A laboured win

Next up, a novelty - my first game in the Surrey League Centenary Trophy (fourth division) which means I've now played in every tier of that league. It was also my first league fixture for Epsom, who after narrowly missing out last season are leaving nothing to chance this time round - I was on board two for this match even with someone above me unavailable!

Our opponents for this match were South Norwood 2, and the match card is a little embarrassing: e202-138, 181-128, 164-120, 148-119, 135-108, 126-e96. I was playing Ken Chamberlain (128) on board 2, who I remembered from my days in the Surrey U-140 team - a very solid and careful player as we shall soon see.

I had the black pieces for this game, and I was confronted with a problem I face very rarely given my usual field of opponents: how to reconcile my rational and even simplistic play with someone who is playing quite transparently to draw? Although I got the right result I didn't really answer that question here - I got a great position but nothing tangible, and was starting to drift when force majeure - the clock - intervened:

Epsom already enjoyed a comfortable lead in the table by this point thanks to a 4½-1½ win (WWDWWL). There's still a long way to go, but promotion looks to be a good possibility... into the same division that Wallington may well be relegated into! A dilemma on the horizon.

Mine wasn't a very impressive game, although the opening is quite useful in demonstrating that the Carlsbad structure isn't the risk-free and automatic edge too many people seem to think it is. Black has a clear plan to follow too, and it's still the case that playing directly for a draw is one of the best ways not to get one. However I showed a lack of understanding in the early middlegame, first being squeamish about playing ...f5 and then compounding that by opening the f-file with 17... exf3. I was trying to force events too much, hoping in vain that I could target the e3 pawn and undervaluing the opening of the f-file. Just as in the last game, a little patience would have gone a long way.

From here I went almost straight on to the British Bangla Chess Association Rapidplay in the East End - November was my busiest month of chess for a long time and there's plenty more to come! My play was nothing special but there were enough interesting moments to make it worth looking at the highlights.