Blunders, Storms and a Big Win: Derby A Beat Breadsall
Blunders rained down as a surprise twist saw our A team defeat perennial title challengers Breadsall.
Playing on the new digital boards, we were rigged up to a live streaming matrix with a 15-minute delay - ironically how it often feels when I try to calculate…
But anyways, the games appeared to be drifting with the visiting favourites in control, with Dave slightly misjudging a surprise early Nh5 idea against the London and myself on top board wandering into a sharp Ruy Lopez variation - only to immediately realise I hadn’t studied it in months so perhaps that wasn’t the greatest idea…
It also appeared Kevin was becoming a victim of the Russian School of Chess as his opponent exuded positional smoothness with the Petroff (aka the Russian Defence) to seemingly steer the game to a good knight versus blunted bishop endgame with a huge time advantage. I was also under the cosh having realised putting my queen in the direct line of attack from a developing bishop and an even better knight manoeuvre (missed by my opponent) wasn’t quite the optimal engine line I checked back in March.
Meanwhile, George was plodding away on the black side of a Dutch, with his rival playing a relatively quiet and non-confrontational line - already a monumental victory for any Dutch player… (sorry Steve R, it’s a great opening - IF you were allowed to put a pawn back on f7 on demand!).
As Dave tried to justify opening the h-file early doors, he fell for a sneaky bishop g4-h5 trick to trap his rook on h6. Now, it all kicked off - just as almighty rain storm started outside.
My opponent, who had burned time trying to push his advantage, fell for a tactical shot that lost a piece. Around the same time, board two saw the same event as ‘Kev DGT Dalley’, with only a few minutes left, spotted a great tactic as his opponent relaxed too early when he could have traded pieces safely.
Just as a defeated Dave was on the cards on board four, George’s opponent offered a draw, perhaps unaware of the blunder-fest on the top two boards. George, under strict instructions not to accept a cop-out draw offer in case we needed him to win as a team, sheepishly but wisely left the board to observe to top two boards before accepting.
As well as observing two boards where Kevin and I were winning, he also observed the window behind us taking an absolute peltering by the elements outside and an unexpected cold shower that was landing on Kevin and I - thankfully not enough to cause an electrical health and safety incident. Kevin heroically decided to bash the window shut in a manner reminiscent of Magnus Carlsen’s table bang against Gukesh.
With the rain off our backs, Kevin boshed his moves out to convert a rook ending with an extra bishop and a passed pawn. That left me needing to bring it home. Despite being a full rook up, nerves were still at play but a most likely completely unnecessary tactical trick sealed the deal when I was able to allow my opponent to promote a pawn due to a discovered-check mating net.
John Tompson 12/11/25
| Derby A | 2½ - 1½ | Breadsall | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tompson, John C | 2073 | 1 - 0 | Madden, Paul | 2093 |
| 2 | Dalley, Kevin J | 1831 | 1 - 0 | Molyneux, John | 2090 |
| 3 | Burdell, George | 1801 | ½ - ½ | Burke, Steven J | 1933 |
| 4 | Williams, David | 1850 | 0 - 1 | Jarvis, Derek A | 1906 |
Full games are available here:
https://lichess.org/broadcast/derbyshire-division-1-derby-a-v-breadsall/match/od7LAmrf
John has also posed some questions for club members on these games:
Learners:
Why is black winning on board one in the final position despite white having a queen and rook?
What do you think of 2…Nh5 in the game on board four? What principles does this break? How would you have responded and why?
Improvers:
In the final position on board three, let’s say the game must continue… What are the plans ideas for either side. Which colour would you rather be?
On board two, track the game to when white exchanged queens. The engine screams that white has an advantage from declining this with Qd1. Why do you think this is? What plan or idea is seen by the engine, do you think?
I am sure John will be happy to talk through at a future club evening!