Welcome to the first gazette of 2021! As is my custom, the February editorial takes as its theme the Chinese New Year, which starts on the 12^th of February and it’s the Year of the Ox. Eastern and Western philosophies agree on the qualities associated with this beast; dependable, strong, determined and hard working. When trying to think what an ox might have in common with chess, however, I must admit I was flummoxed!

In desperation, I googled “oxen chess” and to my amazement many matches were listed! The connection hinges around berserkers, who, in Viking society, were fearless warriors said to wage battle in a wild fury. Icelandic poet Snorri Sturluson (1179–1241) wrote this description of berserkers in his Ynglinga saga:

“Odin's men rushed forwards without armour, were as mad as dogs or wolves, bit their shields, and were strong as bears or wild oxen, and killed people at a blow, but neither fire nor iron told upon them.”

The link between these “strong as wild oxen” fighters and our game, is that some chessmen in the Isle of Lewis set are depicted as berserkers! These exquisite 12^th century pieces, carved in walrus ivory, were discovered in the Outer Hebrides in 1831. Apart from the pawns, all pieces are human figures, and the berserker characters, which may have been used as rooks, look particularly menacing because, as mentioned in the poem, they are biting down on the top of their shields to prepare for combat!

So, what does this issue have in store for you? Unlike a certain other Whitehouse, I’m delighted to say that ours, i.e. Guy, is stable and working reliably, perhaps we might say in an “ox-like” fashion! He has summarised the November committee meeting and he sets out our plans for this year’s AGM, complete with the agenda.

Treasurer, Gill Smith, reports on fundraising successes even in these tricky Covid-19 times. She also reminds us how we can all play our part by entering the Millennium Club and thinking of the BCA when we shop online.

Correspondence Chess Director, Paul Benson, has once again battled with computer problems to compile his report. Paul has also written the first of a series of analysed games, designed to help us all improve our chess!

There’s an account of our Remote Autumn Tournament and the final scores in the 13^th BCA Email Tournament. Also, Rod Macdonald has analysed a fascinating game of his from the 12^th BCA Email Tournament.

You’ll discover who won the 2020 David Hodgkins Memorial Best Game Competition and who will be judging the competition for us this year. If you’ve ever wondered how Gerry Walsh got into chess, you’ll find out in his article which includes a master game. We have the usual puzzle and more great chess quotes!

In the November issue it was revealed that the BCA would feature in an article in Chess Magazine. This time we have the text of that piece! Membership Secretary, Mark Hague reports how the article inspired one of this quarter’s new members to join us. We also say a fond farewell to Dorothy Hodges, who passed away in October.

There are already a couple of email matches underway this year and we have a few remote events planned for the spring. Waste no time in entering the brand new “BCA Big Bash” as the closing date is imminent!

We’re hoping it might be possible to hold over the board events later this year, but it’s by no means certain. When we do all meet for a tournament though, remember that if you hear gnawing in the playing room it’s not safe to assume that a nearby guide dog is nonchalantly chewing a table leg! It could be your opponent getting his or her teeth into the chessboard, about to go berserk and launch an attack of the utmost ferocity. Beware!

You might have noticed, that the gazette has put on weight since November! (Alas, so has the editor, but that’s another matter.) Many thanks to everyone who responded to my plea for more material. I received so much that I’ve held one item over for next time! Please send me your contributions for the May gazette by the end of March.

Julie Leonard

Forthcoming Events

6^th to 27^th February 2021 - The BCA Big Bash!

An event with up to six games per player, where each game will be played in a single session over the telephone, via Skype or any other instant internet based platform such as Zoom, Facetime, WhatsApp, Lichess etc. Everyone must be prepared to play by telephone if their opponent does not have the IT skills or equipment to use the other systems. Games can be scheduled at mutually convenient times. The rate of play will be all moves in 90 minutes for each player.

Players will be placed into groups of 4, 5 or 6 for mini all-play-all events, possibly with play-offs. Third party timekeepers will be rewarded with points. The precise tournament format and points system will be determined when we know how many entries there are. The event is open to all members and associate members of the BCA. It will be controlled by Gerry Walsh and Julie Leonard.

To enter please contact Gerry, giving a telephone number and contact details for the other platform(s) you are able to use. By entering this tournament, you agree to share your contact details with the arbiters and the other players

The closing date for entries is Wednesday 3rd February. We're aiming to complete the event by the 27th of February so as not to clash with the 14th BCA Email Tournament which will start on the 1st of March, but there will be a little flexibility over the end date if necessary.

19^th to 21^st March 2021: Remote Spring Tournament.

We are arranging this weekend event as a substitute for the AGM congress which has had to be postponed because of the pandemic. It will be a five round event played over the telephone, Skype or any other internet based platform such as Zoom, Facetime, WhatsApp, Lichess etc. But all players must be prepared to play by telephone if they are drawn against an opponent who does not have the IT skills or equipment to use the other systems. The event is open to all members and associate members of the BCA.

The rate of play will be all moves in 90 minutes for each player. The games will largely follow the normal timetable of a BCA over the board tournament, with one game on the Friday, two on Saturday and two on Sunday. We do envisage some flexibility on start times. For example, some players might prefer to play their Friday game in the afternoon. Each player can request one or two byes in the first 4 rounds. No byes can be requested in the final round.

A clock will be used in each game if at all possible. Normally, it will be the player with the white pieces who operates the clock but this can be changed by agreement between the players. If both players feel that they simply cannot use a clock in such circumstances their game can be played without one but the game must be completed within three hours and a result agreed amicably. It must be understood that it will be a fairly informal weekend, requiring friendly cooperation from all concerned. The games will not be submitted for grading.

Please let Gill Smith have your entries by 26 February, letting her know which platforms you are able to use and whether you would want any byes in the first four rounds. By entering this tournament, you are deemed to have consented to sharing your relevant contact details with all participants and the arbiters.

Our first remote event of this type was held in October/November 2020 and we hope this next one will run as smoothly. All entrants will receive updated information after the closing date. Please get in touch with a member of the committee or TSC if you wish to discuss the event. Indeed, if you do have any ideas about how the weekend should be run then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

The weekend will once again be controlled by Gerry Walsh and Julie Leonard.

Saturday 10^th April 2021: Remote AGM to be held via Zoom/Skype.

Please see the full announcement and agenda elsewhere in this issue.

Sunday 6^th to Sunday 13^th June 2021: The Sheila and David Milsom Memorial

British Championship and Chairman’s Cup.

With the 2020 Chairman’s Cup having to be postponed because of the pandemic, the committee has decided that our one week event in 2021 will be a combined British Championship and Chairman’s Cup. Naturally, we are hoping that the event can go ahead as planned but there can be no certainty and members are advised to check with a committee member before making a booking.

The event will take place at the Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth, which proved to be a very popular venue for our 2018 Chairman’s Cup. It is very friendly and comfortable and we also have use of an outdoor heated pool. The parking and green areas are also very good.

The event is open to all visually impaired players both from the UK and overseas and to BCA associate members. It will be played over 7 rounds with one round each day. Players may request a half point bye in any one of the first six rounds.

The highest placed UK visually impaired player will be declared as British Champion. The Chairman’s Cup will be awarded to the highest placed player whose grade is 1750 or below. If there are sufficient entries there will be a challengers section as well as the open, although anyone electing to play in the challengers section will not be eligible to compete for the British Championship or Chairman’s Cup.

Entry fee: £10. Cost of dinner, bed and breakfast accommodation to members and associate members of BCA: £300 per person for the week irrespective of room type. The cost to those booking for less than the full week will be £45 per day for members and associate members. For anyone wishing to stay additional nights at the beginning or end of the tournament, the cost per night will be £65 per person regardless of room type. A few rooms are available with sea view or sea view plus balcony which cost an extra £20 per room per night or £25 per room per night respectively.

In addition to the chess tournament there will be a varied programme of social activities. Anyone with ideas for social events, or who wants further information is invited to contact the organisers:

John and Pam Jenkins

The closing date for bookings is 20th April 2021. Bookings accepted after that date, at the discretion of the organiser, will be subject to a late booking fee of £10 per person. Bookings, including full payment, should be sent to Mrs Gill Smith (see list of BCA Officers for contact details). Please note: Rooms will not be reserved until full payment has been received.

June to September 2021: Telephone Email Skype Summer Ladder (TESSLa).

Following the success of the 2020 TESSLa event, we will be starting another shortly after the combined British Championship and Chairman's Cup. Players challenge each other for rungs on the ladder while at the same time accruing points from all their games. More details to follow.

15^th to 17^th October 2021: International Autumn Tournament.

This event will take place at the Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate. It will be a five round Swiss event with an open section and a challenger’s section for players graded 1450 and under. More details to follow.

Sunday 30^th January to Sunday 6^th February 2022: 28^th Chess Theme Break.

This week-long event provides coaching, a friendly rapid-play tournament as well as a wide range of entertainment. It will be held at the Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth. More details to follow.

Booking Conditions and Procedures.

By entering a BCA tournament, a player is deemed to have consented for their name and any special requirements to be passed to the hotel prior to the event. Also, consent is considered to have been given for a player’s name, club, results and possibly also their gender to be sent to the ECF for grading purposes. For juniors, their date of birth is also required if they are to get the age-related grading bonus they are entitled to.

If you have any queries about the hotel or the tournament please contact the organiser.

Blind and partially sighted UK residents under the age of 25 receive free entry and free accommodation when playing in BCA events. In appropriate circumstances, free accommodation is also available to a parent or guardian accompanying a junior.

Visually impaired UK residents in their first year of membership receive their first BCA weekend event free or £100 reduction in the cost of a week-long event. They may also be accompanied by a guide or companion who will receive the same concession. For a first event we ask for payment in advance and we then make a refund at the event.

You may pay in these ways:

Cheques payable to Braille Chess Association should be sent to Gill Smith, see the front of the Gazette for her address.

Online or telephone payments may be made to:

Account name: Braille Chess Association, sort code: 40 52 40, account number: 00082456.

If you pay by direct payment then you should inform Gill when the payment has been made.

Bookings accepted after the closing date are subject to a £10 late booking penalty for each person. Late bookings and entries are accepted at the discretion of the organiser.

Bookings are confirmed when full payment has been received. Payments can only be refunded within the time limit set in the terms and conditions set by the hotels. Members are advised to take out holiday insurance to cover themselves.

When making your booking please let the organiser know if you want a single, double or twin room and if you have a preference for a bath or a shower. And remember, if emailing the tournament organiser, copy in Gill so she can look out for your payment and let you know when it has been received. Gill will always confirm receipt of any payment.

