Sat.23rd Nov

Suze, David & Peter

I won't write much about the chess we played today, mostly because I'm not feeling much use as tutor these days.  On recent Saturdays everyone is just off and running, taking a board and starting a game without so much as asking for my advice on anything, really; so I've decided to sulk.

I do know that Peter & John played quite a few talkative games.  Two photos showing both with their mouths shut seems like a minor miracle, if not evidence of cosmic ordering.  They finished up with some fast games using the clock set at 5 minutes each, which seemed a bit daring to me, for a first use of our new toys.  Anyway, some interesting sound effects came out that - a bit like Mr Bean at his most anxious and inarticulate.  Also, Peter finally got revenge on time-pressured John in their last game, jumping on a back-rank check-mate with glee.  Well done.

John, Branko & Suze

Branko & David had a sustained game which got into a rook & pawns end-game, with Branko up by a single pawn.  Two pawns each on the queen-side, and 3 pawns (disconnected) to 4 on the king-side. However, David had his king well-placed and in a good way to hold back Branko's "backward" pawn, and such games are usually technically forced draws.  I could show you how, if you like.

After his win against David, Branko and I played some quick games; and after those Branko kindly shouted all piss-pots present a glass of red.  He drank his own quickly to get back to his business, and left the rest of us to have a very sociable time.  Thankyou, all.