We start with postponements for a change. This month’s deliberate error being a rematch (Brian and Alastair), Brian and Andy became opponents in the amended draw.

A game (indeed, a ROUND) of zwischenzugs (Zs)…largely ill-advised. It all began quietly. Brian’s e4 met by an updated Philidor…until move 6, all Hell broke loose. White went for a Bxf7 sacrifice with Ng5+ follow-up.  A forced compensatory exchange, but careful Black play destined for superior gains with Queen. Complicated. In mid-combination, Andy perhaps spotted this, inserting a pawn capture threatening a Knight (Z1) before playing the fork. As it happens, this allowed a knight recapture, enhancing  Black’s Q threats. But Black saw opportunity to avoid fork, offering a Queen exchange (Z2). White could swap Queens, and carry on as before, or simply take Black’s Knight, but opted to move Queen. This was attacked, discovering a threat on White’s never-gonna-fork Knight and Brian was suddenly two pieces down. Double-edged, these Zwischenzugs. Cf. Stockfish’s appraisal of sequence: -0.8/-5.2/+6.6/-5,7/-2.6/-9.0. Black was now keen to settle and swap Queens. As usual, this allowed counterplay, as Black opened up his Kingside. White’s Knight threatened his Q, Black threatened White’s (Z3), which flew to g6. Black again counter-threat the Q (Z4)… which simply checked on f5 (a Zwischenschach! Z5). Having lost his Queen, Black was now… level! - having three pieces compensation. He actually developed a strong attack, but Queens are tricky, and as a dangerous pawn-net formed around his King, he missed the best option to keep out White’s Queen, and a topsy-turvy game ended in mate. 1-0

In contrast, Eric and myself “were never troubled”. My Tarrasch-like “Krause variation” (apparently) against his QP led to pawn exchange on d5, and he opted to swap his KB for my posted Knight. Nc3 left me the “attacking” option of Qh5, but I feared Nb5 at some point and went for the wussy Qd1. Queens were swapped, White’s Rook came to d3 and I played the “GM” Ke7 instead of castling. As rooks doubled up, I was content for them to come off, having more advanced pawns and King, but my King manoeuvre was a move too slow as Eric’s monarch arrived. B +N + symmetrical pawns, I settled back for a draw, and, indeed offered one. Having happily swapped off Queens then rooks, Eric shocked me by declining. We sparred for a bit whilst his time came down to mine (Hmmm…?) until a forced repetition came to everyone’s rescue. Dull?…mea culpa… not playing Qh5. Otherwise, didn’t feel I’d erred. Didn’t feel I’d missed a chance. Stockfish confirmed. “Average Centipawn loss” for White and Black…. 9 and 8! A Grandmaster draw! (that Lichess engine really is a bit non). .5-.5

Alex played Queen’s Gambit with Bg5 against Austin, who eventually took the gambit pawn, swapped cxd, leaving White with an isolated d pawn, but no problems. He fianchettoed the Q Bishop while Alex developed. At move 15 all was level. But, clearly, Austin has NOT been reading my blogs! He went for a “Knight Sortie” Ng4, perhaps viewing a B+N attack on h2 after swapping fianchetto Bishop for N on f3. The threat was illusory, and White could ignore it, retreating his e3 Bishop with a decent advantage. He chose to block the long diagonal with d5, and still had some edge after Black exchanged on e3. Black’s Rook attacked White’s Q on the e file, but Alex came up with a striking Nf6+ (Zx!) leaving not just the Q, but his N en prise to two pieces. All very complicated on central files with pinned/skewered Rs Qs B….. Both took best options and White came out ahead in a B+N and pawns endgame. A couple of small Black inaccuracies left White with a solid advantage as his N and Austin’s B came off, but he missed a tiny Bishop move that trapped the remaining Knight, and things became more difficult. A complex endgame, where white forced a passed pawn on King side, but Black used his queenside 2-1 to eliminate those pawns while his King held up the potential Queen. White could make no progress with B+P v N and a draw was agreed. .5-.5

On “official” tournament night, the other surprise package - Scott - had played a stodgy Q Pawn opening against Robert. Another very even position right up to move 17, when Robert eyed some Kingside possibilities. Queen came across, joined by central Rook advance and swing to h5. The clock was ticking for Robert however, and continuation was not obvious. The chosen g5 looked daring. By necessity, other pawns had to join, and Black’s own Kingside became vulnerable. Scott countered in the centre and Black’s Queen could find no good square (briefly …Qh4 might have established enough threats). Black had too many problems to consider, and eventually his time ran out. 1-0

