On Wednesday 29th April, with our 3rd team playing in the Fuller Cup had a semi final match at home against a strong Snodland side who came runners up in their section of the Fuller Cup.

After a very hard fought match, Sidcup won the match 3 games to 1.

Snodland had a very strong side with the team grading just below the limit of 440 at 439 so they were stronger on 3 of the 4 boards.

The evening started with Keith losing the toss and Rob Thompson (no relation) the Snodland Captain played on board 1 electing to play white on boards 1 & 3.

The first to finish was Keith Thompson (93) playing white against his namesake Matt Thompson (60) (again, no relation) forcing black to resign on move 42 when Keith had a mating attack which Matt could not escape.

The next match to finish was Sarah (93) playing against Hugh Broadbent (her father) (117). The game was very hard fought and Sarah had her chances but finally Sarah’s father managed to win the day. At one stage during the match, Hugh asked his team mates if a draw was going to be good enough but their matches were still going on and they could not say. Hugh had the first good chance on move 36 when Sarah played an incorrect queen move and gave Hugh good chances to win from the position. Then 3 moves later she grabbed a pawn that could not be taken and the position was even again. I think here it could have been an easy draw for both players if they kept checking their respective kings but Hugh (I think) went for the win. He moved his king up to assist his queen and made a mistake on move 39 so chances were equal again. On move 43, Sarah had a slight advantage and a further mistake 2 moves later by her father gave Sarah a winning advantage. On move 47, she missed her chance to move her e pawn to a square nearer promotion and the position was equal again. Then, on move 48, she gave her father the winning advantage which he took and Sarah resigned a move later.

While Sarah was in her struggles, Bob and Lee were having their own gigantic problems. Lee (117) playing white against David Lettington (129) missed a chance to take an advantage on move 27.  David tempted Lee to take his knight playing Nxd5 but Lee could not take this as then the sequence would be Rxd5 Rxd5 pxd5 Rxc2. Lee saw this a played Bxh7 but a pawn move to f4 attacking his rook would have given David something to think about and given Lee an advantage.

After this, the position for the next 10 moves was very equal and David was the one to crack making an incorrect king move on move 37. Lee took advantage and went on to promote his d pawn to a queen whereupon David resigned.

Bob (125) playing black on board 1 against Rob Thompson (137), was the last to finish after playing over 100 moves in an epic battle. Rob had a slight advantage and because it is sometimes a struggle for black to reach equal terms, Bob had to play 39 moves before white gave him any chances whatsoever. Then white played the incorrect Qe3 and gave Bob the advantage but at move 40 missed Nxe6 and the position was equal until move 47 when white again played an incorrect queen move. This gave Bob the advantage again who then played an incorrect RXR move on move 52 leaving the position was equal again for the next 34 moves. The duel and finally came to an end on move 86.

Rob made the final queen mistake to give Bob a winning game and mated Rob on move 101 to send us through to the final where we play Weald of Kent. They topped the Mid Kent division and found that Gravesend defaulted in their semi final.

