First Team - Update!

Well, I wasn't looking forward to searching through my 125 unread emails to update you on how Streatham & Brixton Chess Club's First Team has been getting on. And fortunately, now I don't have to! Martin just emailed this summary around: "Thanks to a win in extra time by Alan we have stolen the match against Ilford 6.5/5.5, in spite of playing with 11 men. Well done all. So we have 2 match points from 3 finished matches. The match v Wimbledon is still in the balance 5.5/5.5 with Adam W’s game outstanding."

Here is the position Alan won his adjourned position from:

I know what you're thinking - that Alan was white and a win looks fairly likely. But, no. Alan was black. Rook endgames are a bit of a mystery to me, this one more than most. So here are the moves that completed the game, with the final position below: 1. g3 Rf5 2. Rxf5 gxf5 3. Rxb5 Rxd7 4. b4 Rc7 5. Rxa5 Rxc3 6. a4 Kg7 7. Rb5 Kf6 8. a5 Ra3 9. Rb6 Kg5 10. a6 Kg4 11. Kf2 e5 12. b5 Ra2+ 13. Ke3 f4+ 14. gxf4 exf4+ 15. Ke4 f5+ 16. Ke5 f3 17. Rc6 f2 18. Rc1 Re2+ 19. Kd6 Re1 20. Rc4+ f4 21. h3+ Kg3 22. Rc3+ f3, and white resigned.

Amazing stuff! A big Congratulations to Alan. And also a big Thank You to Bob, who apparently provided three pages of analysis of the adjourned position - which at the very least changed Alan's mind in favour of 1. ... Rf5.

Tonight we face Hackney, who were a considerable force last year in Division 1 of the London League. Good luck everyone.