S.Anselm's 0
Norwich School U18 6
This afternoon we all felt privileged to play chess against some of the top U18 chess players in
England. The opposition included three England players (including a former captain) and the grade of all six in the
Norwich
School team was higher than that of Mr. Franklin, many of them by a considerable distance! The match was a marvellous experience for all our team and we ended the day another 10-15% better at chess than we started it … you saw chess played at a different level today. It was the luck of the draw at this National Stage of the tournament, I suppose, but very many thanks to
Norwich
School for spending nine hours in their minibus to reach Bakewell. It was good to see our boys learn and admire and chat to their pupils who were in their mid / late teens … you learnt ever so much. We wish them all the best in the last eight … will they push
Nottingham
High School to become the best school at chess in the country?!
Play gets underway ... Norwich School, one of the very best U18 schools in the country at chess, had nothing but praise for the way you played today.
Matthew B finished a remarkable match after just 17 minutes … I can't help but compare the way he played to a 20-20 cricket match. If '?!' means a speculative move in a chess match, your game today was full of '????!'s. One firework after another that might've worked against a mere competent prep school pupil, but not a 15 year old wizz-kid. You needed to think for much longer over each move. The Germans didn't beat the 'Maginot Line' in
France with one soldier … you tried to do that at the chess board today. More thinking needed. (0-1, 17 minutes).
There followed a surreal 20 minutes or so where S.Anselm's held there own in every match and, indeed, had the upper hand in two as both Tobias S (by one pawn) and Isaac S (by two) were actually ahead … and this in a match where, due to the age handicap, we only needed 1½ points to win …
Paddy D was the second to lose, but what a game … it's amazing you're now mixing it with the best and, for the most part, holding your own! This was a very equal game which was level for well over half an hour. Your opponent, Nick Franklin (whose family comes from the same part of the country as my ancestors … some distant relation perhaps?!) likes the Alekhine Opening, one I haven't taught you, but you played all the right moves in ignoring it … after 20 moves each, or so, you finally paid the price for getting your queen out too early, which hindered development, and a passed pawn became the telling factor …ever so well played though! (0-2, 44 minutes).
For over three-quarters of an hour, Ivan S held his own against one of the very best 13-year old chess players in the country. What a performance from you! You then pushed a central pawn too far so that d4 and e4 played d5 and e5 … it opened up 'a can of worms' and suddenly everything fell into place for your opposite number … a minor inaccuracy perhaps, but a telling error against such a stunning opponent! (0-3, 54 minutes).
After 40 minutes five of our team still hold their own ... I feel very proud of you all for keeping the opposition, full of England juniors, at bay for so long ...
Max H opened very well against the 'former England U11 captain' (now aged 18!). A couple of inaccurate moves as you entered the middle game, like Ivan, pushing forward a central pawn and, secondly, castling into the full force of your opponent's attack suddenly found you exposed and at the mercy of your super talented opponent. 10 moves later it was all over … ruthless, I think the word is … (0-4, 63 minutes).
4. f4?! played by Isaac S's opponent led to Isaac's bishop almost becoming trapped, but it was saved at a cost of a knight for two pawns … your opponent then made a mistake on move 10 with Ne2 which gave you a two pawn advantage. Your next move wasn't the best one, and then your opponent gradually got out of jail. Like Max, you castled in front of where your opponent was performing and, playing a little too defensively, things went downhill thereafter … (0-5, 89 minutes).
Toby S was the last to fall, but after a sound opening where you won a pawn, things went rapidly downhill when you allowed the opposition queen to eat into the queenside with Qb2 and then take an unguarded bishop on e3. You secure a '6' for fighting valiantly to the end, but piece after piece became pinned against the uncastled king and there was no way back into the match thereafter … (0-6, 98 minutes).
The end is nigh ... Tobias S finds his king trapped in the centre of the board ... a day for us all to remember however!
This was a marvellous day for S.Anselm's chess. To have the opportunity to play such a talented team today we feel very fortunate … did you secure the autograph in your scoreboard of the opposition player?!
We were the only U13 team left in the tournament in the country, the rest (apart from St. Wulstan's!) are U18 ... a feather in our cap beyond any doubt ... well done all of you, and the rest of our team who weren't selected for today's match. This has been a memorable season and a very successful one too: Played 12 Won 10 Lost 2 (including today)!
JMHF
Posted on
Tue, March 10, 2009
by admin