Dairena faced Michael’s favourite Dutch defence, and things were even until Black had the chance to do the e7-e5-e4 break towards the d3B-f3N fork… but stopped at e5. He eschewed a couple of chances to complete, and allowed the break-up of Kingside pawns; whereupon White castled long, doubled rooks on the h-file, and Black was in trouble. Dairena pushed g5 however, allowing a consolidating…h5. Her attempt to re-introduce fluidity with Bishop sacrifice on h5 was probably unsound…though did set up later events. A piece up, Michael still found his pawnless Kingside awkward. He “swapped” his B for White’s troublesome f6N, and White’s R intervening check on h7 (Z8!) only served to allow its retreat unharmed. Black was now well ahead, but it’s no fun having all the game’s pieces clustered around your King, and it only takes one small slip……… 1-0

Craig played e4 against Danny, who, with typical gusto, launched into the “Scandinavian Centre-counter defence” – a sort-of reverse Danish Gambit, an arguably critical move behind. Black castled long, behind his missing pawns and fianchettoed Bishop which Craig soon swapped off. White seemed well prepared for any machinations and soon had a solid position with his two-pawn lead. Danny advanced on the Kingside, but his own open King left too many options for counterthrusts. Queens came off and we had a rooks and piece endgame. Black had achieved a pawn “net” around White’s “fianchettoed” (no bishop) Kingside, but White’s 4 pawns vs 1 on the Queenside was clearly dominant. Unless he slipped. He did. That wish to simplify in such positions almost caught him out as he offered a swap of rooks which would allow Danny’s other rook to grab the 7th rank, with Bishop targetting the trapped King’s f2. Enough to draw, but not an obvious consequence. The one-move window was missed by both players and White’s King shuffled towards Q-side safety.. 1-0.

Richard played an unusual French against Alastair, baring his Q-side with an early c5. Pawns came and went, each treated as a gambit pawn with no attempts to consolidate. Soon, both players had isolated central pawns, White’s e3 seemingly the more fragile. Black developed a clear edge around this, active knights harassing an unhappy central rook. But White himself established a knight on d4. Black volunteered to open things up with f5, leaving a bishop defended only by the Queen. Suddenly White’s other knight and a-pawn were all over her, and eventually she chose the wrong square and the Bishop fell. White built pressure and established a knight outpost on e6, bringing quick rewards when attempts to dislodge it resulted in a backwards capture of Black’s Queen. 1-0

The big one saw Lewis (2.5) take on Jallal (3), who played the symmetrical response to White’s English. Black fianchettoed both Bishops, and after the usual left-of-centre exchanges finished with an isolated advanced d4 pawn. Good and bad. A target, and blocking his own King Bishop, but a thorn in White’s…er…centre. Disputing Black’s potential outpost on c3 led to another dubious Zwischenzug (Z547) whose responder chose the wrong option. The dust settled and all was dead even again. Only feature was pawn structure; Lewis had 5 connected., Jallal 3+1+1 (passed), soon 3+2 (not). Queens came off, Bishops came off, two rooks came off, and before there was a chance for Kings to come off, a repetition sealed the draw. Made my game look exciting…almost. .5-.5

Poly2020-II   Round 4

L Brookens (2.5)              .5           v            .5           J Shaheen (3)

S Blackwell (2)                 1            v            0            R Gibb (2.5)

A Marshall (2)                  .5           v            .5           A Connor (2)

C Fay (1.5)                        1            v            0            D Breslin (1.5)

E Martin (1.5)                  .5           v            .5           J Larkin (1.5)

D Gaffney (1.5)                1            v            0            M Matar (1.5)

B Fitzpatrick (1)               1            v            0            A Heron (0)

A McIntyre (1)                 1            v            0            R Hall (0)

Standings after 4 Rounds

3.5         J Shaheen

3            L Brookens         S Blackwell

2.5         A Connor            R Gibb                A Marshall         D Gaffney           C Fay

2            J Larkin               E Martin             B Fitzpatrick       A McIntyre

1.5         D Breslin             M Matar

0            A Heron              R Hall