Also say if any of the following apply.

1 If you will be bringing a guide dog;

2 If you are on a special diet;

3 If you have mobility problems and would benefit from being located in a room near to a lift;

4 If you are a wheelchair user;

5 If you feel you would have any special difficulties in an emergency such as a fire evacuation;

6 Any other special requirements.

The BCA reserves the right to refuse or cancel any entry or to exclude any person from any event it runs.

Words from the Whitehouse

As we have been using Skype to hold our committee meetings, we’ve felt compelled to shorten the agenda for each meeting while still making sure we cover any issue that must be dealt with. The AGM featured significantly in our November meeting; I’ve written a separate article to deal with AGM-related matters.

We felt the arrangements for the autumn tournament had worked well and that we would use similar arrangements for the congress to be held in March. We will revert to the usual points system of one for a win, half for a draw and zero for a loss.

We also plan to run another TESSLa tournament in the summer. We felt the best time to start the event would be just after the combined Chairman’s Cup and British Championships (that would be mid-June); we also felt we needed to make the event slightly shorter than the one we ran last summer, so the tournament will finish mid-September.

There are a couple of points relating to financial matters worth sharing. First, WorldPay have greatly increased their fees so we decided we would no longer use their services. Secondly, we’ve asked Linda, our new fundraiser to reduce her hours to eight hours a month until the fundraising climate improves.

There have been a couple of developments on the chess equipment front. A company called DGT have produced a new talking digital clock; Ednun Pourtahmasbi is assessing a model we purchased. We’ve obtained some more good quality sets from Chess Baron and it appears that the manufacturer of chess sets in Italy we’ve had dealings with has managed to obtain suitable pieces so we might order some new peg-based sets from him. We felt we could offer members a £10 subsidy on these peg-based sets but that the magnetic sets were more of a luxury item so members would have to purchase those without a subsidy (Ednun will be collecting orders for a new batch early this year).

We’ve reviewed our policies and left them unchanged except for a slight alteration to the wording in our equality and diversity policy which now states that we do not discriminate on the basis of gender identity or marital status. All our policies are on the About Us section of the website. Also, the strapline we use on all our published material will now read “Bringing Chess to Visually Impaired People”.

We did give some consideration to our online activities. In his role of Publicity Relation Officer Dan will reach out to some online groups of visually impaired people he knows of and we also plan to start publishing results of our congresses on a dedicated webpage in real time. We’ve continued updating our Facebook page with photos of trophies sent out to winners of correspondence events and the number of people liking our Facebook page continues to increase slowly but surely.

Finally, we decided that if we could get help from enough knowledgeable and suitably skilled people, we would try to organise some sort of campaign to improve the accessibility of chess-playing programmes and chess platforms. The best approach would be to try to contact developers with requests for appropriate improvements, but it was acknowledged we would have to be very specific on how we felt these changes should be implemented, and most committee members did not have that level of technical knowledge. We would appreciate hearing from any member who would be interested in getting involved with accessibility-promoting work.

Guy Whitehouse

Treasurer’s Report

Recently we have received £2,000 in grants from two trusts, The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust and the Normanby Charitable Trust. Our grateful thanks to Linda for her fundraising work in such difficult times.

Morpeth Chess Club have raised £145 for the BCA. Every year before Christmas their strongest player, this time Roger Coathup, holds a simultaneous event. In usual times, entry would be £5 with all funds going to the Braille Chess Association in memory of their former president and long-standing BCA member, Les Whittle. This time they held the event online and encouraged participants to make a donation. On 23rd December, Roger played 6 games, he won 3, drew one and lost 2. The Lichess format that was used was not easy for Roger as he had the same time limits as everyone else (so basically had to play 6 times as fast) and he played three boards as white and three as black. A top performance!

Gill Smith, Treasurer

Millennium Club, the BCA’s monthly lottery

To take part in the monthly draw costs just £12 per number per year. You may have as many numbers as you like at £12 each. Every month a lucky winner receives £35. If you wish to take part in the draw, make a payment to the BCA or set up a standing order then next year’s subs will not be forgotten.

Recent Millennium Club winners:

October: Colin Fisher, number 11

November: Steve Burnell, number 55

December: Julie Leonard, number 52.

Gill Smith, Treasurer

Easy Fundraising

If you are shopping online please remember that at no cost to you there are fundraising initiatives available to raise funds for the BCA. AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products and prices as Amazon.co.uk. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, 0.5% of the net purchase price is donated to your chosen charity. Another option, Give as you Live, allows you to shop with many different retailers and a percentage of the price is donated.

Gill Smith, Treasurer

This Year’s AGM

At our November committee meeting we discussed how best to proceed with the 2021 AGM. The onset of the pandemic had forced us to abandon plans for the 2020 AGM and congress, but we felt strongly that this year we really must hold some sort of AGM, even if what ultimately took place was less than ideal.

We felt the virus situation would not have improved sufficiently to proceed with an AGM and congress in the usual way, and while we had found workable solutions enabling us to run online weekend congresses, running a large scale online meeting with significant numbers of attendees was another matter. We therefore decided to separate the congress from the AGM and to run the tournament over the previously advertised weekend but to move the AGM to 2 pm on Saturday 10th April.

The plan is to run the AGM using Zoom or Skype. The committee will be experimenting to see which application best meets our needs and helps us facilitate interaction during the meeting. We also intend to make it possible for people to dial in if that’s easiest for them.

If you plan to attend the AGM please let Gill Smith know by Monday 22nd March, indicating whether you will be joining online or via telephone. Gill will liaise with you regarding joining instructions and our conclusions on how we can best enable attendees to interact with the meeting given the constraints of the application we’re using. You will also be sent the various AGM papers including committee reports and accounts and the committee will be seeking your feedback on these before the meeting.

If you are not attending the meeting but would like a copy of the committee reports or accounts, please let Gill know. Even if you are not attending the AGM, you are free to send comments on any AGM-related issue to a committee member ahead of the meeting.

The agenda now follows. Please note there are two motions, one making the post of Junior Development Officer a committee post and the other changing the clause of the constitution relating to the publication and approval of our accounts.

Guy Whitehouse

Braille Chess Association, Registered Charity No. 263049

Agenda for the Annual General Meeting 2021:

To be held via Zoom/Skype on Saturday 10th April 2021 starting at 2 pm.

Please note that Associate Members are eligible to vote on all items except those relating to the Constitution.

1. Roll call.

2. Apologies for absence.

3. Minutes of the AGM held on 16 March 2019.

4. Matters arising.

5. Chairman’s report.

6. Finance and fundraising.

6.1 Treasurer.

6.2 Presentation of accounts: these have been examined and certified by a qualified accountant.

6.3 Fundraising report.

7. Officers’ reports.

7.1 Secretary, including IBCA matters.

7.2 Publicity Officer.

7.3 Correspondence Chess Director.

7.4 Gazette Editor.

7.5 Audio Librarian.

7.6 Membership Secretary.

7.7 Website Coordinator and Chairman of Information Communication Technology Sub Committee.

8. Other reports.

8.1 Technical Sub Committee.

8.2 Tournament Sub Committee.

8.3 Congress Support Officer.

8.4 Junior Development Officer.

8.5 Coaching.

8.6 Representative to ECF Council.

9. Motions (see annex 1).

10. Election of Officers.

10.1 Chairman.

10.2 Secretary.

10.3 Treasurer.

10.4 Gazette Editor.

10.5 Correspondence Chess Director.

10.6 Membership Secretary.

10.7 Publicity Officer.

10.8 Audio Librarian.

10.9 Website Coordinator.

10.10 Junior Representative.

10.11 Junior Development Officer.

11. Election to other posts.

11.1 Representative to ECF Council.

11.2 Representative to Chess Scotland.

11.3 Congress Support Officer.

12. Date and venue of next AGM.

13. Any other business. Items should be notified to the Secretary prior to the meeting. Please note that if any items are notified less than 48 hours before the meeting the Chairman will decide whether these should be taken.

Annex 1

The following motion is proposed by the committee:

This AGM resolves that the list of elected committee posts contained in Section 7 of the constitution shall be amended so as to include Junior Development Officer.

The following motion is proposed by the committee:

This AGM resolves that clause 15 of the constitution should be amended so as to read as follows:

“For the financial year commencing 1st October, 1997, and all subsequent financial years, the Association’s accounts shall be independently examined in compliance with the requirements set by the Charity Commissioners or prepared in such manner as may from time to time be required by statute. The Association's accounts shall be published as soon as they have been approved by the board of trustees and certified as examined by an independent examiner. They will be presented at the following AGM”.

Membership Secretary’s Report

Two new members have joined this quarter!

Paul Hartdegen, now resident in Surrey but originally from South Africa, has joined as an Associate member for five years. Paul read about us in the November issue of Chess Magazine. He was very impressed with the article and is very keen to support the work of the Association.

Tim Musson from Newark has joined as a visually impaired life member. Tim is a school friend of BCA members Mark Kirkham and Ed Green.

Update:

Estelita Clayton, AKA Nene, from Belper, Derbyshire, has updated her one year membership to five years.

Deceased

Sadly, two long term members have passed away. They are Bill Tatum and Dorothy Hodges.

Members will know Bill from his helpful podcasts on using Shredder Chess on the iPhone and supplying other useful contributions to the email user group.

Dorothy Hodges attended many over the board tournaments in the past years. Her gentle nature meant she was a very popular player in the challenger section. She was also a very keen correspondence player and her tape contributions were always a great pleasure to listen to as she invariably had plenty of news to talk about. She passed away recently in her nursing home.

Mark Hague

Editor’s note:

Paul Benson told me about Bill Tatum’s website, where you can find his contributions to the V.I. world on subjects as diverse as Blind Gamers scrabble, how to use an iPad and of course chess, including Shredder. He was clearly a man who dedicated a lot of his time to assisting others in getting to grips with new hardware and software. No doubt many members have enjoyed and benefited from his podcasts.

The website is: http://www.talking-computers.org.uk/billtatum.html

An obituary for Dorothy Hodges appears at the end of this gazette.

Correspondence Chess Director’s Report

The BCA Correspondence Tournament 2021-22 has started with the same number of competitors as the previous cycle.

46th BCA CORRESPONDENCE TOURNAMENT 2021-22

Premier - Group Leader Paul Benson

Players: Alec Crombie, Voldi Gailans, Eric Gallacher, Ernie McElroy, George Phillips, Guy Whitehouse, all 0-0.

