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Exciting final round of LOCL season 1

By Hendon LOCL captain Andrew Medworth
Wednesday 10 February, 2021

This evening, the first season of the London Online Chess League came to an end on Tornelo.

The top of the Open Division went down to the wire, with the three leading teams (Streatham & Brixton A, Hackney Thirsty and Charlton Chess Addicks) all drawing their matches.

I understand that Streatham & Brixton have provisionally won the Open Division on tie break, so provisional congratulations to them! Hendon A can take pride in having inflicted an upset defeat on them a couple of weeks ago.

Tonight, Hendon A faced the London Terminators, who are not affiliated with an over-the-board chess club.

Hendon A Hendon A London Terminators London Terminators
1
Rob Willmoth		 2200 ½ - ½
Kennan Kesterson		 1983
2
Alex Leslie		 2088 0 - 1
Josu Tornay Gomez		 1977
3
Savas Marin Stoica		 2043 1 - 0
Kevin Smyth		 1945
4
David Amior		 1900 1 - 0
Rohan Theo Barbier-Ramaiah		 963
2½ - 1½

Our opponents were unable to raise a full team, so the League found a player to fill in for them on Board 4. David Amior won there in the first game to finish.

The other games went the distance, with Rob Willmoth drawing against former Hendon junior Kennan Kesterson, and both sides scoring a win apiece on the middle boards. Therefore, we narrowly won the match!

Stoica,Savas Marin - Smyth,Kevin
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,166,62354%2421---
1.d4947,29855%2434---
1.Nf3281,60256%2441---
1.c4182,10256%2442---
1.g319,70256%2427---
1.b314,26554%2427---
1.f45,89748%2377---
1.Nc33,80151%2384---
1.b41,75648%2380---
1.a31,20654%2404---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d395450%2378---
1.g466446%2360---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c343351%2426---
1.h328056%2418---
1.a411060%2466---
1.f39246%2436---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
Stoica,S1–0Smyth,K
LOCL Season 12021
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e3 Qa5 7.Nd2 Bb4 8.Rc1 Ne4 9.Ndxe4 dxe4 10.Bf4 0-0 11.a3 Bxc3+ 12.Rxc3 Nf6 13.Be2 c5 14.dxc5 Rd8 15.Bd6 Black has got himself into quite a mess here! Ne8 16.0-0 Nxd6 17.cxd6 Qc5 18.Qc2 f5 19.f3 exf3 20.Bxf3 Qxd6 21.Rd1 Qe7 22.Rxd8+ Qxd8 23.Rd3 Qf6 24.Qd2 White's initiative has reached decisive proportions. e5 25.Rd8+ Kf7 26.Qd5+ 26.Rxc8 Rxc8 27.Qd7+ would also have wrapped things up fairly smartly. 26...Ke7 27.Qg8 27.Rg8 was a bit more clinical, when Qd8+ is a murderous threat. 27...Qf7 28.Qxf7+ 28.Qh8 would have been faster, when Black is collapsing on the back rank, though the ending Savas chose is also completely winning for White. 28...Kxf7 29.Bd5+ Ke7 30.Rg8 Kf6 31.Rf8+ Ke7 32.Rf7+ Kd6 33.Rxg7 Bd7 34.Rxh7 Bc6 35.Rh6+ Kc7 36.Re6 Bxd5 37.cxd5 e4 38.Rf6 Rc8 39.Kf2 Kd7 40.Rf7+ Kd6 41.Rxb7 Rc2+ 42.Kg3 Kxd5 43.h4 f4+ 44.Kxf4 Rxg2 45.Rb5+ Kc6 46.Rb4 a5 47.Rc4+ Kb5 48.Rxe4 Rxb2 49.a4+ Kc6 50.h5 Rh2 51.Kg5 A very nicely played game! 1–0
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Stoica,S-Smyth,K-1–0

Hendon B faced a tough end-of-season challenge against Hackney Hungry, though given we were heavily outgraded on three boards, we can be very proud of this result.

Hendon B Hendon B Hackney Hungry Hackney Hungry
1
Gul Kapur		 1533 0 - 1
Marceli Ciesielski		 1769
2
Tony Artman		 1400 0 - 1
Eduardo Cacares		 1713
3
Stanley Jacobs		 1390 ½ - ½
Peter Burgoyne		 1653
4
Dev Ranka		 1270 1 - 0
Bryan Ellis		 1113
1½ - 2½

Gul and Tony both lost to higher-graded opponents on the top boards, but Stanley achieved a very creditable draw on Board 3, and in the highlight of the round, I’m absolutely delighted to announce that Dev Ranka scored his first win for the club!

Dev is a model of persistence and courage; I’m sure he will continue to improve and that this will be the first of many career victories!

Ellis,Bryan T. - Ranka,Dev
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Ellis,B0–1Ranka,D
LOCL Season 12021
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bf4 a6 7.e3 Bf5 8.Qb3 Ra7 8...Na5 is the normal way of defending against Qb3 by White in the Exchange Slav. One of the key ideas behind Black's ...a6 is to make sure that White doesn't have Qb5+ now. 9.Qa4+ b5 10.Bxb5+ axb5 11.Nxb5 Bd7 12.Ne5 Bxb5 13.Qxb5+ Nd7= 9.Be2 e6 10.Bg5 Nb4 This was a bit too adventurous - it was better to focus on finishing kingside development first. 11.Qa4+ b5? And this loses material, but thankfully White did not take advantage! 11...Nc6 is considered best by Stockfish, but this indicates that Black's last move was sub-optimal 12.Nxb5? 12.Bxb5+!+- would have left Black in a real mess here. Black has no good way to get out of check, as taking on b5 drops the Ra7, blocking with the Nf6 would drop the queen, and ...Ke7 would drop the Nb4. 12...Qd7! 13.Nc7+? The last real mistake of the game. 13.Ne5 would have given White quite a bit of compensation for the piece axb5 14.Qxb5 Qxb5 15.Bxb5+ Ke7 White has two pawns for the piece and Black faces challenges developing the kingside. 13...Rxc7 14.Qxd7+ Rxd7 White has lost a knight for just one pawn; Dev does a good job of wrapping things up from here. 15.0-0 Rb7 16.a3 Nc2 17.Rac1 Rxb2 18.Bxa6 Be7 19.a4 0-0 20.Bb5 h6 21.Bf4 Ne4 22.Ne5 Nc3 23.Nd7 Rc8 24.Nc5 Nxb5 25.axb5 Rxb5 26.Rxc2 Bxc2 A great first win for Dev - hopefully the first of many! 0–1
  • Start an analysis engine:
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  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBRes
Ellis,B-Ranka,D-0–1

Thank you to everyone who played for Hendon in the LOCL, tonight and throughout the season! A full report on season 1 will follow in due course, along with news of season 2.

You can find a list of all stories about the London Online Chess League here.