Chess
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Your support makes all the difference.THE FINAL of the Eastman Cup, London's top knockout competition, took place a fortnight ago today with my own club, Wood Green, facing Ilford, whom they will also meet in the National Club Championship on 29 June, though in that case over only six boards.
Although heavily outgraded, and facing four grandmasters and an international master, Ilford held Wood Green on the top five of the 10 boards, partly as a result of the upset win below. But Wood Green also have great strength in depth and while the grading difference on the bottom five boards was considerably less we still defeated them 4-1 for a final scoreline of 6.5-3.5.
Nevertheless, it was an excellent fight by a team heavily outgunned, reminiscent of their fine performance in the European Club Cup last November when Ilford came within a whisker of defeating the powerful team from Reykjavik. Here is how their top board caused an upset against a strong grandmaster.
Wall played a nice positional game and after 34 Qa4! won easily. I suspect Ward should have played 25 ...bxa5, after which he's losing on the queenside but can concentrate more easily on his kingside attack.
White: Tim Wall
Black: Chris Ward
Larsen's Opening
1 b3 e5
2 Bb2 d6
3 c4 g6
4 Nf3 Bg7
5 e3 c5
6 Be2 f5
7 0-0 Nf6
8 d3 0-0
9 a3 Nc6
10 b4 Qe7
11 Nc3 b6
12 b5 Nd8
13 a4 Nf7
14 a5 Bb7
15 Nd2 g5
16 Bf3 g4
17 Bxb7 Qxb7
18 e4 f4
19 Nd5 h5
20 Ra3 Ng5
21 Qa1 f3
22 g3 Nh3+
23 Kh1 Bh6
24 Nxf6+! Rxf6
25 Nb1! Rff8
26 Nc3 Bd2
27 axb6 Bxc3
28 Bxc3 axb6
29 Ra6! h4
30 gxh4! Rxa6
31 bxa6 Qe7
32 Bd2 Ra8
33 Be3 Qa7
34 Qa4! Qxa6
35 Qd7 Qc8
36 Qxd6 Ra7
37 Qxb6 Rg7
38 h5 Qe8
39 h6 Rg6
40 Qxc5 Re6
41 Qd5 Kh7
42 Rb1 Kg6
43 c5 Kh5
44 h7 Re7
45 Rb7 Qa8
46 h8Q+ Qxh8
47 Rxe7 Kg6
48 Qe6+ 1-0
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