Challengers - Group Leader Paul Benson

Players: Jim Cuthbert, Philip Gordon, Arthur Greatrex, Eleanor Tew, Denis Warren, all 0-0.

BCA LEAGUE 2020-21

Division 1 - Group Leader Guy Whitehouse

Mark Hague 0 - 1 McElroy, Queen's Pawn, 29.

Final scores: Alec Crombie 2.5-3, Ernie McElroy 2.5, Mark Hague 1, Voldi Gailans 0.

Congratulations to both Alec Crombie and Ernie McElroy on becoming joint Champions of the 2020-21 League, the tie-breaks could not separate them.

Division 2 - Group Leader Voldi Gailans

Phillips 1 - 0 Warren, Queen's Pawn, 26.

Phillips 1 - 0 Cuthbert, Queen's Pawn, 18.

Gallacher 0 - 1 Phillips, Unorthodox, 28.

Scores: George Phillips 3-3, Jim Cuthbert, Eric Gallacher, Denis Warren, all 0-1.

Congratulations to George Phillips on winning Division 2 with a perfect score, promotion to Division 1 in the next cycle awaits.

Division 3 - Group Leader George Phillips

No results.

Scores: Mike Flood 2-2, Malcolm Jones 1-2, Andrew Wood 0-0, Eleanor Tew 0-2.

FRIENDLY LADDER TABLE

Apologies, the laptop with records of Ladder games has not yet been resuscitated. Consequently, announcing the winner of the 2020 Ladder is not yet possible. Similarly offering the present Ladder is not possible as the unknown winner must be placed at the foot of the Ladder.

Anyone wishing to play a friendly game on the Ladder should either contact myself or issue a challenge to another player on the Ladder, my contact details as shown in list of Officers. Any friendly games played under correspondence conditions, such as by Braille, cassette, email, Skype, telephone, can qualify as a Friendly Ladder game. Please report such games and let your efforts be reflected in your accumulating score.

In closing, to those about to start a game: Break a peg!

Paul Benson

BCA Alternative Autumn Tournament

Gary Wickett writes:

I’ve played chess in some grand hotels in the past, but none quite so big as the one used for the BCA Autumn Tournament 2020! Indeed, this hotel was so large it boasted more than 17 chess rooms, and the hotel rooms were so far apart we had to speak to each other via phone or Skype! Alas, for some at least, the bar was somewhat limited; but on the upside, the drinks were free!

This was very much a tournament of firsts. It was the first remote BCA weekend tournament. It was the first BCA event where I barely knew half of the contesters (and may I say how great it is to have so many new faces). It was the first time where the grades were listed in the ELO format. We also had a new trendy scoring system: 10 points for a win and 4 for a draw, with two optional 4 point byes. Finally, it was no doubt the first time at one of our events that the Halloween Gambit was actually played on Halloween! Spooky stuff; it certainly scared me! I shall leave that little treat, or should I say trick, to the end of my report.

I’ll kick off by listing the players with ELO or estimated ELO grades in brackets.

David Mabbs (1998); Paul Benson (1930); Steve Hilton (1865); Olivier Deville (1823); Steve Burnell (1818); Norman Wragg (1713); Stan Lovell (1615); Malcolm Jones (1405); Mahendra Galani (1336); Gary Wickett (1323); Mark Hague (1323); Voldi Gailans (1285); Bittor Ibanez (1263); Neda Koohnavard (1143); Gill Smith (1083); Tony Lawton (1060); Nene Clayton (828).

We all played in one section but there was a second trophy for the highest scoring player whose ELO grade was 1450 or below (I’m told that is grade 100 in old money).

As usual, it was a five round tournament with 90 minutes each on the clock; the difference being all the games were played by phone, Skype or any mutually agreed social media platform which could be used in real time. White was in charge of the clock in all games unless agreed otherwise.

After spending well over an hour in gridlock traffic, I just about got home in time to play my first game which began at 7 o’clock. My opponent was reigning BCA Champion, Paul Benson, and the result was no great surprise. However, there were a few results in that first round that even Newton the parrot would have struggled to predict. Mahendra Galani beat top seed, David Mabbs; and Tony Lawton beat Stan Lovell.

The end of round 2 saw Paul Benson, Steve Hilton and Malcolm Jones leading the fray on a perfect score. There were no remarkable results to report in that round, so let us leap forward to round 3 and take a look at the leading scores at this pivotal juncture. The game that stands out in round 3 is Malcolm’s draw with Paul. Steve Hilton beat Mark, which meant his perfect score now put him in outright first place.

Leading scores after round 3: Steve Hilton 30; Paul Benson and Malcolm Jones 24; Olivier Deville, Steve Burnell and Norman Wragg 18.

In round 4 Paul’s win against Mark pushed him back up to joint leader with Steve Hilton, who had taken a 4 point bye. Malcolm drew with Mahendra and now shared second place with Olivier, who had outplayed Steve Burnell.

Leading scores after round 4. Steve Hilton and Paul Benson 34; Olivier Deville and Malcolm Jones 28; David Mabbs, Stan Lovell and Mahendra Galani 24; Norman Wragg 22; Mark Hague and Tony Lawton 20.

The final round was a nail biter. The games of chief importance were Paul Benson’s game with Steve Hilton and Malcolm’s game with Olivier. Mahendra, Mark and Tony would have taken a particular interest in Malcolm’s game, as depending on Malcolm’s result, Mahendra, Mark and Tony were still in with a chance of winning the U1450 section. Mark was due to play Tony, and Mahendra was due to play Stan. Although Stan had no hopes now of winning the tournament, there was still a good chance of coming third or possibly even joint second. Nothing yet was set in stone and notable positions and trophies were still up for grabs.

Mark beat Tony and Mahendra lost to Stan. Both games on the top boards ended with two draws.

Final scores: Steve Hilton and Paul Benson 38; Stan Lovell 34; Olivier Deville and Malcolm Jones 32; Mark Hague 30; David Mabbs and Steve Burnell 28; Norman Wragg 26; Mahendra Galani 24; Bittor Ibanez, Neda Koohnavard, Gill Smith and Tony Lawton 20; Voldi Gailans and Gary Wickett 14; Nene Clayton 0.

Congratulations go to Steve Hilton who beat Paul Benson by 6 points on tie-break. Stan Lovell also put in an excellent performance in coming third. Congratulations also go to Malcolm Jones who won the U1450 section with an incredible performance.

From the emails seen on the user group, it is clear everyone thoroughly enjoyed the event. May I take this opportunity therefore to thank Gill for coming up with the idea and organising it, and may I also thank our two arbiters, Julie and Gerry for all their incredible hard work and Julie for keeping us up to speed with all the results and pairings etc.

Before I close, I promised you a treat.

Malcolm Jones – Gary Wickett (Round 2)

31^st October - Halloween Gambit (Trick or Treat?)

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Nc3 Nc6 4 Nxe5 Nxe5 5 d4 Nc6 6 e5 Qe7 7 Bg5 h6 8 Nd5 Qd8 9 Nxf6+ Ke7 10 Nd5+

Black resigns.

Editor’s Note: In case any readers are as mystified by Gary’s reference to “Newton the parrot” as I was, Gary kindly explained that Newton correctly predicted that France would win the 2018 Football World Cup!

13th BCA Email Tournament

Philip Doyle and Eamonn Casey write:

Hello Folks, and a belated Happy New Year to you all!

Our latest email tournament has reached its conclusion. In the top division, Peter Gibbs once again repelled all comers, and appears well-nigh impossible to shift. Well done Peter! Division 2 was won by Steve Burnell after a very tough and competitive battle. Division 3 ended in a tie between Philip Gordon and Eamonn Casey. Tony Lawton was the decisive winner of Division 4, while Denis Warren and newcomer, John Ramm, won Divisions 5 and 6 respectively. Results and final scores are given at the end of this report.

This was our biggest ever entry, but thanks to the co-operation of all the players, it went off very smoothly. Our next email tournament is due to start on March 1st, and we hope to at least equal the number of competitors we achieved in our most recent event. Watch out for the announcement on the BCA usergroup!

A big thank you to all who took part in our 13th email tournament, and if you enjoyed it, tell all your chessplaying friends about it.

Division 1: Peter Gibbs, Colin Chambers, Malola Prasath, Bill Armstrong, Philip Doyle.

Chambers drew with Doyle

Gibbs Beat Chambers

Armstrong drew with Chambers

Doyle drew with Gibbs

Armstrong lost to Doyle

Gibbs beat Armstrong

Prasath lost to Gibbs

Chambers beat Prasath

Doyle beat Prasath

Prasath beat Armstrong

Final Standings (scores from 4 games): Gibbs 3.5, Doyle 3, Chambers 2, Prasath 1, Armstrong 0.5.

Division 2: Steve Burnell, Stephen Hilton, Norman Andrews, Malcolm Jones.

Burnell beat Jones

Burnell drew with Hilton

Jones beat Andrews

Hilton beat Jones

Andrews drew with Burnell

Hilton lost to Andrews

Final Standings (scores from 3 games): Burnell 2, Andrews and Hilton 1.5, Jones 1.

Division 3: Philip Gordon, Eamonn Casey, Voldi Gailans, Gill Smith.

Gordon beat Smith

Casey beat Smith

Gordon drew with Casey

Casey beat Gailans

Gailans lost to Gordon

Smith lost to Gailans

Final Standings (scores from 3 games): Casey and Gordon 2.5, Gailans 1, Smith 0.

Division 4: Steve Thacker, Tony Elbourn, Tony Lawton, Mike Flood.

Thacker lost to Flood

Elbourn beat Flood

Lawton beat Thacker

Elbourn lost to Lawton

Thacker beat Elbourn

Flood lost to Lawton

Final Standings (scores from 3 games): Lawton 3, Elbourn, Flood and Thacker 1.

Division 5: Denis Warren, Anthony Borg, Donna Jodhan, Anton Emery.

Borg Beat Jodhan

Borg lost to Emery

Warren beat Borg

Warren beat Emery

Jodhan drew with Warren

Emery beat Jodhan

Final Standings (scores from 3 games): Warren 2.5, Emery 2, Borg 1, Jodhan 0.5.

Division 6: Richard Harrington, Eleanor Tew, John Ramm, Marilyn Bland.

Tew lost to Ramm

Ramm beat Harrington

Harrington lost to bland

Tew lost to Bland

Bland lost to Ramm

Harrington lost to Tew

Final Standings (scores from 3 games): Ramm 3, Bland 2, Tew 1, Harrington 0.

