While I was busy self-destructing against Peter Kitchen in the club championship (round 2) at the club last Friday, Ian Davies and Norman O’Connor were doing battle in the same event. Norman essayed the Benko gambit, which blew Ian’s opening preparation out of the water. For much of the game, chances were balanced and Norman had the opportunity to gain an advantage at at least one point. However, at a crucial juncture, Norman moved to defensive mode instead of pressing for a counter attack. Ian’s mating threats against the Black King proved too strong and Norman resigned after 38 moves. It is often said that the winner of a chess game is the one who makes the penultimate mistake and we can all identify with that.
An interesting game which you can play through here. It is also listed on our “Interesting Games” tab.
Francis Best