NICS vs Lindores 2

Lindores 1 are in self-destruct mode; are their juniors any better. Meanwhile, despite the addition of some Lagan ronin, NICS are managing their own demise pretty well too.

With 6 boards playing and our secret weapon of Peter May the NICS team was feeling confident.

Shortly after the match begun a cry of anguish was heard from Drew's table. The board was quickly put away. Drew had successfully researched the book "How to turn opening advantage into mate in only 11 moves!".

David Jackson playing board 3: "Playing Black I got a cramped position and in trying to defend a King-side attack of Queen and two active Knights against a Queen and stifled pieces. I escaped but he broke through the Queen-side and got one of his rooks onto the seventh rank, and struggled for 20 odd moves in a Rook and extra pawn verses Knight ending."

On board 5 Geoff was going well with a strong centre and whites f-Knight on the h-file. Winning that Knight probably in exchange for a pawn would have been easy  but instead he blundered away a Rook for a Bishop, and the roof fell in!

Adrian on board 6 was terribly honest and surely this must have happened to us all at one time: "The mathematician who can't count" . He exchanged several pieces and looking at the board thought "I am a piece short?" He was indeed, missing a Knight and unfortunately that was that.

Peter May our new member and secret weapon gained our only point: Shane Keers, as Black, castled late allowing an early attack from the Queen-side and centre on the King - winning the exchange and finally getting a resignation when trapping and winning the remaining Bishop.
The last game of the evening was board 1 and by this time the match was decided Lindores having won 3 points.

 

On top board boards topMark Newman defended against fellow ex-Bombardier player Paul McNaughton who opened with f4. Mark returned by d4 and developing the Queen-side allowing a relatively early Queen-side castle. Black eyed a beautiful sacrifice relying on the Queen and King being on the same diagonal so Mark took a pawn with his Knight leaving it en prise. Shock horror! - the Knight he was going to win back, moved to safety threatening a fork on the King and Queen. Mark limped along after that, having lost a Knight for a pawn. But later he won another pawn back and gained 2 passed pawns in the centre of the board. With a little play and almost trapping a Rook Paul offered a draw. It was turned down. Then several moves later - after almost loosing the game, Mark offered a draw which was also turned down. Several moves later both Paul and Mark finally agreed the draw, much to the relief of Mark.

Lindores the victors left NICS with some thoughts - everyone enjoyed their games. Drew decided he'd change the title of his book, Mark would check all moves before making a beautiful sacrifice, Adrian would buy a calculator, Geoff would stop blundering and David would stop getting into cramped positions. Peter would just keep winning. And the club would get some coaching. So next team beware.....

Navigation
News
Join the FIDE Social Chess Storytelling Challenge 2025 – Every Move Counts! A message from The FIDE Social Commission Team:- FIDE has made 2025 the Year of Social Chess and invites you to particip... Apr 28, 2025
Final Standings for the 2025 Childrens Chess Grandprix With the April Childrens Chess completed we have the final standings for the 2025 Grandprix. The top four of each sectio... Apr 26, 2025
UCU League 2024/25 final tables and board prizes Report on the UCU Belfast & District League 2024/25 Apr 20, 2025
City Of Bangor Chess Club hosted the Ulster Team Rapidplay Championship 2024/25 The Ulster Chess Team Rapidplay Championships are run every two years. Top players and team travelled to the fantastic B... Apr 16, 2025
Aprils Monthly Childrens Chess Tournament at Methodist College On April 12th 2025 Children from all over Ulster meet at Methodist College to play brilliant chess at the Ulster Chess U... Apr 16, 2025
More news…
« May 2025 »
May
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
Upcoming Events
The Summer Tournament Weds 21st May at Civil Service Pavilion Weds 21st May and the 3rd Week. The aim is to start each round at 7.45 pm. Please arrive at least by 7:30pm and if arriv... May 21, 2025 07:30 PM - 10:30 PM — NICS,Maynard Sinclair Pavilion, Stormont, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3TA
GM Simul with Alex Baburin May 23, 2025 06:30 PM - 11:00 PM — Maynard Sinclair Pavilion, Belfast
FIDE RATED City of Belfast Classic Championship 2025 Sat 24th May, Sun 25th May, Mon 26th May Venue: Castleview Suite, Maynard Sinclair Sports Pavilion, Upper Newtownards R... May 24, 2025 - May 26, 2025 — NICS,Maynard Sinclair Pavilion, Stormont, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3TA
FIDE RATED Belfast Blitz Championship 2025 May 24, 2025 07:15 PM - 10:00 PM — Castleview Suite, Maynard Sinclair Sports Pavilion, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Ulster Fischer Random Rapidplay Championship 2025 7 rounds of Fischer Random Chess, Sunday 8th June at the Civil Service Pavilion. Jun 08, 2025 10:30 AM - 06:00 PM — NICS,Maynard Sinclair Pavilion, Stormont, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3TA
Upcoming events…