Challenge Match, 21 April 2007

Insurance Chess Club v Civil Service Chess Association

Civil Service College, 11 Belgrave Road, London.

The Insurance Chess Club had white on the even numbered boards. C.S.C.A. player, J. Cattermole acted as a guest for them to balance numbers.

The annual challenge match between the Insurance Chess Club and the Civil Service Chess Association was staged at the Civil Service College, Belgrave Road, London on Saturday 21st April 2007. I understand that this venue has been the home of the Insurance Chess Club for several years, but following the retirement of their match captain, Geoff Naldrett, in a few months time, any future contests will be held at the Carpenters Arms, near Marble Arch. In recent years when the teams have met in London 16 boards have been contested, however, our opponents have had to rely upon guests to make up numbers, so the request for a reduction to 12 boards was a sad, if understandable, proposition.

Despite my request in ‘Time Trouble 53’ for players in London to put themselves forward for inclusion in the Civil Service team, they were conspicuous by their absence. Consequently our ranks comprised members from the North East (3), Lancashire (3), Yorkshire (3), Cambridgeshire (1), Essex (1) and Hertfordshire (1). Most had represented the Civil Service Chess Association on previous occasions, however I was pleased to be able to welcome a new face – Colin Walton – who took his place on top board.

In the weeks leading up to the match I liaised with both players and CSSC Sports and Leisure regarding requirements for overnight accommodation in London. We are normally booked in at the Union Jack Club, near Waterloo Station, and it was anticipated that this would continue, however alarm bells clearly started ringing at CSSC Head Office, High Wycombe around Wednesday 18th April. No rooms were available and it was proving difficult to place team members anywhere in Central London. Eventually someone realised that the London Marathon was taking place on Sunday 22nd April. Fortunately, rapid action on the part of David Hayday secured reservations at the President Hotel, Russell Square.

I departed Hull Paragon Railway Station just after 8.00 AM, arriving in London around three hours later. As the match was scheduled for a 2.00 PM start, time was available for a visit to the ‘Chess and Bridge’ shop on Euston Road. Despite an ever expanding chess library, the urge to make it even bigger is impossible to resist. On this occasion a modern translation of Tarrasch’s ‘Drei Hundert Schach Partie’ (Three Hundred Chess Games) at £7.50 allowed the moths to escape my wallet. Back onto the Tube, arriving at the Civil Service College by 1.10 PM.

I was greeted by Geoff Naldrett and shown into one of the match rooms on the ground floor. At this point it became evident that the contest was to be rather unusual. The top six boards would be located on the sixth floor whilst lesser mortals would be situated at street level. The Conference Room that had been used in the past, and accommodates a 16 board match with ease, was not available because of a dispute as to who is responsible for security. Not too difficult for me to keep up with proceedings as non-playing Match Captain – or so I thought!
A few minutes before start time the plot thickened. The Insurance Chess Club was two players short due to late withdrawals and a misunderstanding meant that there were only eleven Civil Service players plus me! The only sensible way everyone could have a game was if the Civil Service team loaned one player to the opposition and your editor entered the fray.

As this was to be Geoff Naldrett’s last match against the Civil Service Chess Association as team captain, I presented him with an inscribed book on behalf of our players. This was one of the rare occasions when the coin toss for choice of colours went in our favour, enabling me to take white on the odd numbered boards. The match started a few minutes late – time control 36 moves in 1½ hours plus 15 minutes allegro finish. The slightly reduced playing time ensured a couple of the Civil Service team could catch trains and return home on the same day. I took several photographs before setting about my personal task – white against Geoff Naldrett.

Only limited information was available to me about progress on the top six boards, as those involved visited the ground floor to advise me of developments or record their result. After about 1¼ hours the picture seemed to be that we were better of several boards and equal on all but one of the rest. My own game finished around 4.25 PM and I ventured up to the sixth floor. It became clear that barring a disaster, Civil Service would win by a significant but not overwhelming margin. When the final game was concluded around 5.15 PM the margin of victory was 7½ - 3½.

After thanking our hosts for their hospitality, several team members adjourned to the nearby Georges Tavern for refreshment. The good news – decent hot meals at a reasonable price. The bad news – no hand pump beer and Manchester United on the television. Unfortunately, the ‘entertainment’ was to continue. The Tube journey to Russell Square was a nightmare following someone being taken ill somewhere on the network. Passengers were compelled to participate in an involuntary game of sardines. This was followed by confusion at the hotel when a member of the reception staff either forgot or misunderstood her instructions concerning our booking. I eventually obtained a room, relaxed in a hot both and subsequently slept for nine hours.

Several team members spent much of the Sunday travelling home, courtesy of the comedians known as ‘Network Rail’, who had ‘organised’ – I use the word in very loose terms – track maintenance between Peterborough and London. As a result, no trains were running out of Kings Cross. There were reports of 1½ hour bus journeys to a rail connection on the East Coast mainline. My trip back from St. Pancras Station to Beverley via Sheffield and Hull lasted almost six hours. Perhaps the relevant CSSC Sports and Leisure Committee should have regard to the commitment of our team members when questioning the validity of Representative Matches.