Editor’s Note: Many thanks to Eamonn and Philip for organising yet another email tournament for us! They’re such a great team and make it seem so effortless, but there is undoubtedly more work involved than we realise. When you consider that they’ve run two such events every year starting in 2015, it really is a huge contribution!

David Hodgkins Memorial Annual Best Game Competition

Julie Leonard writes:

Due to the popularity of the TESSLa event and the BCA Email Tournaments, there were no fewer than 40 entries last year! Peter Gibbs, judge for 2020, played through all of them before making his choice. We are extremely grateful to Peter for all his hard work. He chose the very last game to finish in the 13th BCA email tournament!

Before revealing the 2020 winner, we’re delighted to announce that David Mabbs has kindly agreed to be our judge for 2021! David has a wealth of experience both nationally and internationally and is sure to do a great job!

David Hodgkins’ sister, Sally, tells me that their mum, Phyllis, is well and celebrated her 90^th birthday on the 10^th of January! She enjoyed a glass of bubbly and blew out both candles on her cake in one puff! Sally, reminded me that it’s already six years since David passed away. Our memories of him live on in this event.

Now over to Peter Gibbs to announce the winner! Drumroll …

Peter says:

I declare Malola Prasath the winner of the 2020 best game competition! Although Malola won the game it was a very hard encounter and all credit to his opponent, Bill Armstrong. Going through the game I thought that at one time Bill's attack might break through, but it was not to be because Malola showed considerable skill in countering the threats. Malola said this game was one of the most complex ones he has played in 2020!

Prasath-Armstrong, Division 1 of the 13^th BCA Email Tournament

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 0-0 5. Nf3 c6 6. 0-0 d6 7. d4 Qa5 8. Bd2 Qh5 9. b4 Bh3 10. e4 Qg4

11. Re1 Bxg2 12. Kxg2 Qc8 13. Qb3 Nbd7 14. a4 e5 15. d5 h6 16. a5 a6 17. Na4 Rb8 18. Nb6 Nxb6

19. axb6 Nd7 20. Be3 Kh7 21. Rac1 c5 22. h4 Rh8 23. h5 g5 24. Qa3 Nf6 25. bxc5 Nxe4 26. cxd6 f5

27. Nd2 Nf6 28. Nb3 f4 29. Bc5 e4 30. Nd4 Qg4 31. Rh1 Nd7 32. Ne6 Rbc8 33. Bb4 Ne5 34. d7 Nd3

35. Rh2 Rcd8 36. Rf1 Nxb4 37. Qxb4 Qf3+ 38. Kg1 Rxd7 39. Qb1 Rc8 40. gxf4 gxf4 41. Rg2 Rxc4

42. Qa2 Rd4 43. Nxd4 Bxd4 44. Qa4 Rg7 45. Rxg7 Bxg7 46. Qd1 Qh3 47. Qe2 Qf5 48. Re1 e3

49. Qf3 black resigns

Editor’s note: Congratulations to Malola! Sadly, as this year’s AGM is going to be held on Skype, we will not be awarding the pink diamond paperweight trophy in person. Paul Benson also missed out on receiving the trophy following his win in 2019 because we were unable to hold an AGM at all in 2020.

BCA v Surrey Match

A 22 board match against Surrey started on the 1^st of January. The pairings are below. BCA has white on the odd numbered boards. Note that Surrey supplied ECF grades and we gave ELO style ratings. To convert from grades to ratings you multiply by 7.5, then add 700. So ECF 100 equates to ELO 1450, and ECF 150 equates to ELO 1825. Our team has an average rating of 1665 (approximate grade 129) and Surrey’s team has an average rating of 1710 (approximately grade 135) so on paper the teams are fairly evenly matched. Don’t forget though, that many of the grades and ratings will have been based on OTB performances, and playing strengths could be different for correspondence, so anything could happen. It’s going to be an exciting event!

BCA Team (White on odd boards) Surrey Team

1 Peter Gibbs (W) 1960 v. Matt Piper (B) 221

2 Rod Macdonald (B) 1950 est v. Justin Horton (W) 207

3 John Gallagher (W) 1940 est v. Tony Ashby (B) 180

4 Paul Benson (B) 1930 v. Julien Shepley (W) 174

5 Graham Lilley (W) 1862 est v. Martin Smith (B) 168

6 Ben Graff (B) 1833 v. Steve Hooker (W) 168

7 Steve Burnell (W) 1818 v. Graham Alcock (B) 147

8 Bill Armstrong (B) 1750 v. Nick Grey (W) 146

9 Norman Wragg (W) 1713 v. Steve Barry (B) 132

10 Steve Hilton (B) 1696 v. Andy Chesworth (W) 131

11 Norman Andrews (W) 1645 v. Paul Hartdegen (B) 125 est

12 Stan Lovell (B) 1615 v. Mike Gunn (W) 123

13 Philip Doyle (W) 1608 v. Dieter McDougall (B) 120

14 Alec Crombie (B) 1593 est v. Richard Tillett (W) 118

15 Eamonn Casey (W) 1510 v. Edward Mospan (B) 116

16 Philip Gordon (B) 1510 v. Tony Foreman (W) 116

17 Colin Fisher (W) 1508 v. Mike Foss (B) 111

18 Malcolm Jones (B) 1498 est v. Tim Cutter (W) 108

19 Randy Kruzeniski (W) 1488 est v. Richard Jones (B) 97

20 Steve Thacker (B) 1450 v. Chris Rebbeck (W) 94

21 Guy Whitehouse (W) 1435 v. Andras Horvath (B) 90

22 Mark Hague (B) 1323 v. Simon Rebbeck (W) 70 est

The match was the idea of Owen Phillips and has been arranged by our non-playing captain, Voldi Gailans, in conjunction with the captain of the Surrey team, Richard Tillett. We're very grateful to them for all the hard work that has gone into making this match happen. Best of luck to all!

Julie Leonard

51.55 Parallel Match

No fewer than forty BCA members stepped forward to volunteer to take on the might of Surrey! So sadly, there wasn’t room for everyone in the team. Undeterred, twelve members are now taking part in a six board internal North v South match, where the dividing line is the 51.55 degrees north latitude!

In the North team we have: Gerry Walsh (Middlesbrough), John Ramm (Wrexham), Simon Highsmith (Hornsey), Voldi Gailans (Romford), Mike Flood (Finsbury Park) and Lea Ryan (Northolt).

Representing the South are: Gill Smith (Bristol), Tony Lawton (Reading), Paul Hartdegen (Esher), Tony and Irene Elbourn (Gosport) and Donna Jodhan (Toronto).

For the pairings, the teams have not been put in order of playing strength as is traditional. Instead, each player has been drawn against an opponent that they have never played or haven't played recently e.g. in the 2020 TESSLa, Alternative Autumn or 13th BCA Email Tournament.

North (White on odd boards) South

1 Voldi Gailans (W) v. Paul Hartdegen (B)

2 Gerry Walsh (B) v. Tony Elbourn (W)

3 Lea Ryan (W) v. Gill Smith (B)

4 Mike Flood (B) v. Donna Jodhan (W)

5 Simon Highsmith (W) v. Tony Lawton (B)

6 John Ramm (B) v. Irene Elbourn (W)

I believe I'm correct in saying that this is Simon Highsmith's first BCA event. You might have spotted that Paul Hartdegen is taking part in this match as well as playing for Surrey in the other match! As you’ll already know from the Membership Secretary’s Report, Paul has just joined us as an associate member and he is keen to meet BCA members and help out. So, a very warm welcome to both Simon and Paul!

I wonder how many readers remember the OTB North v South matches that used be held in Birmingham? I’m not sure when they started and finished, but I went to some in the late 1970s and early 1980s, travelling by train from Somerset with Dad for the day. BCA members from all over the country would converge on Birmingham New Street station, to be welcomed by the always helpful Sheila Milsom. When everyone had assembled, she would bring us to the correct bus stop and we’d all board a bus together, much to the surprise of the driver and other passengers! The playing venue was in Harborne, I believe. Midlands players only found out whether they were playing for the North or the South minutes before the match started because it depended on who turned up from other parts of the country! If you have any stories or pleasant memories of those matches, please do let me know and if there are enough, I’ll put them together for a “Down Memory Lane” style article in the next issue!

Julie Leonard

Stop Press! Shortly before finalising this issue of the gazette the first result came in: Highsmith beat Lawton. So the North team has an early lead! Congratulations to Simon on winning his first game in a BCA event!

An Annotated Game from the 12^th BCA Email Tournament

The moves of this Division 1 game appeared in the May 2020 gazette, but since then, Rod Macdonald has kindly researched and analysed it for us. So here it is again, with Rod’s comments.

White: Rod Macdonald Black: Malola Prasath

ECO: B00: Nimzowitsch Defence

1. e4 Nc6

(I had to re-read Malola's email several times to be fully convinced of his move. This was, after all, the very first (and only) time an opponent has played this first move in my roughly 70 years of playing and misplaying chess. A quick check with www.365chess.com turned up the surprising information that they had over 11,000 games with this opening on their database, with White winning 41% of the time, Black 34%, and the remaining 25% drawn.

A further check with Wikipedia turned up:

The Nimzowitsch Defence is a somewhat unusual chess opening characterised by the moves: 1. e4 Nc6.

This opening is an example of a hypermodern opening in which Black invites White to occupy the centre of the board at an early stage with pawns. Black's intent is to block or otherwise restrain White's central pawns and, if allowed to do so by inaccurate play by White, eventually undermine the White pawn centre by well-timed pawn advances of their own or by attacking the white pieces defending the centre. World Champion Garry Kasparov and Grandmaster Raymond Keene wrote that it has never been fully accepted as a dependable opening. Nevertheless, it is sound and offers the maverick spirit a great deal of foreign territory to explore.)

2. d4 (This is the Main Line, played reflexively - doesn't everyone play a second pawn to the fourth rank when Black fails to advance to the fifth? But it turns out that 2. Nf3 is shown by some databases to be the most common move; 2. Nf3 is often played by White players not eager for a theoretical battle on their opponent's turf. With 2. d4 White takes the initiative in the centre. Black's main continuations are 2. ... d5 or 2. ... e5.)

2. ... e5 (A solid line favoured by the late British grandmaster Tony Miles. White can transpose to the Scotch Game with 3. Nf3, or play 3. d5 Nce7 (3. ... Nb8, although perhaps not as bad as it looks, is considered inferior), which gives White only a slight plus score in practice. Another approach is 3. dxe5 Nxe5, when White can seek a quiet positional advantage with 4. Nf3 or play the more aggressive (but potentially weakening) thrust 4. f4. Nimzowitsch usually played 2. ... d5.)

