B&DCL: Poole C v Wimborne D

The top of the table clash. The season defining match. Top two from the league go head to head in the penultimate game of the season.

Wimborne came into the game slightly ahead on board difference, but both of us clear of the pack and knowing that this match could be telling. A loss would probably end the season, a draw would leave us at the mercy of other results with the board difference almost being worth another point.

With the pressure on us to win we assembled our team…without Mike who has served us so well for the season so far. If you need a win and are willing to be aggressive to get the result needed then there’s not many better than Richie to stand in.

Simon P was on board 3 against Tony, he managed to get a Pawn up with some good pressure on the centre. A nasty Knight move revealed a threat on Simon’s Queen, nothing critical but it mean the Knight for Bishop swap that followed left the King’s Pawn structure in a mess. A Pawn up, bad Pawn structure, Rook and Knight each, a draw was agreed. Not the win we need, but it puts some points in the bag.

0.5 – 0.5

When I looked over at Richie’s board there was a nice mate threat with Bishop and Queen on the long diagonal being prevented only by a defensive Knight. Never being one to shy away from a Pawn push, decided on a King march as well. Decimating his opponents King side pawns and getting a passed Pawn on the march to promotion. The cost of this brazen aggression was an exposed King. The opponent’s Queen obviously liked an exposed King and went after it causing metaphors to fail me, however, Richie had already calculated that after a stroll around the board with the King the checks would end and the passed Pawn would remain. I looked over again and there was still a mate threat with the Queen and Bishop on the long diagonal. I guess Richie had nothing better for his Queen to do! The pressure was too much and material advantage from the Pawn swarm, thus sealed the first win of the night and Poole putting their noses in front.

1.5 – 0.5

I was playing the reliable Paul Brackner. On move 7 I was gaining a great position against his Caro-Cann. On move 8 I’d lost the game. Well, lost a piece but when it’s against someone as solid as Paul, it’s nearly the same thing. In that sort of position the only option is to attack, so Pawns went flying towards the King, all pieces looking firmly at the King. In that sort of position, the odd swapping off of pieces just leaves the attack weaker and weaker, and with too much focus on mindless bashing another piece was lost as was the game.

1.5 – 1.5

So it all comes down to Simon F. Equal gradings, what better game to settle the match? It looked set to be tight and it proved to be so as Simon played the French, it could probably have gone better as his opponent Alan got a lot of space and threats on the Kingside. But some inaccuracies by Alan allowed Simon a breakthrough on the Queenside and then there was a blitz of exchanges and when the dust settled the black Pawn on b2 proved too much for Alan who blundered under the pressure and it was a win for Poole!

2.5 – 1.5

A great win for Poole that sets up a nerve racking final game on 18th May away to Southbourne where everything will be decided.

Tarik
April 27, 2018