-3½ draw with Folkestone in March. The fact that John Atherton was playing on Board 5 with a grade of 163 only goes to emphasise what an impressive result this was for us and how important was JC’s victory. In the final position White resigned but was about to lose on time.
White: John Atherton (163) Black: John Couzens (116)
Millar Cup v Folkestone
This second game features our only individual win in a 4½-2½ defeat by Bridge A. John modestly dismisses this win as a consequence of 7. gxf3? when recapture with the Queen seemed a better idea. However, this ignores the skilful way he maintains and builds on his advantage and the ending is neat, White resigning as he is about to lose a rook.
White: Patrick Burns (156) Black: John Couzens (116)
Millar Cup v Bridge A
Game of the Week is Reg’s crucial win against Malcolm Snashall in last Monday’s Walker Shield victory against Ramsgate. Broadstairs had to win the match 4-0 to keep alive their chances of winning the Walker Shield and although the first two results had gone Broadstairs’ way, there was considerable tension as Reg and Andy both fought hard to win from unpromising positions. To add extra spice to the featured game, Reg had never beaten Malcolm in duels going back over thirty years. Play through this game and see how Reg forces a victory from the jaws of…er…a draw.
White: Malcolm Snashall (107) Black: Reg Pidduck (107)
Walker Shield v Ramsgate
The problem with many club championships is that few players have a chance of winning anything. At Broadstairs we have a trophy for the player in the lower half of the league who achieves the highest score at the end of the season. This is the Zielinski Shield, named after Alek Zielinski, a long-standing club member no longer with us. The current holder of the shield is Michael Doyle and he is on course to win it again, especially if he plays many more games like this one. In his own words: “Vying for the Zielinski Shield, Mike Doyle goes all out to destroy John Couzens’ Sicilian Defence with a knight sacrifice on move thirteen and has already scored seven points in the bottom half of the club championship.”
White: Michael Doyle (81) Black: John Couzens (116)
Goodall Cup