Best Game 2023/24 (three entries)
Winner – Michael Naylor-Eade
“In a small set of unflinching, fighting games, in this one White introduces a neatly thought-out concept in a well trodden Ruy Lopez Breyer position, carrying a piece sacrifice to springboard the attack. Black defends well, and the first player has to generate a series of complex blows to break the resistance on the move 35.” Tim Walker (judge)
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[Event “4NCL”]
[Date “2024.01.07”]
[White “Michael Naylor-Eade (1990, Ashfield I)”]
[Black “Shabir Okhai (2241, The Rookies)”]
[Result “1-0”]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. Ng3 g6 15. Bg5 h6 16. Bd2 exd4 17. cxd4 c5 18. a4 cxd4 19. axb5 axb5 20. Nxd4 Qb6 21. Be3 Rxa1 22. Qxa1 Nc5 23. Ndf5 Qc6 24. f3 gxf5 25. Nxf5 Ne6 26. b4 Nd7 27. Bb3 Ne5 28. Bxh6 Bxh6 29. Nxh6+ Kh7 30. Nf5 Qb6+ 31. Kh1 Rg8 32. Qc1 Rg6 33. Rd1 Ng7 34. Ne7 Rh6 35. Qf4 Nh5 36. Qf5+ Kg7 37. Qg5+ Rg6 38. Qxh5 Qf2 39. Nxg6 fxg6 40. Qg5 Bc6 41. Rxd6 Qb2 42. Qf6+ Kh6 43. Rd8 Be8 44. Rxe8 Qa1+ 45. Bd1 Qxd1+ 46. Kh2 Ng4+ 47. hxg4 Qg1+ 48. Kxg1 Kh7 49. Rh8# 1-0
[/pgn]
Best U1800 Game 2023/24 (four entries)
Winner Benjamin Humphreys.
“In a strong field of entries, this game stood out: Black sacrifices his queen, chases White’s king halfway up the board and delivers the coup de grace with a discovered checkmate.” Stuart Humphreys (judge)
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[Event “Nottingham Congress (Major)”]
[Date “2024.04.21”]
[White “Garry P. Smith (1842)”]
[Black “Benjamin Humphreys (1793)”]
[Result “0-1”] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.Re1 d5 7.Bb5 Bd6 8. Bxc6+ bxc6 9.Qxd4 0-0 10.Nc3 Bc5 11.Qa4 Bxf2+ 12.Kf1 Bxe1 13.Kxe1 Re8 14.Kf1 Qf6 15.Nxd5 Qd6 16.Ne3 Nc5 17.Qh4 Ba6+ 18.Kg1 Rad8 19.b3 Qd1+ 20.Nxd1 Rxd1+ 21.Ne1 Rexe1+ 22.Kf2 Re2+ 23.Kg3 Ne4+ 24.Kh3 Bc8+ 25.g4 h5 26.Qxh5 Nf6 27.Qa5 Bxg4+ 28.Kg3 Rg1+ 29.Kf4 Re4+ 30.Kg5 Bc8# 0-1 [/pgn]
Best Swindle 2023/24 (two entries)
Winner Phil Morgan
“This was a fight to the end, and in a way a double swindle. After White plays well, and misses an immediate win with 35. f7+ winning the h4 bishop, Black makes the most of keeping this piece. Firstly, Black’s induces 41. g3 g4+ after which the win is more tricky, and then White is unfortunate to blunder into the second ‘trap’ with 44. Ke3? I feel sorry for the first player who you imagine must have been tired or in time trouble from move 40, after a good game (we’ve all been there!) Congratulations to Black for setting the maximum number of obstacles to victory – a result for the battling bishops.” Tim Walker (judge).
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[Event “NCA Division II”]
[Date “2024.03.06”]
[White “Ben Mason (1812, Grantham II)”]
[Black “Phil Morgan (1721, Ashfield II)”]
[Result “0-1”] 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Nf6 4. Nf3 Nxd5 5. d4 e6 6. Be2 Nbd7 7. 0-0 Be7 8. a3 0-0 9. Re1 b6 10. Nbd2 Bb7 11. Nf1 cxd4 12. cxd4 Bf6 13. Bd3 Rc8 14. Bd2 Re8 15. Ne5 g6 16. Bb5 Re7 17. Bxd7 Rxd7 18. Nxd7 Qxd7 19. Be3 Nxe3 20. fxe3 Qd5 21. Qd2 Bg5 22. Rad1 Rd8 23. Qf2 Bh4 24. Ng3 f5 25. Rf1 Rf8 26. Rd2 g5 27. Qf3 Qd7 28. Qh5 Qc6 29. e4 f4 30. Qh6 Qd7 31. Nh5 Qe7 32. e5 Be4 33. Nf6+ Rxf6 34. exf6 Qf8 35. Qxf8+ Kxf8 36. Re2 Bd3 37. Rd2 Bxf1 38. Kxf1 Kf7 39. Ke2 Kxf6 40. Kf3 Kf5 41. g3 g4+ 42. Kf2 fxg3+ 43. hxg3 Bf6 44. Ke3 Bg5+ 45. Ke2 Bxd2 46. Kxd2 Ke4 0-1 [/pgn]