3. d5 Nce7 4. Nf3 Ng6 5. h4 h5 6. Bg5 Nf6 7. Nc3 Bc5 (This is the last "book" move. The game E. Cheah (2179) - G. Brown (1743), Penang 2015, was featured in ChessBase Magazine #169, where White won in 59 moves after 7... Bb4 8. Qd3 a6 9. a3 Ba5 10. g3 d6 11. Bg2 Bd7 12. Nd2 Bb6 13. Nc4 Ba7 14. 0-0 Qc8 15. Bxf6 gxf6 16. Kh2 Qd8 17. Ne3 Bxe3 18. Qxe3 Ne7 19. f4 Ng8 20. f5 Ke7 21. Bf3 Qf8 22. b4.)

8. Qd3 (White introduces a novelty.)

8. ... d6 (8. ... a6 9. g3 gives White a moderate advantage.)

9. Nd2 (9. Na4 Bb6 gives White a comfortable advantage.)

9... a6 (Providing control over b5. 9. ... Bd7 10. Nb3 Bb6 11. a4 leads to equality.)

10. g3 (This covers f4. 10. Nb3 Bb6 11. Qd2 is solid for White.)

10. ... Bd7 (10. ... Ne7 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. Bg2 is very solid for White.)

11. a3 (White has an active position. 11. Be2 Ne7 is slightly better for White.)

11. ... Qb8 (11. ... Ne7 12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. Bg2 is slightly better for White.)

12. Bxf6 (12. Nd1 Ng4 13. Nb3 Bb6 also gives White an edge.)

12. ... gxf6 13. Qf3 (White threatens to win material: Qf3xf6. 13. b4 Bb6 14. Nc4 Bd4 leads to equality.)

13. ... Ke7 (Black introduces a novelty. 13. ... Qd8 14. Nc4 is the main alternative giving White a solid advantage)

14. Nd1 (14. Be2 a5 would give White only a slight edge.)

14. ... Qa7? (Black's first big mistake. 14. ... Bg4!? must definitely be considered. 15. Qd3 Bd7 gives White only a slight edge.)

15. Bh3 Nf8? (15. ... Bxh3!? 16. Rxh3 a5 seems much better, but White still has the advantage.)

16. Bxd7 (White now has a very strong position.)

16. ... Nxd7 17. Nc4 Rag8? (17. ... a5 18. 0-0 Kd8 is very strong for White.)

18. b4 Bb6 (18... Bd4 does not solve anything: 19. c3 Bb6 20. Nde3 is very strong for White.)

19. Nde3 a5 (19. ... Bxe3 is not any better as 20. Nxe3 Ra8 21. 0-0 is still very powerful for White.)

20. Nf5+ Kd8 (20. ... Kf8 21. 0-0 is still very strong for White.)

21. O-O a4 (21. ... Rg4 22. Rab1 Rhg8 23. Kg2 is hardly an improvement.)

22. Rfc1 Rg4 (22. ... Qa6 is no salvation either: 23. Nxb6 cxb6 24. Nxd6 is relentless.)

23. Nxb6 Qxb6 24. c4 Qa7 (24. ... c5 25. dxc6! (Decoy: d6) Qxc6 26. Re1 is very strong for White.)

25. c5! (Decoy: c5.)

25. ... dxc5 26. Rab1 Rhg8 27. Kh2 Re8 (27. ... R4g6 doesn't change anything: 28. d6 c6 29. bxc5 leaves White with a crushing advantage.)

28. Qe3 b6 29. Rb2 Rg6 30. Qd3 Rgg8 31. Qb5 Qa8 32. bxc5 bxc5 33. Rxc5 Qa7

(33. ... Nxc5 cannot change destiny. 34. Qxc5 Qc8 35. d6 Re6 36. dxc7+ Qxc7 37. Qd5+ Ke8 38. Qa8+ Qd8 39. Rb8 Qxb8 40. Qxb8+ Kd7 41. Qxg8 Rc6 42. Qxf7+ Kd8 43. Qe7+ Kc8 44. Nd6+ Rxd6 45. Qxd6 Kb7 46. g4 hxg4 47. h5 g3+ 48. Kxg3 f5 49. h6 f4+ 50. Kf3 Kc8 51. h7 Kb7 52. h8=Q Ka7 53. Qhb8#)

34. Rcc2 Qa8 (34. ... Rg5 doesn't improve anything: 35. hxg5 h4 36. Qb7 Qxb7 37. Rxb7 hxg3+ 38. fxg3 Rh8+ 39. Kg1 fxg5 40. Rcxc7 Nc5 41. Rxc5 Rh3 42. Kg2 g4 43. Nd6 Rh2+ 44. Kxh2 f6 45. Rc8#)

35. Rc6 1-0

References: Wikipedia, www.365chess.com, ChessBase Magazine #055, #124 and #169, Mega Database 2020, Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings, Fritz 10, Multiple Chess Collections (Chess ECO Database, MasterGames Database, Book-Up Database collections, etc)

Additional note from Peter Gibbs:

Only recently a chess book was published entitled “The Modernized Nimzovich Defense” 1 e4 Nc6! by Christian Bauer. No doubt players will be interested in this!

Champing at the Bit 01

Paul Benson writes:

How this idea is not a BCA custom is a mystery. Surely the BCA Champion should be regularly offering words of wisdom as best they know it? So, for as long as the title resides here expect an assortment of articles to appear in the Gazette. We shall start off with a pair of recent personal Skype encounters. Note the source of the ratings is given within the brackets. In TS28 any FIDE rating overrules any TS (Tournoi Skype) rating.

F. Calderon (TS 1604) - P. Benson (FIDE 1839), Tournoi Skype 028A 2020.

(Firstly, there is some previous of about 6 months earlier to examine with conclusions to be drawn.

F. Calderon (TS 1683) - P. Benson (TS 2080), Tournoi Skype 027A 2020.

This earlier clash began with a mutual non-interaction pact which exploded into action once Black completed development on move 19:

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bc4 Bg7 4. c3 Nc6 5. a3 e6 6. d3 Nge7 7. Bg5 h6 8. Be3 b6 9. Nbd2 O-O 10. Nf1 d5 11. exd5 exd5 12. Bb5 d4 13. cxd4 cxd4 14. Bd2 a6 15. Bc4 Nf5 16. Ng3 Re8+ 17. Kf1 Nd6 18. Bd5 Bb7 19. Qc1 Rc8 20. Bxh6 Ne5 21. Bxf7+ Nexf7 22. Qf4 Nxh6 23. h4 Qf6 24. Qd2 Bxf3 25. gxf3 Qxf3 26. Rg1 Ng4 27. Ne2 Qxf2+ mate 0-1

So who will deviate from play in this brevity? Clearly not Black, it is White in need of an improvement. How much can each player learn about the style of the other and make changes for their next battle? Perhaps the key points to consider are:

(A). The white king got caught in the centre.

(B). The white rooks did not contribute at all.

(C). When the punches started being thrown White definitely came off the worse.

Available information sifted, time to examine the more recent encounter.)

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. c3 (White changes the move order but the previous theme continues, a pawn chain is slowly being constructed on the a1 - h8 diagonal, attempting to limit the power of a black g7 bishop. Fine, but sometimes such pawn chains simply present a target to be attacked.)

3. ... Bg7 4. d3 (Deviating. Previously White developed the f1 bishop outside a central light-square pawn chain, it did not find much joy out there. So, is this a prepared improvement or simply an attempt to avoid a general repetition of the themes which gave Black a comfortable game?)

4. ... Nc6 5. Be3 b6 (Defending c5 in this way rules out the usual queenside plan of launching the b-pawn up the board. It also reduces the choices of the black queen, Qb6 or Qa5 are no longer available. So why choose such an inflexible plan when 5. ... d6 keeps more options open? The answer is that Black plans a central pawn d5 break.)

6. Be2 e6 7. Nbd2 (A different approach is 7. d4 cxd4 8. cxd4 when c3 is now vacant for the b1 knight. However, in the previous game White had chances to break with pawn d4 but declined. It seems the present pawn structure is a favourite with White, central restraint rather than central activity.)

7. ... Nge7 8. Bf4 (Difficult to explain. Perhaps White hopes to get in Bd6 with pawn e5 immobilising the black centre? Easily avoided.)

8. ... d5 9. O-O (King safety with development of the king's rook, lesson learned from the previous game.)

9. ... O-O 10. Re1 f5 (Black wishes to create a position in which tactics can occur, in the hope White will again find problems when the punching begins. White is also set a four-way decision, sit tight, push on with pawn e5, or capture in either direction, this should chew up time on the clock.)

11. exd5 Nxd5 (Pawn structure imbalance is required if tactics are to be found, the backward black e6 pawn is not easy to target.)

12. Bg5 Qc7 13. Nf1 h6 (With ideas of further expansion with the kingside pawns, though careful preparation is required before such advances can occur.)

14. Bd2 Kh7 15. h3 Qe7 (Drifting kingside, hoping to catch the white defences disorganised when the position eventually opens up.)

16. N3h2 (A doubler. Firstly, the f3 square is vacated for someone else. Secondly, the g4 square, a point of contact should the black kingside pawns get rolling, is with a single move given 3 more defences! Or could it be the dynamic break of pawn g4 is being prepared? Unlikely. White is adopting a defensive stance, such lashing out with a pawn in front of the king is completely out of character.)

16. ... Qf6 17. Bf3 (Remember the previous game? White developed the light square bishop outside the pawn chain, fine as it went, but when the tactics started it did not perform well. So, with the game thus far being devoid of tactics perhaps it will fare better in this mutual strategic squeeze?)

17. ... Bd7 (Much safer than 17. ... Bb7, when it is the black bishop which must be wary over the mutual x-ray glaring through the black knights.)

18. Rb1 (Defending the white b2 pawn, White plans some central pawn play.)

18. ... Rad8 (History repeats, Black is again ahead in development, in particular the rooks have much greater prospects than the white rooks.)

19. c4 (Win something, lose something. When a unit moves it vacates a square for someone else, Bc3 will activate the white d2 bishop. However, the previously guarded d4 square is now available to a black knight.)

19. ... Nde7 20. Qe2 (Mistimed, instead 20. Bc3, justifies the pawn c4 push.)

20. ... Nd4 21. Qd1 Nec6 22. Bc3 Rfe8 (Black has been slowly accumulating small gains while White has made little progress. Moreover, the white bishops are sitting on the squares where white knights would feel most comfortable.)