Board One. White: C. Walton. Black: Doctor J. T. Farrand. Pirc/Philidor’s Defence (?).
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Bd3 e5 4. c3 c6 5. f4 Qb6 6. Nd2 exd4 7. Nc4 Qc7 8. e5 dxe5 9. fxe5 Bg4 10. Nf3 Nd5 11. cxd4 b5 12. Ne3 Bb4+ 13. Kf2 Be6 14. Rf1 Nd7 15. Ng5 N7b6 16. Kg1 0-0-0 17. a3 Bf8 18. Bf5 Bxf5 19. Nxf5 Kb8 20. Nd6 f6 21. Ne6 Qd7 22. Nxd8 Bxd6 23. Nxc6+ Qxc6 24. exd6 Qxd6 25. Qf3 g5 26. Qg3 Qxg3 27. hxg3 h5 28. Bd2 Rc8 29. Rc1 Nc4 30. Bb4 Nxb2 31. Rxc8+ Kxc8 32. Rf5 Nxb4 33. axb4 Nd3 34. Rxb5 Kc7 35. Kf1 Kc6 36. Rb8 Kc7 37. Rf8 Nxb4 38. Rxf6 Nd5 39. Ra6 Kb7 40. Ra5 Ne3+ 41. Ke2 Nc2 42. Kd3 Ne1+ 43. Ke4 h5 44. Ra2 1 – 0.

Board Two. White: I. D. Hunnable. Black: R. Archer. Queen’s Gambit.
1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 g6 5. Bf4 Bg7 6. e3 0-0 7. h3 Nbd7 8. Rc1 Re8 9. Be2 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Qb6 11. Qd2 Qb4 12. Be2 Nb6 13. 0-0 Nbd5 14. a3 Qb6 15. Na4 Qd8 16. Be5 Ne4 17. Qc2 Nef6 18. e4 Nb6 19. Nc5 Nbd7 20. Rcd1 Qb6 21. Na4 Qd8= 22. b4 e6 23. Bh2 Qe7 24. Nc5 a6 25. Bc4 b6 26. Nb3 Bb7 27. Rfe1 Rac8 28. d5 cxd5 29. exd5 Bxd5 30. Ne5 Nxe5 31. Rxd5 Nxd5 32. Bxe5 Bxe5 33. Rxe5 b5 34. Nc5 bxc5 35. Qxc5 Qd6 36. Re1 a5 0 – 1.

Board Three. White: J. Cooper. Black: Doctor D. I. Calvert. Scandinavian Defence.
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 4. d4 Nf6 5. Bd3 Bg4 6. f3 Bh5 7. Ne2 c6 8. Bf4 Qd8 9. Qd2 e6 10. Ne4 Nbd7 11. Nd6+ Bxd6 12. Bxd6 Nb6 13. Ba3 Bg6 14. 0-0 Qc7 15. Rfd1 0-0-0 16. Qa5 Kb8 17. Bxg6 hxg6 18. Qe5 Nc4 19. Qxc7+ Kxc7 20. Be7 Rd7 21. Bxf6 gxf6 22. b3 Ne3 ½ – ½. `

Board Four. White: D. R. Sedgewick. Black: F. Bowers. Philidor’s Defence.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. f3 0-0 8. Bc4 Nc6 9. Qd2 Re8 10. 0-0-0 Bd7 11. g4 a6 12. h4 b5 13. Be2 b4 14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. Nxc6 Bxc6 16. exd5 Bxd5 17. Bg5 Qb8 18. Qxd5 Rxe2 19. Rhe1 Re8 20. Qc6 Qb5 ½ – ½.

Board Five. White: S. Appleby. Black: D. Malcolm. Dutch Defence.
1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 d6 5. c4 c6 6. Nc3 Nbd7 7. 0-0 e5 8. Re1 e4 9. Nh4 g6 10. d5 c5 11. f3 Be7 12. Qc2 exf3 13. exf3 0-0 14. f4 Re8 15. Nf3 Bf8 16. Bd2 Bg7 17. Qd3 Nf8 18. Rxe8 Nxe8 19. Re1 Bd7 20. Ng5 Qf6 21. b3 ½ – ½.

Board Six. White: M. C. Page. Black: P. Robson. Sicilian Defence.
1. e4 g6 2. d4 c5 3. Nf3 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Bg7 5. c4 Nc6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nc3 Ng4 8. Qxg4 Nxd4 9. Qd1 Ne6 10. Rc1 d6 11. Be2 0-0 12. 0-0 Qa5 13. Qd2 Bd7 14. Rfd1 Rfc8 15. Nd5 Qd8 16. b3 Qf8 17. c5 Nxc5 18. Bxc5 Rxc5 19. Rxc5 dxc5 20. Nxe7+ Qxe7 21. Qxd7 Qxe4 22. Bf3 Qc2 23. Qxb7 Re8 24. Qd7 Re6 25. Qc8+ Bf8 26. g3 Rf6 27. Qa8 Kg7 28. Rd8 Be7 29. Rd7 Qf5 30. Rxe7 Qxf3 31. Qxf3 Rxf3 32. Rxa7 c4 33. bxc4 Rc3 34. a4 Rxc4 35. a5 Ra4 36. a6 Ra2 37. Ra8 Kf6 38. a7 Ra1+ 39. Kg2 Ra3 40. Rh8 Rxa7 41. Rxh7 Ra2 ½ – ½.

