Healthy scoreline for Horsham 2

Whilst facing a considerably changed line-up, Horsham 2 beat Hastings 2 by 4-1 and hence gained an element of revenge for Horsham 1’s recent slip up against the same team.

Dix’s game was a dreary London system (his words, not mine!) defended with a king side fianchetto. Queens were soon exchanged on d2. White pressed but was rebuffed with aggressive tactics involving the misplaced bishop on f4 and skewers on the rook on d2. The position levelled out and rather than play a blitz finish both players opted for a draw.

My only viewing of Lucy’s effort was in the early middle game when she was material down. I understand she reversed this imbalance at a later stage but in a difficult ending and under time pressure had to settle for a draw.

Phil countered Larsen’s b3 opening with a provocative g5 to disrupt white’s coordination. With his opponent declining the offered pawn, the initiative changed hands and in the tactics that followed Phil managed to win a central pawn. A rather costlier error by white later in the game allowed Phil to sacrifice his Queen for a back-rank mate.

In a sharp game, Peter’s initial kingside adventure was rebuffed which left his King stuck in the centre. After exchange of queens however, he used this to his advantage with the monarch advancing and taking a dominant central position notwithstanding the weight of material still on the board. Some nice tactics thereafter lead to an attractive win.

For my game my opponent opened a3 which threw me, and I ended up with a sort of Kings Indian against a King pawn opening - I subsequently wondered why I didn't simply pretend that I was white! Anyway, I muddled through, somehow contriving to win a piece which I generously returned (i.e. blundered) later in the game to ensure a more interesting finish which I was fortunate enough to still convert into the full point by the end of the statutory 60 moves.

Horsham 2 had White on even-numbered boards.