4NCL - The Four Nations League - www.4ncl.co.uk/pre2010

Daily Telegraph

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This article is used on the 4NCL web site with permission.

Weekend four of the 4NCL divisions one and two was held at Wokefield Park near Reading and Guildford ADC maintained what looks like an unstoppable run with victories over Barbican 4NCL1 and Northwest Eagles. The league leaders conceded just four draws in sixteen games.

The ADs strengthened their team with GM Ian Rogers from Australia and he assisted in what may prove to be a crucial 4.5-3.5 victory over fellow relegation strugglers 3Cs Oldham. Wood Green ended any lingering fears of the drop with a 7.5-0.5 drubbing of South Wales Dragons.

The world number fifteen David Navara was held to a draw by Jonathan Parker in round seven and in round eight suffered a shock defeat.

D Navara (2719) - S Macak (2373)

4NCL Div1 (8) Wokefield Park

Slough Sharks - NW Eagles
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ (The Bogo-Indian Defence a very solid choice) 4.Nbd2 (4.Bd2 is the other move and 4.Nc3 would transpose to the Nimzo or Queen's Indian) 4...0-0 5.a3 Bxd2+ 6.Qxd2 d5 7.e3 b6 8.Be2 Ba6 (Black would like to exchange a pair of bishops and put his knight on e4) 9.b3 (White preserves his bishop and defends c4) 9...Nbd7 10.0-0 c5 11.cxd5 Bxe2 12.Qxe2 exd5 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.b4 (White plans to isolate Black's queen's pawn and this gives him a small but stable advantage) 14...Qb6 15.bxc5 Qxc5 16.Bb2 Rfc8 17.Nd4 Qc4 18.Qf3 (But it might not be enough to win in an endgame) 18...Rab8 19.Rac1 Qd3 20.Rxc8+ Rxc8 21.Nf5 (The endings after 21.Rd1 Qe4 22.Nf5 Qxf3 23.gxf3 Rc2 24.Bxf6 Nxf6 25.Rb1 and 21.Rd1 Qe4 22.Nf5 Rc2 23.Qxe4 Nxe4 24.f3! Rxb2 25.fxe4 were both promising for White. This allows a nasty tactic on the back rank) 21...Rb8! 22.Rc1 (22.Bxf6 Rb1! 23.Nh6+ gxh6 24.Qg3+ Kf8 25.Qd6+ Kg8 26.Qg3+ draws) 22...g6! (22...Rxb2?? 23.Rc8+) 23.Ne7+ (23.Bxf6 Nxf6 24.Ng3 Qxa3 with an extra pawn) 23...Kf8 24.Rd1 Qc2 25.Bxf6 Rb1! 26.Rf1 Nxf6 27.Nc8 (27.Qxf6 Rxf1+ 28.Kxf1 Qd1 mate) 27...Ne4 (27...Qd3 also wins) 28.Nd6 Rxf1+ 29.Kxf1 Nd2+ 0-1

Macak

board

Navara

Final position after 29...Nd2+

Whenever I see Tony Kosten at the 4NCL he has won before I am out of the opening, save for round six when we drew with each other. Simon Williams was successful with the Avant Garde Defence at the weekend but his opponent played the inferior 6.a3. Kosten’s approach is more direct.

A Kosten - B Hague

4NCL Div1 (7) Wokefield Park

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.f4 a6 5.Nf3 b5 6.Bd3 Nd7 7.Be3 c5 8.dxc5 Nxc5 9.Bxc5 dxc5 (9...Bxc3+!) 10.e5! Bb7 11.Be4 Bxe4 12.Nxe4 Qc7 (12...Qa5+ 13.Qd2 Qxd2+ 14.Nfxd2 c4 15.a4!) 13.Qd5 Rc8 14.0-0-0 Nh6 15.Nd6+! exd6 16.exd6 Qd7 17.Ne5 1-0