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

Daily Telegraph

Malcolm Pein's daily chess column is available at the Telegraph's web site. You need to register, which is free. The daily chess column can be found by clicking the "Chess Club" link in the Arts section.

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

The 2008-09 season of the 4NCL starts today at Sunningdale with the title holders Guildford ADC I facing a new challenge to their recent hegemony with the merger of Hilsmark Kingfisher and Wood Green. Barbican 4NCL 1 will also continue to be a force

The first round pairings are

Guildford-A&DC 2 vs. White Rose 1
Sambuca Sharks vs. Richmond
Wood Green Hilsmark Kingfisher 1 vs. Cambridge University 1
South Wales Dragons 1 vs. Barbican 4NCL 1

Section B

Betsson.com vs. Pride and Prejudice
Barbican 4NCL 2 vs. The GAMBIT ADs
Wood Green Hilsmark Kingfisher 2 vs. North West Eagles
Bristol 1 vs. Guildford-A&DC 1

After seven rounds two groups of eight will be created. In one the teams will play for the title and the other will be a battle to avoid relegation. Games previously played between teams in the same group from the first seven rounds will be carried forward. Teams will not play each other twice.

Nick Pert had a successful 2007-2008 season for Guildford.

SG Williams - N Pert
4NCL/Division 1
Guildford ADC v Slough Sharks
Slav Defence
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Nb6 8.Ne5 a5 (Securing both the knight on b6 from attack and the b4 square for the bishop) 9.f3 Nfd7 10.Nxd7 Nxd7 11.e4 Bg6 12.f4!? e6 13.Bd3 (13.Bc4 has been played with the idea of 13...Bb4 14.0-0 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Bxe4 16.Ba3 preventing castling) 13...Nf6 (Attacking the d4 pawn with the queen) 14.Be3 Bb4 15.Qc2 ( The queen looks awkward here, 15.Qf3 0-0 16.0-0) 15...0-0 16.h3 Qe7 17.g4 (Not as dangerous as it appears as f4-f5 can still be met by exf5 and Bxf5) 17...c5! (But Black must react or be pushed off the board) 18.0-0-0? (18.dxc5! Bxc5 19.Bxc5 Qxc5 20.0-0-0 is better for White but 18...Rfd8 19.0-0-0 Bxc3 20.Qxc3 and a capture on e4 or Rxd3 first is fin for Black) 18...Bxc3 19.bxc3 c4! (Winning material) 20.Bxc4 Bxe4 21.Bd3 Bxh1 22.Rxh1 Rac8 23.Bd2 Nd5 24.Qb2 Rxc3+

Pert
board

Williams G

Position after 24...Rxc3+

25.Bxc3 Rc8 26.Kd2 Rxc3 27.Be4 Rg3 if Rc1 then g5! wins easily enough 0-1

White Rose won last year’s 2nd Division and were promoted with Bristol, Pride and Prejudice, and South Wales Dragons.

S Barrett - A Crombleholme
4NCL Div2 Whote Rose v Hilsmark Kingfisher 2
Slav Defence
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.Ne5 Nbd7 6.Nxd7 Qxd7 7.e4 b5 8.e5 Nd5 9.Ne4 Qg4 [9...e6 10.Be2 Bb7 would leave the onus of proof on White. Now the queen becomes sidelined] 10.f3 Qg6 11.g3 Bf5 12.Bg2 e6 13.0-0 Nb4 14.b3 cxb3 15.Qxb3 White intends a2-a4, Bd2 and a rook to c1. Black should have considered Be7 and 0-0 and letting a pawn go 15...0-0-0?! 16.Be3 Kb7 17.Rfc1 Nd5 18.a4 b4 [18...a6 19.axb5 cxb5 20.Qc2 wins] 19.a5 Bxe4 20.fxe4 Nxe3 21.a6+! Forcing mate 21...Kb8 22.Qa4 f6 23.Qxc6 Qf7 24.Ra5 1-0

Crombleholme
board

Barrett

Final position after 24.Ra5