Friday 23 November 2018

Cumbernauld A 3-2 Dunfermline A - 21/11/18

  1. Steven Kelly draw Ian Robertson
  2. Ralph Stirrat 1-0 Calum Smith
  3. Mark Monaghan 1-0 Douglas Rew
  4. David Johnstone 0-1 Gonzalo Forero
  5. George Thomson draw Glynis Grant


Top board was a complex affair which includes the clock which neither player could fathom. White (Ian) could have won a pawn instead of losing one – often a good ploy. Steven would likely have eventually converted his plunder but a combination of the iffy clock settings and with match won a draw was offered.  Ralph played a tricky opening line catching Calum out and when the storm came not enough hatches were battened down.  Likewise with board 3 when Douglas set a wee trap but once it was negotiated his position took a serious turn for the worse.  Gonzalo was rightly concerned about his position “way too open for my liking” but David overlooked something – which happened to be a mate in 2.  Glynis also tried for checkmate by offering a second pawn and although George hadn’t seen the trap he settled for an exchange of rooks and one pawn but the opposite coloured bishop ending was a draw.