Board Seven. White: D. Baillie. Black: P. Carlucci. English Opening.
1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. e3 h5 5. Nf3 Be7 6. Nc3 d5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. h4 Be6 9. a3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Bc4 11. d4 Qd5 12. Rg1 e4 13. Nd2 f5 14. Nxc4 Qxc4 15. Qc2 0-0-0 16. Bf1 Qe6 17. Rb1 b6 18. c4 Rxd4 19. Qa4 Rd7 20. Be2 Bf6 21. c5 Bc3+ 22. Kf1 Ba5 23. Ba6+ Kb8 24. Bc4 Rd1+ 25. Ke2 Rxg1 26. Bd2 Qd7 27. Bxa5 Nd4+ 0 – 1.

Board Eight. White: B. W. Atkinson. Black: I. Thackray. Queen’s Fianchetto.
1. Nf3 b6 2. e4 Bb7 3. d3 e6 4. g3 Nc6 5. Bg2 h6 6. 0-0 Qf6 7. Nbd2 0-0-0 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 exd5 10. d4 Bd6 11. b4 Nge7 12. Nb3 Ba6 13. Re1 Bc4 14. a4 g5 15. Nfd2 Bd3 16. a5 h5 17. axb6 cxb6 18. Nf1 Bb5 19. Ne3 Bb8 20. Bb2 h4 21. Ng4 Qd6 22. Ne5 Nxe5 23. dxe5 Qe6 24. Nd4 Qd7 25. Nxb5 Qxb5 26. Qg4+ Qd7 27. Bh3 Qxg4 28. Bxg4+ Kb7 29. b5 hxg3 30. fxg3 Rdg8 31. Ba3 Ng6 32. e6 fxe6 33. Rxe6 Be5 34. Rc1 Re8 35. Rxe8 Rxe8 36. Bd7 Rd8 37. Bc6+ Kb8 38. Bb4 Bd6 39. Bxd6 Rxd6 40. Rf1 Ne7 41. Be8 d4 42. c4 d3 43. Rd1 Nf5 44. Bf7 Ne3 45. Rd2 Rd4 ½ – ½.

Board Nine. White: D. G. Mills. Black: G. W. Naldrett. Bishop’s Opening.
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. dxe5 Qe7 5. Qe2 Nc5 6. Nf3 Ne6 7. Nc3 h6 8. Nd5 Qd8 9. Be3 c6 10. Nc3 Bb4 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Rad1 Bxc3 13. bxc3 b5 14. Bd3 Na6 15. Nd4 Nxd4 16. cxd4 Nb4 17. Qh5 Nxd3 18. Rxd3 f5 19. Bxh6 d5 20. Bxg7 Rf7 21. Qh8## 1 – 0.

Board Ten. White: J. Dowlen. Black: M. Coles. Queen’s Gambit.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bf4 e6 5. a3 Bd6 6. Bxd6 Qxd6 7. Nc3 Nbd7 8. e3 b6 9. Bd3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nd5 11. Nxd5 exd5 12. Bd3 a5 13. Qe2 0-0 14. 0-0 f5 15. Rac1 Bb7 16. Qc2 g6 17. Rfd1 Rac8 18. Qb1 Kg7 19. b4 axb4 20. axb4 Ra8 21. Qb2 b5 22. Ne5 Ra4 23. Nxd7 Qxd7 24. Rc5 Rfa8 25. Rdc1 Kh6 26. f3 Ra2 27. Qb1 Qe7 28. e4 Qg5 29. Bf1 fxe4 30. fxe4 Qe3+ 31. Kh1 Qxe4 32. Qxe4 dxe4 33. Re1 Ra1 34. Rxa1 Rxa1 35. Kg1 Rd1 36. Kf2 Rxd4 37. Ke3 Rxb4 38. g4 Rb2 39. h4 Rh2 40. g5+ Kh5 0 – 1.

Board Eleven. White: I. D. Strickland. Black: J. Cattermole. Queen’s Gambit Accepted.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 e6 4. e3 Bb4+ 5. Nc3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Nf6 7. Bxc4 c6 8. Ba3 Qa5 9. Bb4 Qh5 10. 0-0 Nbd7 11. Be2 Ne4 12. Nd2 Qg5 13. Nxe4 Qg6 14. Nd6+ Kd8 15. Bh5 Qf6 16. Nxf7+ Kc7 17. Bd6+ Kb6 18. Qb3+ Ka6 19. Qa4+ 1 – 0.