23. Ng3 e5 (This might appear to be aggressive but there is no real threat yet. White to play however suddenly feels a compulsion to do something rather than wait for a serious black threat to arise and then defend accordingly.)

24. Bxc6 (We are instructed to relieve pressure on a defensive position by trading off attacking units. Good advice as far as it goes. Here White decides the tandem black knights need eliminating. Fine, but the method to relieve the pressure should be trading like for like. So, some white knight shuffling is required to set up Nxd4, then manoeuvre the other knight for a repeat capture on d4.)

24. ... Bxc6 (Black has been handed a significant positional gain. The previously inactive d7 bishop now has the freedom of the light squares in a position where dynamic pawn breaks are available.)

25. Bxd4 (The white strategic mini-plan is complete, both black knights liquidated at the cost of the bishop pair. However, while the material traded could be regarded as roughly equal, the change in the position is definitely not. The black bishops have great potential if the position can be opened up. In contrast the white knights are not influencing the game and will struggle to find good outposts.)

25. ... Rxd4 (Keeping the d-file semi-open, pressure on the white d3 pawn is maintained. Instead 25. ... cxd4, planning pawn e4 with central play was a dynamic way to handle the position.)

26. Ne2 (Planning Nc1 trying to hold the d3 pawn, fine if it works. If not, then such a passive stance will leave White confronted by a very active black army in a position about to open up. Instead 26. Qb3 Red8 27. Qa3 R8d7 28. Rbd1 Qd6 Black wins the white d3 pawn.)

26. ... Rd7 27. Qc2 (Vacating d1 for a rook, right idea, wrong execution. On c2 the white queen is in danger of becoming a target to tactics. Instead 27. Qb3 Red8 28. Rbd1 sets Black the task of working out whether 28. ... e4 is good or just gives away a comfortable positional plus.)

27. ... e4 (Remember the previous game and how both players coped when the tactics began to flow? Black has been patiently shuffling, seeking an opportunity to find a dynamic move, and at move 27 patience is finally rewarded.)

28. Nc1

(Tactics show why the white queen should have avoided the c2 square:

(A). 28. Red1 exd3 29. Rxd3 Rxd3 30. Qxd3 Be4 31. Qd1 Bxb1 32. Qxb1 Rxe2 White loses a rook in the trading.

(B). 28. dxe4 Bxe4 skewering and winning an exchange.

White voluntarily traded off both bishops for both black knights to relieve pressure, material roughly equal, but what are the positional consequences? The white knights are now lurking on the edge of the board, the black bishops are lurking with intent of invasion into the white position, something somewhere should be available to Black.)

28. ... exd3 (Appropriate Fischerism: "Tactics flow from a positionally superior game.", and here comes some supportive evidence.)

29. Nxd3 (Running away unsurprisingly fails. Instead, 29. Qd1 Rxe1+ 30. Qxe1 d2 White loses the c1 knight.)

29. ... Rxe1+ (Black trade rooks to remove a potential defender of the white d3 knight. This is not strictly necessary. It is just a case of taking the simplest approach with the least complications.)

30. Nxe1 (Attempting to relieve problems on the h7 - b1 diagonal do not help. Instead, 30. Rxe1 Be4 gives White the unpleasant choice of 31. Rxe4 immediately giving up the exchange, or struggling on in a pin with 31. Re3 Qd8 32. Nf3 Rxd3 and White loses a piece.)

30. ... Be4 0-1

(White must lose material, Black will have a decisive material advantage, some ideas run:

(A). 31. Qc1 Bxb1 32. Qxb1 Qxb2, Black wins an exchange plus pawn.

(B). 31. Qa4 Qd6 32. Rc1 Bxb2 the white rook has nowhere safe to run, so after 33. Rc2 Bxc2 34. Qxc2, Black is again an exchange plus pawn up.

(C). 31. Nc2 Qd2, White must choose between allowing Bxc2 losing much material or try 32. Na3 Bxb1 33. Nxb1 Qd1+ 34. Qxd1 Rxd1+ 35. Nf1 Rxb1 36. f3 Bd3, Black will emerge a rook plus bishop pair ahead.)

Looking Deeper: BCA in ‘Chess Magazine’

Readers of the November 2020 gazette will recall an article by Mark Kirkham reporting that the BCA was to feature in Chess Magazine. Sure enough, the piece, entitled “Looking Deeper”, which was written by our associate member, Ben Graff, appeared in the November issue of that highly respected publication, and we’re delighted to have received permission to include the text in this gazette. Our thanks go to Ben and Chess Magazine. As you’ve read in our Membership Secretary’s Report, we have gained a member as a result of the article, which is reproduced below.

Looking Deeper

Ben Graff enjoyed exploring the blind and partially sighted chess scene

“I don’t have a dis-ability, I have a different-ability.” Robert M. Hensel

“The beauty of chess is it can be whatever you want it to be... Whatever your circumstances, anyone can enjoy a good fight to the death over the chess board.” Simon Williams

Some readers might recall the congresses at the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford, many years ago. I certainly remember with fondness playing chess in the smoky dining hall and the games of cricket that would take place on the sun-drenched lawns between rounds. Yet my own family’s connection with the place went deeper than the chess I played there.

My mother, Mary, taught English at the RNCB for over twenty years. My father, Colin, was a college fund-raiser after his retirement. I got to know many of my mum’s students and was always inspired by their successes in so many different fields. More recently, at Leamington Chess Club, I was proud to count amongst my friends one of my mother’s former pupils, the late David Hodgkins, who never let being blind and severely deaf stand as an impediment to his talent.

For those of us who are fully sighted, chess is a very tough game. This is what draws us in and keeps us coming back. Being visually impaired undoubtedly has the potential to create further additional challenges. Yet the fact chess can work for all is what makes it so amazing. I had always wanted to explore the blind and partially sighted chess scene further. To look at the history and to hear the stories of players and organisers, both in the UK and internationally. I was keen to build my own understanding and wondered if there was more the rest of us could do to help welcome the visually impaired into our ranks.

I found that when it came to the history, the name of one man kept cropping up again and again. Reginald Bonham, founder of the Blind Chess Magazine in 1932 and of both the British and International Blind Chess Associations. Bonham was born with some sight, but this rapidly deteriorated and by the age of sixteen he had become an outstanding student at the Worcester College for the Blind. His academic prowess took him to Oxford, where as well as being the University Chess Champion, he was also a superb rower who came within a whisker of making the blue boat.

Bonham was the over-the-board blind world champion once and the blind correspondence world champion on five separate occasions. He would have considerable success in sighted events too, not least being Worcestershire County Champion 20 times, Midlands Champion four times and regularly competing in the British, finishing as high as ninth, no mean feat.

Bonham was a fantastic teacher, inspiring generations of blind and partially sighted players to take up the game on his return to Worcester College after his time at Oxford. His writing extended beyond the prodigious content of the Blind Chess Magazine. Bonham’s two books Chess Questions Answered and More Chess Questions Answered were classics of their time and are still highly readable today.

Jorgen Magnusson and Stan Lovell, who I spoke to during this piece, told me how much his writing had personally influenced them both.

Bonham's passion for chess, his determination to bring others to the game and his ability to build relationships, all served to create the foundations for the now thriving global blind and partially sighted chess community.

Reginald Bonham contributed so much by creating the organisations that have given many blind and partially sighted players a route into the chess world. He also deserves to be remembered as an extremely formidable competitor in his own right. What I like about this game is the way in which Bonham takes his time, squeezing his opponent until victory is assured.

R.Bonham - L.Alster, Correspondence (MCCU vs Czechoslovakia) 1947

King’s Indian Defence

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 g3 0-0 6 Bg2 e5 7 Nge2 exd4 8 Nxd4 Nc6 9 Nxc6 bxc6 10 0-0 Be6

11 Qa4 Nd7 12 Be3 Ne5 13 c5 Nc4 14 Nd1 Nxe3 15 Nxe3 dxc5 16 Rad1 Qe7 17 b3 Bd7 18 Qa5 Be6 19 Rd2 Bd4

20 Nc2 Rfd8 21 Nxd4 cxd4 22 Rc1 Rab8 23 Rxc6 Rb6 24 Qc5 Qxc5 25 Rxc5 Rd7 26 e5 Ra6 27 f4 h5

28 Bb7 Rb6 29 Bc8 Rd8 30 Bxe6 Rxe6 31 Rxc7 Ra6 32 Kf2 Ra3 33 Kf3 a5 34 Rc4 Kf8 35 Ke4 d3 36 Rd4 Rxd4+

37 Kxd4 a4 38 b4 Ke7 39 Kc4 Ke6 40 b5 1-0

The IBCA

Today, Jorgen Magnusson is the secretary of the International Blind Chess Association (IBCA), and a four-time IBCA junior world champion, as well as being a FIDE Master and an Associate Professor. He told me that as a child he would commute from the north of Stockholm to a specialist school for the blind in the south of the city. This was around the time of Karpov’s 1974 match with Korchnoi and Jorgen remembered being excited that two people could be engaged in “competitive thinking”. He asked the school bus driver if he knew how to play and while he was not an expert, the driver knew how the pieces moved and this was enough to get Jorgen started.

“There is a kind of fairness to chess,” Jorgen told me. “It is possible for a totally blind person to compete against a sighted player. Perhaps it is not an entirely level playing field, but you can compete on near equal terms. The reality is though that if you lose your sight before the age of five or six your capacity for abstract thinking will be affected. Spatial awareness is a much easier concept to grasp if you can see.”

Jorgen was quick to highlight the way in which chess has helped him more generally. “Being blind or partially sighted can make you quite passive. It can be hard to imagine an abstract place. Chess can train those specific capacities that blindness hampers – so can really help as a life-skill training point. When I took my PhD, because of chess I knew I could solve the kind of practical problems it would entail. Chess gave me a kind of confidence to succeed at other things, no question.”

Jorgen told me that he had played in both events for blind and partially sighted players, and mainstream tournaments. I asked him if there were any specific challenges for blind players and he highlighted the basic difficulty of finding your way around a venue (and the wider event locality), when you do not know the place. He noted that events in hotels often worked best because there was a much smaller area to find your way around and the hotel staff were invariably helpful, but even so you would still need a guide.

Jorgen said that he had had very few difficult incidents against sighted players, but did remember playing an International Master in a rapid game, being up by queen to rook and a minute to ten seconds on the clock. The IM said it was too stressful to move Jorgen’s pieces for him and the arbiter declared the game a draw. Jorgen would get his revenge by winning the next few longplay games with the IM.

