SNCL 2024/25 - Rounds 3 and 4

Crawford Macnab

24 November 2024

Tough opponents for both teams in the SNCL..

CSBOS 1 - Lenzie Basilisks

An important win against one of the teams we had a chance against.

With some regular players not available Ian Aird stepped in to play for the first team with the promise that he would get white in both games! He converted in an endgame where he had a good knight against a bad bishop by exploiting the only open file.

Jamie had a relatively easy win with his Nimzo Larsen attack where he won the knight on f6 as it could not be taken without allowing a checkmate. His opponent could have resigned on the spot but with nothing else to do, played on but Jamie was in complete control allowing zero chances.

Richard had a steady draw against an improving junior where he had some central control but no obvious way to proceed.

My opponent sacrificed a rook and a knight for a forcing attack that with best defence did not quite work. I walked my king in to the centre of the board and fortunately he missed the critical winning line. This allowed me to sacrifice my queen to leave my two rooks against his queen with some chances of me delivering a checkmate. In the time scramble I could not see a way to avoid the queen checks and took the perpetual check. This draw secured the match. (Engine showed the winning line!)

Chris had a good game against Jake Sanger but went slightly astray and lost.

CSBOS 1 - Dundee City A

The afternoon match was against title contenders Dundee City A, who had 2000+ players on all five boards.

With Chris being unavailable, every one moved up a board so we all had the same colours as the morning games. Ian getting his promised second game with white!

Only managed a quick glance at Eric’s game. Although it seemed to me that they had been playing fast apparently this was not the case and was simply “book” up to the last 4 moves.

Richard had a tough one against recent Scottish Champion Ed Spencer but apparently played the opening reasonably well. Alas white developed a strong attack against Richard’s exposed king.

Ian must have been very familiar with his four knights opening with the white pieces as he rattled off the moves. Even better was that he won a pawn and with major pieces coming off an opposite coloured bishop ending was reached that was a stonewall draw. His opponent for some reason played on with zero chances of success possibly waiting to see how the other two games progressed.

I was facing David Findlay with the black pieces and managed to avoid any glaring errors in the opening reaching a middle game with equal chances. A few moves later with a very slight positional advantage to white my opponent offered a draw, I suspect because he was keen on securing the match victory. After some consideration I accepted. In the post game analysis it turned out I had played pretty well and even missed a chance to push my centre pawns to get a slight advantage.

With this draw agreed, Ian’s game was soon agreed a draw.

This left Jamie playing 2300+ opponent Jacques Ophoff and playing very well he was much better for a long time. Unfortunately he eventually messed up and lost on time. A dissapointing result for Jamie but a great effort none the less.

CSBOS 2 - Edinburgh 1

The second team had the fun of playing Edinburgh 1 in the morning and Edinburgh 2 in the afternoon!

Gerry faced William Bennett’s wing attack against the Sicilian and not knowing the best line retreated his knight back to e7. (Ne5 was the main line) With white pawn getting to d6 and the king trapped in the centre it was a forlorn hope of surviving.

Krishan had a solid position for a long time. Did not see how it progressed but he eventually lost.

Douglas pushed lots of his pawns forward but this only served to create holes in his position that his opponent punished!

Did not see how Scott and Doug’s games finished but both looked to play fine in the opening and early middle game.

Tough opponents that are destined for a quick return to division 1.

CSBOS 2 - Edinburgh 2

Scott had a great game against young Pavlo Sokolenko and reached a winning position with a rook, bishop and extra pawns against his opponents rook. His opponent’s only hope was to get a stalemate and aimed for this by advancing all his pawns so he only had king and rook moves available. Scott made no mistake and queened one of the pawns to then deliver checkmate.

Doug reached an endgame where he had rook and bishop against his opponents two rooks. His opponent had three pawns against one pawn on the kingside, with Douglas having a queenside pawn majority. It looked like this was going to be a tough one to draw but Douglas played it very well, swapping off a rook pair and then advancing his pawns on the queenside. Eventually his opponent had to sacrifice his rook for a queening pawn but this left a rook pawn and the wrong coloured bishop so a draw was agreed.

Click here for a list of news stories about this competition.