Game 1

PGN

[pgn height=400 layout=horizontal autoplayMode=none]
[Event "Semi Final Fuller Cup"]
[Site "?"] [Date "2015.04.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Brockwell, Lee"]
[Black "Lettington, David"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D18"]
[WhiteElo "117"]
[BlackElo "129"]
[Annotator "Brockwell,Lee"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O Nbd7 
9. Bd3 Bg6 10. Qe2 Qc7 11. e4 {e4 wasn't my best move - Bd2 threatening the subtle 
Nb5 was better and I did see it but rejected it.} O-O 12. Rd1 e5 13. Bc2 Bh5 {Black is 
starting to build good pressure now and am just looking to hang in at this stage.} 
14. Be3 Ng4 15. h3 Nxe3 16. fxe3 exd4 17. exd4 Qg3 18. Qf2 Qxf2+ 19. Kxf2 Rfe8 20. d5 Bxc3 
21. bxc3 cxd5 22. exd5 Rac8 23. Ra3 {I missed Bf5 which wins} Nf6 24. Rd4 Bxf3 
25. gxf3 Re5 26. c4 Nxd5 27. Bxh7+ (27. Rxd5 Rxd5 28. cxd5 Rxc2+ 29. Kg3) 27... Kxh7 
28. cxd5 Rd8 29. d6 Re6 30. Rad3 Rd7 31. f4 a6 32. Kf3 b5 33. axb5 axb5 34. f5 Rf6 35. Ke4 g6 
36. fxg6+ Rxg6 37. Kf5 Kg7 {This was a key move for Black. Fritz says it's equal if the right move is played (Rf6). But Kg7 Kh8 Kg8 Kh6 loses. Shows just how subtle end games can be.} 38. Rg4 Rxg4 39. hxg4 b4 
40. Ke5 Kg6 41. Rb3 Rb7 42. Kd5 f5 43. gxf5+ Kxf5 44. Kc6 Rf7 45. d7 Rf6+ 46. Kc7 Rf7 
47. Rf3+ Ke6 48. Rxf7 Kxf7 49. d8=Q b3 50. Qd5+ Kf6 51. Qxb3
1-0 
[/pgn]

Game 2

PGN

[pgn height=400 layout=horizontal autoplayMode=none]
[Event "Semi Final Fuller Cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.04.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Thompson, Keith"]
[Black "Thompson, Matt"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "93"]
[BlackElo "60"]
[Annotator "Thompson,Keith"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.07.14"]
{Matt played the French opening which Ian plays a lot in his games against me but I still find 
it quite difficult to break down fortunately Matt is not Ian} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 
4. e5 Nfd7 5. Nf3 Be7 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. a3 Nf8 {Seems a bad move . Castling may have been better 
now castling takes a futher 2 moves. } 8. O-O {This does not take advantage of his bad knight 
on f8 h4 would have made sure his knight remained bad.} Bd7 9. Bf4 Ng6 10. Bg3 O-O 11. h3 Re8 
12. Qd2 Bf8 13. Ne2 {bringing my knight over to the kingside.} Nce7 14. Rae1 $2 { not a very 
clever move h4 chasing his knight away would be a better plan it is always difficult for me to 
move pawns infront of my king but here it is quite safe.} Nf5 15. Bxf5 $2 {This moves looses me 
the advantage although doubling his pawns they could if he played correctly have proved an asset 
to him.} exf5 16. b4 $2 {3 not very good moves on the trot has given black a slight advantage. 
I played this move because I wanted to stop c5. Black is still cramped and on the defense but I 
do not have a very good attack at the moment, the only slight weakness he has is the pawn on f5 
he has the 2 bishops pair which if used properly could be advantagous in an endgame.} c6 17. Nf4 b6 
18. h4 a5 19. h5 {should have played Nd3 first.} Nxf4 20. Bxf4 Re6 {This is where Matt starts to lose
the position up till now he has played well and position was about equal from here I start to 
take control of the game.} 21. Ng5 Rh6 22. Qe2 Be6 $4 {This is Matts loosing move it blocks the 
Rook on h6 and has no good squares to run to.} 23. Nh3 axb4 24. Bxh6 gxh6 25. axb4 Bxb4 
26. Rb1 Ba5 27. Rb3 c5 28. Rg3+ Kh8 29. Qe3 f6 30. Qxh6 {Nf4 was better} Qf8 31. Qf4 h6 $4 {This is 
his final mistake it allows my rook into g6 and attack his king and queen it will take the correct 
defence to survive this attack} 32. Rg6 Kh7 33. Rxf6 Qg7 34. Rxe6 b5 35. Qxf5+ Kh8 36. dxc5 
{pointless move does nothing for my attack Nf4 was much better I was thinking why hurry he has not 
got very many good moves.} Bd2 37. Rd1 Bc3 38. Nf4 {I finally got my night off the side should have 
played this 2 moves ago.} Rg8 39. Ng6+ Kh7 40. Ne7+ {Re7 would have worked as well.} Kh8 41. Nxg8 
{This cannot be taken if he takes with either the king or queen it is mate in 2 if the queen takes or 
mate in 3 if the king takes.} Qxg8 (41... Qxg8 42. Rxh6+ Kg7 43. Qf6#) (41... Kxg8 42. Re8+ Qf8 
43. Qg6+ Kh8 44. Rxf8#) 42. Rxh6+ {Black Resigns} 
1-0 
[/pgn] 

