Best Game 2024/25 (three entries)
Winner – Benjamin Humphreys
“This was an excellent game from White in a French Winawer structure. They built up the position very well and the tactics flowed nicely after 18.e6! The following sacrifices 24.Bxc4! and 29.Bb5! were the cherry on top of a dominating performance.” IM Jonah Willow (judge)
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[Event “NCA Division I”]
[Date “2025.03.17”]
[White “Benjamin Humphreys (1915, West Bridgford I)”]
[Black “Chris Cantrill (2009, Mansfield)”]
[Result “1-0”] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Ne2 Nc6 5. e5 a6 6. Ng3 Nce7 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 c5 9. h4 Bd7 10. Qg4 g6 11. a4 Nf5 12. Nxf5 exf5 13. Qf4 Qa5 14. Bd2 Qb6 15. Bd3 c4 16. Be2 Qb2 17. O-O Qxc2 18. e6 Bc6 19. Qc7 Qxd2 20. Qxf7+ Kd8 21. Qg7 Ne7 22. Qxh8+ Be8 23. Qe5 Bc6 24. Bxc4 Rc8 25. Be2 Qxc3 26. Rfc1 Qb4 27. Qh8+ Kc7 28. Qxh7 Qd6 29. Bb5 Kb8 30. Bxc6 bxc6 31. Qg7 Rc7 32. Qf8+ Nc8 33. Rab1+ Ka7 34. Qxd6 Nxd6 35. Re1 Re7 36. f3 Nc4 37. Re2 f4 38. Kf2 Nd6 39. Rc1 Nf5 40. Rxc6 Kb7 41. Rc5 Nxd4 42. Rb2+ Ka7 43. Rxd5 Nxe6 44. Re5 1-0
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Best U1800 Game 2024/25 (two entries)
Winner Nick London.
“After some passive moves from black in the opening such as 7…Bd7 and 9…Rc8, White nicely built up a large space advantage. Although perhaps not converting in the fastest way at times, I enjoyed how controlled they kept their position while tightening the screws on black, with a nice final king march to end the game showcasing black’s total passivity.” IM Jonah Willow (judge)
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[Event “NCA Division III”]
[Date “2025.01.27”]
[White “Nick London (1729, Radcliffe & Bingham II)”]
[Black “Keith Aiton (1863, Newark II)”]
[Result “1-0”] 1.d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O c6 7. Qc2 Bd7 8. Nbd2 Na6 9. a3 Rc8 10. b4 Nc7 11. Bb2 b5?! 12. c5 Re8 13. Rfe1 Bf8 14. e4 dxe4 15. Nxe4 Nxe4 16. Rxe4 Nd5 17. Rae1 g6 18. Bc1 Bg7 19. h4 f5? 20. R4e2 Nf6 21. Bg5? { 21.Ng5! } 21… h6 22. Bf4 Ne4 23. Ne5 { 23.Rxe4! } 23… Bxe5 24. Bxe5 Nf6 25. Qd2 Kh7 26. Bf3 Rg8 27. Kg2 Qf8 28. Bd6 Qg7 29. Bf4 Rce8 30. Rh1 h5 31. Ra1 Ra8 32. Bg5 Rge8 33. Qf4 Nd5 34. Bxd5 exd5 35. Rae1? { 35. Rxe8 Bxe8 36. Re1 &37.Re7 } 35… Rxe2 36. Rxe2 Re8 37. Rxe8 Bxe8 38. Qd6 Qf7 39. Bf6 Kg8 40. Be5 Kh7 41. Kf3 Kg8 42. Kf4 Kh7 43. Bf6 Kg8 44. Ke5 Qd7?? { 44…Qb7 } 45. Qxd7 1-0 [/pgn]
“Some good moves not taken but I enjoyed Black’s paralysis towards the end against an opponent I have never beaten before.” (Nick London)
Best Swindle 2024/25 (three entries)
Winner Ewan Fewell
“This was a rollercoaster of a game. Black clearly won the opening battle and got a dream position from the Botvinnik Semi-Slav, but it turned around entirely after black missed 18.Bxc4. After some nice moves from White they won a clean piece and were converting nicely. It was a very unfortunate blunder from White at the end, but credit to Black for fighting on and looking out for any tricks left in the position – and it was a very nice trick!” IM Jonah Willow (judge).
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[Event “NCA Division I”]
[Date “2025.02.04”]
[White “Onos Kofi-Ofuafor (1882, Gambit II)”]
[Black “Ewan Fewell (2080, University I)”]
[Result “0-1”]
1.d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Bg3 Nd5 10. a4 Bb4 11. Qc2 Qa5 12. Rc1 Nd7 13. Be2 N7b6 14. axb5 cxb5 15. O-O Nxc3 16. bxc3 Be7 17. Ra1 Na4 18. Bxc4 Bd7 19. Bb3 Rc8 20. c4 Qc7 21. Nd2 Nb6 22. c5 Nd5 23. Bxd5 exd5 24. e6 Qb7 25. exd7+ Qxd7 26. f4 g4 27. f5 Rc6 28. Be5 f6 29. Bg3 Kf7 30. Nb3 Bd8 31. Qe2 h5 32. Qxb5 h4 33. Bf4 Re8 34. Ra6 Rc7 35. c6 Qe7 36. Qxd5+ Kg7 37. Bxc7 Qe3+ 38. Kh1 Bxc7 39. Nc5 Qf4 0-1 [/pgn]
“I had the Black pieces and played the sharp Botvinnik variation of the Semi Slav. I don’t want to comment too much on the game as I played so horrifically, did not take advantage of my opening edge, my opponent played great, and before I know it, the evaluation is +8 for him for the entire middlegame. I should have had morals and resigned but I kept fighting, I had only one trap left and somehow swindled the position into a mate in 6 for Black. The finale is an only move, and I don’t think I will ever have a turn around quite like this again…” Ewan Fewell