Lincolnshire vs Leicestershire, part three: Labour of Hercules

At this point I have to skip what happened on the board 10 because so far I have not received this game and I will proceed to the board 11.

11. Ivan David vs Karl Potter

Playing White I chose for rather unambitious opening known as London System. This is something very common at the club level and I have mentioned some strategies in my previous posts. Karl opted for non-nonsense approach and immediately challenged my dark-squared Bishop. Then he decided to exchanged bishops. His strategy led to the blocked position  where my very good Knight played against his very bad Bishop. I tried to employ the principle of two weaknesses, alas, this position was bullet-proof. Draw in better position was very sad but inevitable result.

Kevin MCarthy (right) and I fighting abreast.

12. Steve Wylie vs Kevin McCarthy

I am not sure whether Steve was inspired by the game on board 11, however, both player reached the same position in the London system. Steve had a different opinion how to play this line and avoided dark-squared Bishop swap by playing 5.Ne5, but Kevin did not protest to give up his Bishop pair and swapped the Knight for his Bishop! After some other simplifications the position arising can be characterised as a balanced. Two Bishop vs better pawn structure.
Kevin finally obtained two passed-pawns on the Queen-side for the price of weakening the position of his King.
Before time control both players made several mistakes and draw was agreed in position which was worse (if not even lost) for Black. Make opinion for yourself.
Good luck was on the Lincolnshire side this time!




13. Alastair Summers vs Jim Miller

Duch defence was chosen by Jim Miller and the game was equal till the move 13 (!) when Alastair overlooked a fork which cost him an exchange.
He had continued fighting but his position was objectively lost. Jim however, was not perhaps happy with his position and material advantage because he offered draw in move 28 which was immediately accepted. The question is: Which position should be played for win if not a position with an exchange up like this?


14. Greg Adcock vs Stuart Macdonald

Sicilian defence in the "Dragon" style had been played where Black kept his King surprisingly in the centre of the board and very uncharacteristically he attacked the White King with h-pawn! Rather wild game with tactical clashes where Stuart kept his opponent in the bay... Just enjoy the game and it was another full point for Lincolnshire.

15. Denis Georgiou vs Mike Cowley

In the first 14 moves, in the game which started like Giuoco Piano, both players weakened position around their Kings. Denis by his "sortie" h3-g4 and Mike when he allowed the exchange of Knight for Bishop on f6. 
Then Denis perhaps should have gone after opponent's King with Qd2 planing some activities on the king-side. 
He swapped his lovely centralised Knight for Bishop on b6. He remained with bad Bishop first, and he allowed Mike to launch some attack on the king-side by h-pawn. The dark squares around his King were rather weak. Then he overlooked a tactical trick which cost him a central pawn. 
Finally both players exchanged most of pieces and went into the rook and pawns ending where Denis was a pawn down and passive. The end  of White King was inevitable.





16. Philip Harlow vs Graham Ladds

A classical line of Caro-Kann was played in solid but not very exciting fashion. One simplification after another led to dead draw pawn ending. White got more space but he could not break very solid Black defence. Very solid performance by Graham.