Game 3

Play chess online

PGN

[pgn height=400 layout=horizontal autoplayMode=none]
[Event "Semi Final Fuller Cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.04.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Broadbent, Hugh"]
[Black "Walker-Buckton, Sarah"]
[Result "1-0"] [ECO "D02"]
[WhiteElo "117"]
[BlackElo "93"]
[Annotator "Thompson,Keith"]
[PlyCount "117"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.07.14"] 
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bf4 Nf6 4. e3 a6 5. c4 g6 6. a3 Bg7 7. Nc3 e6 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O b6 
10. b4 Bb7 11. Qb3 Ne7 12. c5 Ne4 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Nd2 Qd7 (14... e5 {gave sarah a slight advantage} 
15. Bg5 exd4 16. exd4 h6 17. Bxe7 Qxe7) 15. Rad1 Bd5 16. Qc2 Qc6 17. Bc4 b5 18. Ba2 Ra7 
19. Bb1 f5 20. Ba2 Nc8 21. Bxd5 exd5 22. f3 Nd6 23. fxe4 Nxe4 24. Nxe4 fxe4 25. Qf2 Qe8 
26. Qg3 c6 27. Qg4 Raf7 28. Rf2 Rf5 29. Rdf1 h5 30. Qd1 Kh7 31. g4 hxg4 32. Qxg4 Qf7 
33. Bg3 Bh6 34. Bf4 Bxf4 35. Rxf4 Rxf4 36. Rxf4 Qg7 37. Qh3+ Kg8 38. Qe6+ Rf7 39. Qxc6 Rxf4 
40. exf4 Qxd4+ 41. Kg2 Qd2+ 42. Kg3 Qe3+ 43. Kg4 (43. Kg2 Qf3+ 44. Kg1 Qxf4 {and the 
postion was equal}) 43... Qf3+ 44. Kg5 Qh5+ 45. Kf6 Qf5+ 46. Ke7 Qf7+ ( 46... e3 {and the 
game was won for Sarah} 47. Qe8+ Kg7 48. Kd6 Qf6+ 49. Kxd5 Qf7+ 50. Qxf7+ Kxf7 51. c6 Ke7 
52. c7 Kd7 53. Ke4 e2 54. Kd4 (54. c8=Q+ Kxc8 55. Kd3 e1=Q)) 47. Kd8 Qf8+ $4 (47... e3 {still a 
win but harder for sequence to find.} 48. Qd6 e2 49. Qe5 Qf8+ 50. Kd7 Qg7+ 51. Qxg7+ Kxg7 
52. c6 e1=Q 53. c7 Kf6 54. c8=Q Qe6+ 55. Kc7 Qxc8+ 56. Kxc8 d4) 48. Kc7 Qxf4+ 49. Qd6 Qf7+ 
50. Kb6 e3 51. c6 e2 52. c7 e1=Q 53. c8=Q+ Qee8 54. Qxe8+ Qxe8 55. Qxd5+ Qf7 56. Qxf7+ Kxf7 
57. Kxa6 Ke6 58. Kxb5 Kd5 59. Kb6 
1-0 
[/pgn] 

