BY JOHN BUSBRIDGE

The Midland hotel, Derby, once again proved ideal, not least because of the kind and practical staff. Friendliness dominated the whole occasion, right from when John Gallagher joined me at Wakefield in the seats we had booked. As those who were there will remember, the hotel is next to the station, and the kind help John obtained at the station found us escorted right to reception. It seems inevitable that dinner service makes the meal overlap the evening rounds, but this was the only hotel problem, except my own, when I missed a discussion by taking the wrong route and having a lost wander round. It is always a delight to meet up with chess friends and the atmosphere precludes any of the current rough stuff of the football world. I continue to learn the lessons of the clock. I used to think of the clock as a friend to winners and an enemy of losers. In this tournament, I dithered and was flagged down in two very strong positions.

The thanks of all ordinary and associate members and me must go to the officers who organise these events; and this must include thanks to Gerry Walsh and Julie Leonard who conducted the chess with masterly skill, and to Sheila Milsom for another raffle.

David Dimbleby could learn much from Jim Lidstone about how to chair a meeting graciously and keep it moving along!

Once again, Stan and Jan Lovell have picked a winner in promoting this tournament weekend.

Results

Open:

Mordue (first prize) 4.5 – 5.

Burnell (second prize) 4.

Lilley, Ross (sharing third prize) 3.5.

Hodgkins, Thacker, Wragg (sharing grading prize A) 3.

Plechaty (grading prize C) 3.

Hartley, 3.

Gallagher, 2.5.

Waters (grading prize B) 2.

Murphy, Price, Sobers, 2.

Gailans, Perham, 1.5.

Smith, 1.

Minor:

Kirkham (first prize) 4.5.

Whitehouse (second prize) 4.

S. Hall (third prize) 3.5.

C. Brown, Watkins, 3.

Lidstone, 2.5 winning the grading prize.

Collisson, Patching, 2.5.

Busbridge, Harrington, Osborne, 2.

Cash, 1.5.

R. Brown, Hodges, 1.

The A.G.M. 2002
By Stan Lovell

Those who attended this year’s AGM shared a feeling of sadness when we stood in silent memory of the late Stephen Eastwick-Field who died during the year.

Members received with acclaim the proposal from the committee that we dedicate a trophy to be played for in the BCA Minor Tournament, which will be known as the Stephen Eastwick-Field Memorial Trophy. We also said "thank you" to Sean O’Brien who had announced that he did not wish to stand for re-election as Postal Tournament Director. In presenting an English pewter tankard to Sean on behalf of the members Stan Lovell recalled that Sean had served on the committee for 25 years with wisdom and great dedication, and that his ready wit had often defused those moments of tension that can occur on any committee.

In addition to such poignant moments there was praise for Wendy Holmes our treasurer who has converted the chaos she inherited into excellent good order, and for our fund-raiser Julia Scott who has put our finances into a healthy position.

There were also some landmark decisions taken which will influence the course of BCA development. The setting up of "Junior BCA", it is hoped, will not only bring more young people into our association but will also ensure that they have a real voice in the decision making process. The British Championship will revert to a straight forward seven round Swiss tournament in 2003 open to all visually handicapped UK residents. It is hoped that the abolition of a complicated qualification process may encourage more players to participate.

The introduction of our own dedicated website should give impetus to our recruitment drive, particularly the drive to recruit young members, and it should also give us a much better platform to advertise ourselves and the services we offer.

Seven of the existing committee members were re-elected and we were pleased to welcome Guy Whitehouse onto the committee as Postal Tournament Director in place of the retiring Sean O’Brien.

Any member may receive the full minutes of the AGM recorded onto tape by applying to our cassette librarian.

Stan Lovell May 2002

Reproduced is a most instructive game played at the above tournament:

Wragg – Mordue

Sicilian Defence – Scheveningen

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 d6 6 Be2 Be7 7 00 a6 8 a4 Nc6 9 Be3 00 10 Nb3 Qc7 11 f4 b6 12 Qe1 Rb8 13 Qg3 Na5

White now retreats his knight to d2 to prevent black Nc4.

14 Nd2 Rd8 15 Bd3 d5 16 e5

16 e5 looks good, but black is ready with another curious knight manoeuvre.

16 … Nh5 17 Qh3 g6 18 Ne2 Nc4

19 Nxc4

White cannot really allow black to take the bishop on e3 but now black has the better position on the queen’s side, and control of the open d file.

19 … dxc 20 Be4 Bb7 21 Bxb7 Qxb7 22 Nc3

preventing black Qe4 with an interesting duel between the white knight and the black queen for the rest of the game.

22 … Ng7

relocating to a stronger square on f5. If white plays 23 g4 to prevent this then black replies h5.

Curiously, black’s pawn advance in front of his own king proves how weak is white’s pawn in front of his own king.

23 Rad1 Nf5 24 Bf2 h5

Safeguarding the position of the knight on f5 by ruling out g4

25 g3

To regroup the queen via g2 but this is rather weakening.

25 … Bc5

The same idea as before: exchanging bishops gives black pressure down the b file, and in this instance also improved central control. Black controls d5,

d4 and d3 all with pawns, and after the elimination of the dark-square bishops, white has to be wary of allowing Rd2

26 Qg2 Bxf2+ 27 Rxf2

Qxf2 was better.

27 … Rxd1+ 28 Nxd1 Qd7

Attacking the knight on d1 and the pawn on a4 and securing permanent control of the d file.

29 Nc3 Rd8 30 Qe4 b5 31 axb axb

Black now has the advantage on the queen’s side, and in the centre; while white’s weakening king-side is cause for concern.

32 Qe2 Qd4 33 Qe4 Qc5

Black does not want to exchange an active queen. Now black Ne3, b4 and Rd1+ loom.

34 Qe2 Ne3 35 Ne4 Qd4 36 Nf6+ Kg7 37 c3 Qd1+ 38 white resigns

Tyson Mordue
May 2002