Click on the diagrams to see the games.
Fighting chess
Adam Ursell 0 -1 Richards Ormesher, B&DCL Div 1, 4/12/2023
Ruy Lopez, Marshall Gambit . Published 15/12/2023
This was Richard’s first outing with the Marshall Gambit. At one stage he did not have much for his pawn but he fought tenaciously and created an unbalanced position in which his tactical abilities eventually won him the full point, and the match victory for the team.
A Smooth Performance
Tim Rushworth 1-0 Will Edwards, Bacchus League, 16/10/2023
Queen’s Gambit Declined. Published 22/11/2023
Tim took advantage of his opponent’s mistake to win a piece and played the rest of the game very smoothly to secure victory. Commentary by Martin Clancy.
An Attacking King
Ben Willis-Owen 1-0 Daniel Miles, Dorset League, 27/2/2023
Queens Indian Defence. Published 2/3/2023
Ben used his piece activity to win a pawn in the middlegame only to let his opponent generate counterplay in a Q+R vs Q+R endgame. However, despite the presence of the heavy pieces, Ben used his king as an offensive piece, leading to a nice mating attack. Well played Ben!
From Side to Side
Neil Salinger 0-1 Richard Ormesher, B&DCL, 13/2/2023
Queens Gambit Declined. Published 19/2/2023
Rather than settle for a symmetrical position out of the opening, Richard finds a way of creating some imbalance. Then after playing on the queenside he switches to a kingside attack. A nicely played game.
Nice attacking chess
David Fuller 1-0 Simon Redmill, Robertson Cup, 30/1/2023
English Defence. Published 4/2/2023
David plays some nice attacking chess, has a blip in the middle that makes it messy, and then finds a nice geometric finish. An interesting games annotated in David’s engaging style.
A Piece Sac Pays Off
Daniel Miles 0-1 Malcolm Day, B&DCL, 29/11/2022
Italian Game. Published 17/12/2022
In a position which would lend itself to lots of quiet manoeuvering, Malcolm found a good piece sac. He missed the most accurate follow up but his opponent failed to capitalise, allowing Malcolm another bite at the attacking cherry. Eventually the attack landed fully with a nice mate.
A Queen Sac Gratefully Accepted
Martin Clancy 1-0 John Bassinder, B&DCL, 9/11/2022
Scandinavian Defence. Published 13/11/2022
In an off-beat line of the Scandinavian Martin’s opponent was under a bit of pressure when gave up his queen and two pawns for a rook and two minor pieces. This might have proven an interesting material imbalance if he could have hung on to the pieces, but as it was Martin quickly mopped one up leaving him clearly winning.
Exploitation of Weaknesses
Jose Jaminez Capilla 0-1 Peter Anderson, Robertson Cup, 18/2/2020
Modern Defence. Published 14/10/2021
This game was from one of Ringwood’s last matches before COVID struck, a February 2020 Roberston Cup encounter between us and Winchester which we won 4-1. White played the opening aggressively but Black’s king was always safe. The queens came off and gradually the weaknesses in White’s position began to tell.
Inspired Attacking from Malcolm
Malcom Day 1-0 Jones, Worcestershire Under 18 Championship 1957
Noteboom Defence. Published February 2020
This is a delightful attacking game by Malcolm from his days as a junior, and his sacs are rewarded when his opponent fails to find his way through the complications. The game was written up in the Bath Chronicle by the well known chess correspondent and author W H Cozens who was appropriately complimentary of Malcolm’s play. Malcolm says:
By way of background, in those days the Worcestershire U 18 C’ship was a KO competition, 4 rounds that year, and my opponent was from the Worcester Blind College, coached by R H Bonham*
Black’s 21st move marked the end of the first session, when I had 3 moves to make in 3 minutes, but I neglected to look at the position seriously as I thought I had a lost game. Something must have inspired me when we re-convened, but I expect that today’s chess engines will find some flaws – like black’s 28… Kg8 perhaps.