Game 4

PGN

[pgn height=400 layout=horizontal autoplayMode=none]
[Event "Semi Final Fuller Cup"]
[Site "Sidcup"]
[Date "2015.04.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Thompson, Rob"]
[Black "Mitchell, Bob"]
[Result "1-0"] [ECO "A46"]
[WhiteElo "137"]
[BlackElo "125"]
[Annotator "Thompson,Keith"]
[PlyCount "202"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2005.07.14"] 1. d4 d6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 Bg4 4. e3 e6 5. Nbd2 Be7 6. Be2 Nbd7 
7. h3 Bxf3 8. Bxf3 d5 9. c3 c6 10. O-O O-O 11. Re1 Re8 12. e4 dxe4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Bxe4 Nf6 
15. Bf3 Nd5 16. Be5 Bf6 17. Qc2 Bxe5 18. Rxe5 Nf6 19. Rae1 Qb6 20. h4 Rac8 21. Be4 Rc7 
22. b4 g6 23. Bf3 Nd7 24. Rg5 Nf8 25. h5 h6 26. Rge5 g5 27. a4 Rcc8 28. a5 Qc7 29. Qd2 Qe7 
30. Bg4 Rcd8 31. f4 f6 32. R5e2 Qd6 33. fxg5 fxg5 34. Re5 Rd7 35. Qe2 Rde7 36. Kh1 Kg7 
37. Qe4 Rf7 38. Bxe6 Rf4 39. Qe3 $4 Rxe6 40. Rxe6 Rh4+ (40... Nxe6 41. Qxe6 (41. Kg1 Nc7 
42. Qe2 Nd5 43. Qe8 Rf8 44. Re6 Rxe8 45. Rxd6 Nxc3 46. a6 Re7 47. axb7 Rxb7 48. Rg6+ Kh7 
49. Rxc6 Ne2+ 50. Kf2 Nxd4 51. Rc4 Rf7+ 52. Ke1 Ne6) 41... Rf1+ 42. Rxf1 Qxe6) 41. Kg1 Qh2+ 
42. Kf2 Rf4+ 43. Ke2 Qxg2+ 44. Kd1 Qg4+ 45. Kc1 Nxe6 46. Qxe6 Qxh5 47. Qd7+ Rf7 48. Re7 Qh1+ 
49. Kb2 Qg2+ 50. Ka3 Qf3 51. Kb2 Rxe7 $2 52. Qxe7+ Qf7 53. Qe5+ Kg6 54. b5 Qd5 55. Qe8+ Kf5 
56. bxc6 bxc6 57. Qf8+ Kg6 58. Qe8+ Kg7 59. Qe7+ Qf7 60. Qe5+ Kg8 61. Qb8+ Kh7 62. Qd6 Qb7+ 
63. Kc2 a6 64. Qf6 Qd7 65. Qe5 g4 66. c4 Qf7 67. d5 cxd5 68. cxd5 Qg6+ 69. Kc3 g3 70. d6 g2 
71. Qe7+ Qg7+ 72. Qxg7+ Kxg7 73. d7 g1=Q 74. d8=Q Qc1+ 75. Kb3 Qb1+ 76. Ka3 Kg6 77. Qg8+ Kh5 
78. Qd5+ Kg4 79. Qd4+ Kg5 80. Qg7+ Qg6 81. Qe5+ Kh4 82. Qh2+ Kg4 83. Qg2+ Kf5 84. Qf3+ Kg5 
85. Qe3+ Kh4 86. Qf2+ Qg3+ 87. Qxg3+ Kxg3 88. Kb4 h5 89. Kc5 h4 90. Kb6 h3 91. Kxa6 h2 92. Kb6 h1=Q 
93. a6 Qa8 94. a7 Kf4 95. Ka6 Ke5 96. Kb6 Kd6 97. Ka6 Kc6 98. Ka5 Qxa7+ 99. Kb4 Qe3 
100. Ka5 Qb3 (100... Qa3#) 101. Ka6 Qa4#
1-0
[/pgn] 

So, it looks as though it will be another epic struggle next Sunday.

Keith Thompson (Photos courtesy of Brendan O’Gorman)