Repeat Performance

After the A-team's disappointing draw against Gwyddbwyll.com, Aberystwyth B had the opportunity to show them how it should be done at the St David's Club on Tuesday 6 November. Playing Black on Board 1, I was a bit tentative against Iwan Griffiths's Queen's Gambit, but had two bishops and some pressure against his king, when an unexpected reply to a move I had thought decisive flustered me, and I blundered an exchange, losing soon afterwards. When James Cook and Owen Llywelyn play each other they always face the same problem: each is a Caro-Kann devotee, and no one wants to refute their favourite opening. This time James, as White, played a potentially dangerous line once used by Bobby Fischer, but missed the sharpest possibilities and the game resolved into a drawn position. New club member James Corrigan, playing his first ever competitive match on Board 4 against Emyr Llywelyn, attacked confidently and soon had what should have been a winning advantage, when he overlooked a fork and dropped a piece. He had some compensation, however, and the game was eventually agreed drawn. That left team captain Ian Finlay on Board 3, a pawn up in a difficult rook ending, to try to level the match. Tegwyn Jones managed to reach a drawn position but his flag fell before he could claim it, an unfortunate way to lose. So this match also ended in a 2-2 draw, which appears to be Aber's default result at this stage of the season.

Iwan Griffiths - Matthew Francis 1-0

James Cook - Owen Llywelyn ½-½

Tegwyn Jones - Ian Finlay 0-1

James Corrigan - Emyr Llywelyn ½-½

Congratulations to Rudy van Kemenade, joint winner of the Dyfed Closed Championship. He tied with Gerry Heap of Carmarthen on 4½/5. Full report to follow.