Derby A Edges Past Rolls Royce A

Derby A faced Rolls Royce A for the first time this season and aimed to build on the result from the Breadsall match.

John’s game was a tense Queen’s Gambit Declined where his opponent gained a good edge in the early middlegame and piled on same pressure. But John held firm and, after wriggling to an equal position with queens and some minor pieces off the board, offered a draw.

Steve played a Reversed Benoni with the twist of inviting Black's centre to advance to c5, d4 and e4 in the hope it might over extend. Neither the Reversed Benoni or giving up the centre and space are fashionable these days according to elite players and our Silicon masters. Such risky strategy is rare in Derbyshire League chess possibly with good reason! But Steve  was playing the Modern Benoni  in the Fischer era and had faith the structure  wouldn't make him a 'Son of Sorrow' and so it proved .....
Black castled queenside and a sharp game resulted with the balance shifting several times but the tactics fizzled out into an opposite coloured bishop endgame.

Kevin was a little cramped in the early middle game. In an ensuing simplification he gained a positional advantage in a level material ending. The passive nature of his opponents pieces allowed him to win a pawn, gain a passed pawn and push it through for the win.

My London opening faced Maurice's Modern defence. Maurice sacked a pawn to try to get an initiative but the position cleared and he was just a pawn down. I reached +3 in evaluation and coasting to victory I blundered and lost the exchange. A draw was agreed a few moves later.

Another tight victory - but they all count!

	Derby A		2½ - 1½	Rolls Royce A
1	Tompson, John	2082	½ - ½	Stevens, Andrew	1959
2	Retout, Steve P	1934	½ - ½	Bromilow, Edward T	1768
3	Dalley, Kevin J	1848	1 - 0	Nath, Ranji	1774
4	Williams, David	1882	½ - ½	Hill, Maurice J	1703

Dave Williams 24/01/25