I did get a sense from a number of those I interviewed that while most sighted players could not be more welcoming to the visually impaired, a very small minority can be less so. I even heard a story of one player asking not to be paired with a blind player, which is clearly far from helpful behaviour.

Jorgen told me that as the Secretary to the IBCA, a large part of his work involves securing the funding for the blind chess Olympics, world championship and other events. It is not always easy, and Jorgen mentioned that the next Olympics has been moved back by a year to avoid a clash with the para-Olympics, which has arisen because of the impact of coronavirus on the chess calendar. Jorgen said that it was important that those who were completely blind did not inadvertently get left behind, as the partially sighted would always need more access to training materials.

The current Swedish national team in IBCA events is largely completely blind. I asked Jorgen about whether there was a level playing field between blind and partially sighted chess players, and Jorgen noted that the latter must have some advantage. However, he highlighted that this was not always obvious. For example, a partially sighted player who is straining to look at the pieces for a prolonged period might struggle with a headache.

Jorgen was quick to praise the work of Lichess for making their site extremely accessible to blind players and was excited about the future of the IBCA. There will always be role for the IBCA, both independently and as a means for encouraging others to subsequently make the move into mainstream events. It was obvious how much chess had given to Jorgen and how passionate he was about playing his part in taking the game to others.

Notes by Jorgen Magnusson

J.Magnusson-J.M.Vela Ignacio, IBCA World Championship 2020

English Opening

1 c4 e5 2 g3 Nf6 3 Bg2 d5 4 cxd5 Nxd5 5 Nf3 Nc6 6 0-0 Be7

This move is commonly regarded as dubious. 6...Nb6 is preferred in order to prevent 7 d4, but I think the poor results Black has had with 6...Be7 are more a product of psychological factors. Those who allow 7 d4 feel they have lost control and underestimate their position. I still prefer 6...Nb6, but I do not think the text move is so bad either.

7 d4 exd4

7...e4 was played against me in a game I won quite quickly in 2008. After 8 Ne5 f5 9 Nxc6 bxc6 it might seem that Black has a terrible position. However, I have realised that White’s advantage is minimal if Black really

knows what to do.

8 Nxd4 Nxd4 9 Qxd4 Nb4?

Suddenly Black is lost. 9...Nb6 and 9...Nf6 lead to a comfortable but not huge advantage for White.

10 Qxg7 Bf6 11 Qh6 Nc2 12 Nc3 Nxa1 13 Rd1

Of course, I saw this position before taking on g7. But the calculation is pretty easy. As White has played some good moves and Black some fairly time-consuming ones, it does not take Mikhail Tal to sacrifice the rook.

13...Bd4 The rest of the game is fairly easy for White.

14 Bg5 Qd6 15 Qh4 c5 16 e3 f6 17 Qh5+ Kd8 18 Ne4 Qf8 19 Bxf6+ Kc7 20 exd4 Bd7 21 Qe5+ Kb6

22 dxc5+ Ka6 23 Rxd7 Qc8 24 Bf1 1-0

The BCA

I first met Julie Leonard at a BCA tournament a few years ago. Julie has been the Editor of The Gazette, the BCA’s excellent magazine since 2014, organises many tournaments and is integral to the running of the BCA. Julie told me that her father, Colin, had taught her to play when she was four or five, on his braille set. Growing up with parents who were both blind, Julie highlighted that this was just what was normal to her. “We can be quick to label people as disabled, when actually they are able people who happen to be blind.”

I asked Julie how she saw the role of the BCA and she told me that it was many different things to different people. “We cater for top notch international players through to beginners. Some of our members are totally blind and others are partially sighted. We also welcome sighted players as associate members and they can play in our tournaments. Some of our members are people who have lost their sight later in life and the BCA can really help them, to either keep playing chess or to get started.” Julie said in some ways the BCA “is as much about a sense of community and belonging as it is about the chess. Some of our members have been with us for so long that they are now involving their children.”

The challenge is attracting new juniors. The education system is more integrated now than it once was, and fewer young blind players seem to learn chess in mainstream school than did so at specialist establishments for the blind in previous generations. Perhaps there are a greater range of things for people to do these days, which means chess is marginalised. Ultimately, more generally juniors are the lifeblood and the future, so this is clearly a concern. Still, if anyone is well placed to steer the BCA through these challenges, it has to be Julie.

I then spoke to Julie’s father, Colin Chambers, a renowned Olympian, long time BCA member and a familiar figure on the south-west chess circuit. Colin told me that he learnt the game at the Royal School for the Blind in Bristol, which he had started attending after losing his sight at the age of fourteen. Colin told me he had been a keen cricketer and footballer, and chess was the perfect way for him to continue to interact with sighted people.

Colin played for the school team and then later for the RNC in Shrewsbury, before going on to play for the various teams in the Bristol and Gloucester Leagues. Colin told me that chess had taken him all over the world, from “As far east to Turkey to as far west as Brazil.” Colin said that one of his greatest victories had come against blind world champion Sergey Krylov in a 1981 tournament to mark the year of the disabled in Austria. Colin always remembered chatting to “some guy” at the welcome buffet. It was only later that it was highlighted to him that he had been talking to the President of Austria.

Colin stressed how much chess had helped him professionally. His long and distinguished career in IT had come about almost entirely because a former boss had discovered he was a chess player and wondered if he might have an aptitude for IT, given this. A hunch that proved to be right. “Who knows how my career would have panned out if it hadn’t been for the lucky break chess had given me,” he mused.

Stan Lovell is also well known on the south-west chess scene and a BCA veteran. Stan said that he was born with a little sight, but had lost this by the age of twelve or thirteen. He noted how important the social side of chess was to him. Like most blind children at that time, he had gone to a boarding school and would come home to find he did not really know anybody. Chess enabled Stan to meet with people and to integrate. He told me, “I love the competitive side, but I’ve met so many life-long friends through playing chess. The BCA is a bit like a family. It is a tremendous thing. You can play these great games in this wonderful social atmosphere. It’s lovely.”

Stan told me that there would always be a place for tournaments for the visually impaired. That they work well in their own right, but are also a great way of giving those who want them the tools to play in mainstream events. Stan felt that if a blind player were not blind, they would probably be a slightly higher grade, which certainly seems to make sense. “It’s not an entirely level playing field. It cannot be. You can’t take in

the board at a glance, but ultimately chess is a game that is played in the head.” Perhaps it is all too easy to underestimate the added challenges blind and partially sighted people face in everyday life. “Making a cup of tea or a meal needs a bit more concentration, but you get used to it, you have to do it.”

Stan highlighted that since Covid-19 there had been a “big uptick” in games on Skype, with tournaments being organised with participants from all over the world. Stan noted he had played against people from Nicaragua and Peru, places you are unlikely to visit. We reflected that it was impossible to know when the world would go back to normal, but that events like this might well play a greater enduring part than in the past.

Finally, I spoke to Mark Kirkham, someone else I had previously met and share a family connection with. My mother-in-law taught at Tapton Mount, a primary school for the blind in Sheffield, and Mark had been one of her students. Mark was taught by his father, “A wonderful man and a terrible chess player”, but as with the bus driver who taught Jorgen, Mark’s father knew enough to get him started and was the provider of many lifts when Mark played for Sheffield University.

Mark told me that he “liked the fact that chess is very self-contained. It reflects life in some strange way. I love the fact that you must think on your feet. You can give people rule-of-thumb guidance, but there is no substitute for calculation. It is easy to either be too aggressive or too cautious. This really appeals to the mathematician in me.”

Mark has been on the BCA committee for a long time and is the organisation’s longserving librarian. He described part of his role as being to “guide less experienced players toward material that might be helpful.” He highlighted that the BCA would always appreciate volunteer readers, and this was another way in which the wider chess community could help out.

I felt truly inspired by the people I had met and the stories I had heard. From a former junior world champion in Jorgen to a man who had beaten one in Colin, so much had been achieved at the board. Yet perhaps what will stay with me most is what I learned about the way in which the blind and partially chess scene acts as a community. Welcoming people in and helping provide the skills and opportunities to progress not just at chess, but in life more generally. Julie, Mark, Stan, Colin and Jorgen are all heroes who have helped many others to enjoy the game we love.

If anyone wants to support the work of the BCA, whether as an associate member or a reader, they should contact Julie in the first instance. The next time you come across a blind player on the circuit, take the time to say hello. Whether we can see or not, chess means we all have far more in common than whatever happens to make us different.

Photo captions:

1. Two integral pillars of the Braille Chess Association, Julie Leonard and her father, Colin Chambers, who once pulled off a giant-killing victory as he defeated world champion Krylov.

2. Nowadays resident in Scarborough, Stan Lovell has also been a lifelong BCA member.

My Career in Chess: How it began!

Gerry Walsh writes:

After leaving school in 1960 I started an apprenticeship in the ICI Wilton Works on Teesside. Along with the other 120 school leavers I spent a year in the training school. One of the features of the training schedule was a lecture every Friday afternoon, so there I was sitting in the lecture theatre when the Head of Centre entered and barked out “Where's Walsh?” When I put my hand up from the wings the Head pointed to someone sitting on a seat in the middle and said “You get out. Walsh will sit there!” He then told us that the lecture would be about chess and towards the end a volunteer would be sought to play a game. “Walsh will volunteer”, he said.

The lecturer was brought in and introduced. It was former three times British Champion and renowned arbiter, Harry Golombek! So maybe that was the start of my chess career. Some of you may have a copy of “The History of Chess” by Harry Golombek published in 1975. In the introduction you will find the same story I have told you.

Ten years passed before I met Harry again. He came to Teesside to help me negotiate with the local authority to stage a Grandmaster tournament in 1972. The event did indeed take place with Harry as chief arbiter. It was won by Danish Grandmaster, Bent Larsen.

Ten years after that, Harry was invited to be chief arbiter at the world championship for the blind in Hastings in 1982. He accepted, subject to me being his assistant.

So, I thought we should have a game by Harry Golombek. This is from the British Championship, Oxford 1967.

White Bonner Black Golombek (Annotations by Harry Golombek.)

1 P-Q4 N-KB3 2 N-KB3 P-QN3 3 B-B4 The so-called London System which Bonner invariably plays. The plan is to construct a Colle System pawn structure without shutting in the Queen's Bishop. The drawback of the system is a certain inelasticity which allows Black to take steps to nullify the action of White’s bishops.

