SCCU U2050: Essex 10½-5½ Surrey
At Wanstead. The first match of the new campaign featured last season’s two ECF U2050 County Championships Finalists – and who can forget that famous Essex come-from-behind victory?
Faced with travelling across London on a train strike day, Surrey are to be commended for not postponing, while their U1650 team (also due to play Essex at Wanstead) did. Surrey lost a player on the day due to illness and suffered a further default, an hour after the delayed start, for a player stuck in traffic.
Chairman Colin set a fine example to his colleagues with a brilliancy, Essex’s first win of the day; while Colin eschewed a gambit today, he offered at least three pieces in sacrifice. While none could quite match the Chairman’s example, George Horan had a nice win on debut. Essex were never behind and built up a six point lead before Surrey reduced the winning margin to five. See Mark Murrell’s blow-by-blow account and all the games on the U2050 page (link below).
The other U2050 match due to have been played today, Middx at Home to Kent, was called off when Middx lost their venue with staff unable to open due to the train strike.
Link: U2050 page | SCCU on ECF LMS
Someone has beat me to it with analysis for my rather short game! A draw was agreed after it became clear that my opponent would repeat the position (Ne6, Nc7) and I chickened out of escaping to the queenside (was worried about queen getting trapped.
However, escaping with Qa5 is the correct move and leads to a decent advantage for black. After e.g. 10 Bd2, the key move that I missed is 10..Nxe4!, creating an escape square for the queen on d5 and leading to a double attack on both white knights.
Something to remember if I ever face this again. Well done to the rest of the team for a comprehensive victory that rendered my quick draw moot!