“Next year, I am gonna play all games for the Es-Dzjie-Ee” – these were the first words I heard from our number one FIDE Master after his game.
We were to play our final match against Paard d4, located in a Grand Café next to the water. A 4-4 score was enough for winning the championship, so that was that. And a 8-0 win was not altogether impossible.
Our first full point was scored by our other, senior FM in a style of grandeur and magnificence. In a Accepted Queen’s gambit, Blacks pawn was lured to b4, isolated from its neighbours, and picked up with the subtle Qe2-e1. All of Aran’s pieces jumped to the right squares, until resignation was the best move.
On board 4 Niels and his opponent were involved in the First Anglo-Dutch War. With use of a tactical retreat (Be7-d8) and a later kingside offense, the Dutch claimed victory. Ed had a nice manoeuvring game, and I did not see how he turned it into a win. Meanwhile, Patriek had suffered a defeat similar to his legendary namesake Maarten Tromp in 1653. His opponent sacrificed a piece for some pawns and for vague, if any, compensation. Patriek reacted well but, apparently, was mated some time later. These results gave us nevertheless a comfortable 3-1 advantage.
My board was the arena for the Second Anglo-Dutch War. And also here, a tactical retreat (Qe7-d8) was necessary, leaving all of my forces at the back rank and giving White a pretty Knight on d5. However, further developments showed that the situation was balanced. This battle would drag on some more.
Our team captain Take informed me that a draw was sufficient, as he would also get a peaceful result in an endgame with rook against bishop. This was not expected at all, as Take exchanged this two bishops for a mere rook earlier, after which his opponent returned the favour by giving up one of his bishops.
But the victory was within sight, as Joris was having an excellent position with two passed pawns in a rook endgame. I do not know how it happened, but Joris lost in the end after some miscalculation. A quite reinforcement would have been enough, but alas.
With a 3-2 standing in our favour, my position had improved considerably, with pieces gathering around the enemy king from the East and the South. In the diagram and with little time on the clock, White would have to find 25.Qxb4 Qh4 26.Qe1! to defend the weak spot f2. Instead, 25.Rd3? led to swift disaster.
To my left side on the stage, Marc was putting pressure on the only International Master in town. Sacrificing his centre pawn for active piece play, his only worry was his own king, who stayed in the middle for a long time. When Marc refused to simplify into a equal position, he missed an important defence, and was overrun some time later. But his spirit was still unbroken, as his quote above testifies.
Finally, Take arrived at two bare kings. We had won 4,5-3,5! The second SGA championship in a row for VAS!
The Grand Café remained open for some time, even after the d4 knights had left, because of course we had to celebrate.
Daan in ‘t Veld
