Another Instalment

With two teams each, and playing home and away matches, Aberystwyth and Cardigan are scheduled to meet eight times this season in the Dyfed League. The match between Aberystywth B and Cardigan B hardly seemed over when Aber's A team sat down again to play the same line-up. Mark Talbot on top board got a big opening advantage from the Classical Variation of the French Defence, winning a couple of pawns and destroying White's centre. Caerwyn Owen played on only a few more moves before accepting his inevitable defeat. Rudy van Kemenade also dominated from the opening, getting a crushing position from Howard Leah's inaccurate defence to the Ruy Lopez. On Board 3, I played the Scandinavian against a Cardigan player for the second week in a row, and emerged from the opening with a more comfortable position than I achieved against Howard Leah. Nevertheless Roland Spencer had some pressure for a time, before succumbing to a counterattack against the White king. The most complex game was played on bottom board, where Ian Finlay won Awne Osinga's queen for rook and knight with a knight fork, but had to deal with a dangerous passed pawn. After several more twists, the game was drawn. Aber won the match 3½-½.

Caerwyn Owen - Mark Talbot 0-1

Rudy van Kemenade - Howard Leah 1-0

Roland Spencer - Matthew Francis 0-1

Ian Finlay - Awne Osinga ½-½