3 ... B-N2 4 P-K3 P-B4 5 QN-Q2 P-N3 6 P-B3 B-N2 7 B-B4 Not, as will soon be seen, a particularly good square for the piece and it may well be that he should develop it on Q3, even though it is then biting on granite.

7 ... O-O 8 O-O N-B3 9 Q-K2 P-Q3 10 KR-Q1 R-B1 11 N-N3 Threatening 12 PxP NPxP, 13 NxP but this threat is easily met and the knight is misplaced on N3. A better plan of campaign lay in 11 QR-B1 followed by P-QR3 and P-QN4.

11 ... PxP 12 BPxP A serious strategic error after which Black has very much the upper hand, correct was 12 KPxP. Now the open Queen's Bishop file proves of use to Black and an embarrassment to White.

12 ... N-QN5 13 P-QR3 B-Q4, And not 13 ... BxN, 14 PxB, when the two bishops are ample compensation for the doubled pawns.

14 KN-Q2 BxB 15 NxB QN-Q4 16 B-N5 Q-Q2 17 P-K4 Apparently the knight must retreat, but now comes a very nasty surprise for White.

17 ... Q-N4 If now 18 PxN QxN(B5) 19 QxQ RxQ, with manifest advantage to Black, but the queen sally contains a further point.

18 N(N3)-Q2 N-B6 This wrecks White's queenside pawn formation.

19 PxN QxB 20 P-QR4 Necessary to prevent Black's queen from returning to N4.

20 ... P-Q4 Precipitating the issue and in fact premature since this allows White counter-chances. correct was simply 20...R-B2, followed by the doubling of rooks on the queen's bishop file.

21 P-K5 N-R4 22 N-K3 P-K3 Best, after 22 ... N-B5 23 Q-R6 R-B2 24 N-B3 the black queen has to go right out of play.

23 N-B3 Q-K2 24 P-B4 N-B5 25 Q-R2 PxP 26 NxP B-R3 An important move to ensure that White will not be able to challenge control of the queen's bishop file by playing a rook to QB1.

27 N-Q6 R-B2 28 Q-N2 N-Q4 It is interesting to note that Black's knight, established on Q4, exerts a stronger pressure on White's game than its white counterpart does on Black's on Q6, the chief reason being the presence of a backward pawn on Q4.

29 P-R5 R-N1 30 R-Q3 P-QN4 31 R-N3 Of course, not 31 NxNP P-R3.

31 ... P-N5 32 N-K1 R-B6 33 RxR NxR 34 N-Q3 This loses quickly, correct was 34 P-N3 preventing Black's next move. Then Black would have to assault the black squares by P-B3 and an eventual P-N4.

34 ... Q-R5 35 NxP QxP 36 R-N1

Staving off the loss of a piece, for one move at any rate, immediate disaster results from 36 N-B6 N-K7ch.

36 ... Q-B4 Now a piece must fall.

37 P-N3 NxR White resigns.

Gray Matter Test

These puzzles are selected by Graham Lilley from the website http://www.wtharvey.com, which contains many puzzles that challenge you to find a win from a position in a real game.

November 2020 Puzzle

Christian Aarefjord vs Magnus Carlsen, Oslo, 2001

8/3R1p2/1p3k2/7b/2Pp3P/BP1K4/2P4r/8

White: King d3, Rook d7, Bishop a3, Pawns b3, c2, c4 and h4

Black: king f6, rook h2, bishop h5, pawns b6, d4 and f7

Black to move and win.

Solution: ... Bg6+ with Rd2+ to follow

February 2021 Puzzle

Magnus Carlsen vs Gustav Gulbrandsen, Norway, 2002

r1b1k2r/pp1nqpp1/4p2p/3pP1N1/8/3BQ3/PP3PPP/2R2RK1

White: King g1, Queen e3, Rooks c1 and f1, Bishop d3, Knight g5, Pawns a2, b2, e5, f2, g2 and h2

Black: king e8, queen e7, rooks a8 and h8, bishop c8, knight d7, pawns a7, b7, d5, e6, f7, g7 and h6

White to move and win. The solution will appear in the May gazette.

Personalia

In this section we often congratulate members on milestone birthdays. Sometimes there is more than one to announce. However, I don’t think we’ve ever had two of the same milestone birthdays in one household in the same month! Bill and Pat Armstrong will celebrate their 80^th birthdays on the 20^th and 29^th of March respectively. Bill, our former champion, is a regular competitor in over the board BCA events as well as overseas IBCA tournaments and Pat often accompanies Bill. They have become good friends to so many of us over the years so let’s all send them warmest birthday congratulations at this special time! This popular couple have much more than their birth month and the BCA in common. They both made a career in teaching and are proper globetrotters, taking regular trips to see their son in Canada as well as visiting exotic locations such as Singapore. In a normal year they might well have planned a special trip to mark the joint celebrations. Like all birthdays in Covid-19 times, however, their festivities will probably be somewhat different to usual. Perhaps they will celebrate being eligible to receive their vaccinations a little earlier, having reached the magical age of 80! Or, as a former teacher of English literature, maybe Bill will simply settle down with a good book. I once asked Bill who his favourite author is, and without a moment’s hesitation he replied that it’s hard to beat Jane Austen. So, I’ll conclude this section with a quote from her writing. The words describe very many BCA friends, but none more so than the birthday couple, Bill and Pat.

“My idea of good company...is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company." Jane Austen, “Persuasion”

Julie Leonard

Quote Unquote

Mark Kirkham has kindly sent in some chess quotes for us this time! He says:

The introduction to Simon Williams’ book “The Killer Dutch” begins with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Later Simon says:

One of my favourite quotes on the Dutch was made by top Grandmaster Artur Yusupov. “The problem with the Dutch is that Black very often in the middlegame finds that his best available move is f5-f7.”

Mark comments:

The book is full of other people's sayings that Simon considers relevant to the chess material at each point. It is available from Everyman in the usual electronic formats.

RIP Dorothy Hodges

Dorothy passed away on 29^th October 2020, shortly after her 91^st birthday. She played in many BCA events over the years and was held in high regard and great affection by her many BCA friends. Grateful thanks to Dorothy’s niece, Suzanne Flood, who has kindly shared the text of Dorothy’s funeral service with us. Quotes from family and friends recall how she enjoyed audio books, shopping and RNIB outings, especially if afternoon tea was involved! Although Dorothy’s body may have failed her of late, her mind was as sharp as a pin and she had an excellent memory. She had a gift for cheering people up! Words from BCA members were included too: Dorothy is remembered as “a very good and determined competitor” and “a lovely, gentle soul full of quiet wisdom”. (Written by Richard Harrington and Gary Wickett, these lines encapsulate the way many of us think of Dorothy.) Suzanne was surprised to learn that Dorothy was BCA Ladies’ Champion in 2007 as she had been too modest to mention it! Dorothy wrote her own life story and here is a lightly edited version.

I was born in Bournemouth then, when I was 2 or 3, my parents and I moved to Poole. An only child, I sometimes felt lonely, especially at Christmas. By age 6, my sight was fading. I struggled on in an ordinary school, where it took me an afternoon to thread a needle in sewing class. I could not see the blackboard and was very behind.

When I moved to another school, the new teacher recognised my poor sight; I was given a magnifying glass and could see the print of the Alice in Wonderland book. The headmaster pointed out to my mother that I could not see properly. We saw doctors and specialists, but this was the 1930's, so there were no antibiotics or steroids. One specialist asked my mother if they could afford to take me to London but this was unaffordable to my parents.

Aged 8, I went to a boarding school for blind children in Exeter. The education system suited me; I had girls my own age to play with. I was there all through the Exeter Blitz and for a short time we were evacuated to Blundle School in Tiverton. At 16 I was transferred to a school in Bristol, where Des, my future husband had been a pupil.

I trained to make socks on a knitting machine, and baskets, although I wasn't very good at the baskets. When I was nearly 20 I went home and made men's socks and football teams’ socks in a garden workshop. After 3 years someone from RNIB asked if I'd like to work in a factory. I decided it would be good to have a weekly wage and company. The firm was David Griffin. I did repetition work, making parts for aeroplanes, and enjoyed it.

After 7 years they had no more work I could manage so I was found a job in a much larger factory called Asteron Bird. It was noisy, the work was physically hard, joining pieces of metal together with a press. I enjoyed the company and had a good cooked dinner in the canteen. I moved departments after 16 years where the work was lighter but in 1981 Asteron Bird went into voluntarily liquidation.

My mother had died in 1979 and in 1981, aged 51, I found myself unemployed and needing to earn a living. After 10 months I went to an RNIB rehabilitation centre in a beautiful setting in Torquay to try different types of work. It was decided that I could manage telephony or audio typing. I was found an audio typist’s job at Barclays Bank in Poole, in a huge building with 2000 people and a lovely restaurant. I struggled, having had very little training so I went to an RNIB commercial college in London to learn how to be an Audio Typist. I stayed for 2 terms in an RNIB hostel. I had my own room and the food was good. After passing two exams with distinction, I returned to the bank. I was proud to work there. The atmosphere was very good. The little group of girls I worked with would often go out for supper. I was always included although I was in my 50's and they were in their 20's.

Meanwhile I attended the Bristol school for the blind’s annual reunions, where I met Desmond. He knew an ex-member of staff who thought it would be a good idea if we got together. He told Des that my name was Betty so the first letter that I received from Des said Dear Betty. We corresponded for some years especially on cassette tape, and in 1986 we decided to be married. 1987 was a very exciting year! I was engaged on New Year’s Eve and received presents when I returned to work, when we were married in May and on leaving the bank that July.

We were happily married for 10.5 years. We had many foreign trips with groups of blind people and guides. On one holiday, when Braille was not on our toiletries bottles, Des used what he thought was suntan lotion. Later, as it got frothy in the sea, he found out it was shampoo. We went to Jordan and Israel, United States three times and several European countries. We led a full life in Bristol going to concerts at the Colston Hall and plays at the Theatre Royal. After Des retired, we could go to lectures on poetry and music. Sadly, he died in 1997 and I had a struggle to put my life together. I went on one or two foreign trips with a group of blind people and guides and had holidays in Weston Super Mare. I joined the BCA and travelled to tournaments in other parts of the country.

Aged 81 my health deteriorated and I moved to Kathleen Chambers House, an RNIB care home in Burnham on Sea. I was well looked after and joined in some of the social activities. Some of my kind friends in Bristol visited me and Des' nieces and nephew kept in touch.

Condolences to Suzanne and the rest of Dorothy’s family. RIP Dorothy, reunited with Des.