* Bonham was a master at the RNIB New College at Worcester and a governor of Worcester Training College (now University of Worcester). He was World Correspondence Chess Champion and World Blind Chess Champion, being made a grandmaster in 1958. Over-the-board, he won the Worcester club championship on each occasion he competed: he was the Worcestershire Individual Champion over twenty times, and the Midland Champion several times. As an organiser Bonham founded the International Braille Chess Association in 1958.
Martin C gets outmanouevred by Martin Newbury
Martin Newbury 1-0 Martin Clancy, Ringwood vs Easteigh, Roberson Cup 2005
Sicilian Defence, Sveshnikov Variation. Published 21/12/19.
Martin says, “I was really impressed with Martin Newbury’s strategic play in this game back in 2005! “
Niall’s positional masterpiece
Niall Woodger 1-0 Jon Catchpole, Ringwood A vs Southbourne A, 4/11/19
Reti / Queens Pawn. Published 15/11/19.
This was a fine positional game by Niall in which he systematically put pressure on his opponent’s b-pawn and saw well in advance that he could defend against the counter-attack against his king.
Martin shows his attacking flair… again 🙂
Martin Clancy 1-0 Mark Littleton, Dorset Open
Blackmar Gambit. Published 16/6/19.
A Caro-Kann transposes to a Balckmar-Diemer Gambit (more often reached by 1.d4 d5 2.e4). An imaginative piece sacrafice leads to a crushing attack.
More Morra madness!
Martin Clancy 1-0 Mike Waddington, Dorset Closed
Morra Gambit. Published June 2019
A nice win aganist one of Dorset’s strongest players. Martin transitions from a complicated middlegame to a won endgame.
More impressive attacking by Martin C
Martin Clancy 1-0 Anthony Corkett, Bournemouth Grand Open
Morra Gambit. Published June 2019
A win against a strong and resilient opponent.
A classic Morra Gambit attack
Martin Clancy 1-0 Pavel Asenov, Bournemouth Grand Open
Morra Gambit. Published June 2019
A short and sweet demolition by Martin.
A tricky pawn ending
Steve Madden 0-1 Peter Anderson, City of London Open, 1982
Endgame. Published June 2019
Pawn endgames look simple but are often very tricky and require precise (and often long) calculation.
White gets a grip and never lets go
Michael Barnes 1-0 Peter Anderson, Nottingham 1995
Caroi-Kann. Published December 2019
This is the last of the games between Peter Anderson and Michael Barnes to be published on here. It seemed fair to finish with one of Michael’s wins and Peter regards this as the best of them.
Equal in theory but not in practice
Peter Anderson 1-0 Michael Barnes, Nottingham
Kings Indian. Published July 2019
White squanders a big advantage and arrives at an endgme that the engines say is dead level. Well it is with accurate play by black. But it is much easier to play as white and black has to be very accurate at a critical point to hold the balance.
Endgame pressure
Peter Anderson 1-0 Michael Barnes
Vulture Defence. Published July 2019
Black gets equality after a dodgy opening, but goes wrong leaving white with a large endgame advantage despite level material.
A tough game
Michael Barnes 0.5-0.5 Peter Anderson, Nottinghan, 1990s.
Pirc Defence. Published 28/6/19.
The first four Peter Anderson vs Michael Barnes games on here. The two played many times in the 1990’s with honours about even, despite Michael being somewhat stronger.
A Dutch-Peruvian Gambit
Gary Stevens 0-1 Peter Anderson, London League
Dutch Peruvian Gambit. Published June 2019
An attacking game with a geometrically pleasing finish.
Another Dutch-Peruvian Gambit
Lee, DV 0-1 Peter Anderson, Nottingham
Dutch Peruvian Gambit. Published June 2019
Early tactics lead to a won endgame.
An exchange sacrifice for long term chances.
Andrew Whitely 0-1 Peter Anderson, Middlesex Team Championships
Queens Gambit Declined. Published July 2019
After poor opening play black finds a way to generate counterplay.