TAFCA WINTER LEAGUE ONLINE MATCH REPORT (by Trevor Harley Captain of “F” team)
Tues 15th Dec 20 – Div 2 – Dundee C v Castlehill F
On Tuesday 15 December 2020 the F team played their final game of the year again Dundee C. Heavily out-graded on all boards, we managed a highly creditable 2-2 draw.
Board Three – (W) Gordon Thomas (1312) v (1430) Bruce Wallace (B
Gordon Thomas beat Bruce Wallace with a “D02 Queen Pawn’s Opening”. There are advantages to being out of theory on move 3. Things looked pretty equal to me with a queen, bishop, and pawn early endgame (or later middle game) until “Bruciebaby” exchanged queens and got his bishop trapped behind his pawns. Gordon was able to make a K-side breakthrough with his king. A fine win.
Dundee C 0, Castlehill F 1
Board One – (W) Colm Hawkins (1396) v (1540) James Anderson (B)
Colm Hawkins with white lost to James Anderson, who played the Rubinstein variation of the French. Unfortunately on move 16 Colm put his rook on d3, which happened to be exactly the wrong square for it (how I know that feeling), and then found his bishop trapped and his rook and bishop forked by a pawn at the wrong time. A rook down, recovery was beyond him.
Dundee C 1, Castlehill F 1
Board Four – (W) George Burton Snr (1350) v (UG) Kit McEvoy Gould (B)
Ungraded newcomer Kit McEvoy Gould made his debut for the F team, and drew with George Burton in another “Queen’s Pawn Game”. Both players played pretty optimally with pieces being exchanged off until a few mistakes left “WeeGeorgie” a pawn up in a queen and pawn endgame. Kit defended staunchly however and finally a draw was agreed.
Dundee C 1½, Castlehill F 1½
Board Two – (W) Ray Flood (1475) v (1333) Trevor Harley (B)
Trevor Harley drew with Ray Flood. Ray played a closed Sicilian. I thought I was up in the middle game but was unable to get any advantage against accurate defending. After an exchange of the major pieces we drifted into a completely equal B and P endgame and agreed a draw. Looking at it with Stockfish I didn’t miss anything obvious, but neither can I see how I could have got any clear advantage.
Dundee C 2, Castlehill F 2
That’s how I (Trevor!) saw it, but my team mates might have different views. That’s it for the year and indeed until mid-January when we play Dundee E. We’re second in the division behind St Andrews B.
You can find the TAFCA updated league table on the Castlehill home page. For all other info and to checkout the games, please visit the TAFCA website (link below)