Round 2 of the Stoneleigh Match, South Norwood-Castles, saw me once again on board 2 against Simon Lea. The last time we played, I had white, and didn't have a great time after dodging a main-line Alekhine (blogged here.) Remembering that, I decided to surprise him (and myself!) with an act of blatant heresy:
For the record, on the 2nd October 2009, Young-Kirubakaram, board 6 of the Briant Poulter League Div. 3 match Sutton GS B vs. Trinity B (we won 3.5-2.5 on my debut for the school longplay teams), began 1. Nf3. From then until this game, every graded game I've played with white started 1. e4. "Best by test," as Fischer said, and the very next day I was straight back to my old ways with a good outcome. But the opening actually went quite well for me even if I did "just make it up" (in the words of a Castles team-mate who plays rather dull Queen's Pawn openings, when he explained to me why he gave up 1. e4 some time ago.) The game looked set to end with a surprise win for me when he left his d-pawn undefended, but I couldn't quite get over the line, close though I came.
In fact, I should elaborate on the position where I went from won to lost. There are a few more pawns on the board for each side, but the essentials of the position are: White Kd3, pawn d6, Rh6. Black Kf6, Ng6. Black to play, 1... Kg7. Now I tried to be flash, with 2. d7??, punished by 2... Kxh7! 3. d7 Ne5+, as I did not realise this was a check, so I soon lost. But of course, in the cold light of day I can see in seconds, as my spectating team-mates did, that 2. Rxg6+! wins easily. It is so obvious that I have no doubt that I would see this in a blitz game, or with loads of time on the clock - perhaps it is the difficulty of adjusting to playing fast.
My next game, a school match, was very similar in terms of a nervy blitz finish that I commenced in a totally won position and played very badly. The only difference was the result.
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