Wednesday 18 April 2007

Looking for a new Delilah

This week we are spending a lot of time looking for a new van. Fortunately we have a couple of weeks before it becomes a real need. John has done a lot of research on different types of vans, wheelbase length, load carrying capacity etc and is becoming a bit of an expert (or anorak, depends on your point of view). We have looked at a few, so far only one stands out.

Alongside this has been ebay listing, posting and keeping our websites up-to-date. I need to do some chess study, but it seems to be at the bottom of the priority list.

Monday 16 April 2007

Hitchin & Letchworth Chess Congress

This weekend saw us travelling to Cambridge for a friend's son's christening. A lovely service in Sidney Sussex chapel - you really felt the historic atmosphere. It was good to meet up with my friend who I used to work with and who I hadn't seen since my wedding.

Instead of travelling straight home, we had decided to stay overnight in Stevenage and then play in the bottom section of the Hitchin and Letchworth one day rapidplay. As usual, on arrival at the chess congress, we began by checking the opposition out. Seeing the list of entrants I contented myself that the best that I could hope for would be a grading prize, if there was one. John was naturally more confident. The time control was an unusual one - 40 minutes each for all moves. I found that this suited me and led to some very enjoyable games. There was time for both myself and my opponent to think, so fewer cheap tricks and better chess.

I drew my first game and was relived, momentarily, that this would mean I wouldn't have to play the top seeds. Then saw that the top seed had also drawn. Fortunately, I didn't have to play him next, instead I got his opponent, and won. Then it was another draw, followed by a win against the top seed. I went into the final round being the only person on 3, with only John and the other tournament leaded ahead of me on 3.5. I won quickly (my opponent overlooked a smothered mate) and decided that this would give me either second or third. My maths had deserted me and when John and his opponent drew, John had to persuade me that I had come joint first! Sure enough, he was right, so joint celebrations were in order last night.

Friday 13 April 2007

Death of a Van

This week has been a very emotional one for us, so I just haven't felt like writing. Everything was too raw to put into words.

Last Thursday we travelled down to Exmouth to the West of England championships. We had problems with the van on the way down, finally getting to Exmouth 9-10 hours after we left home. John decided to take a bye for the first round, on the Friday morning, to help me to set up the bookstall. After that, it was a good tournament for him. Of the 6 rounds that he played, he drew 5 and won one, resulting in a share of the grading prize. Not bad going as all of his opponents were graded higher than him.

Exmouth was beautiful. The chess took place in The Royal Beacon hotel, but we stayed down the road at The Manor. Although our window was small, we still had lovely views to the sea, and by leaning out, of the Exe. In the evening the sun was a fiery, red ball as it set over the estuary.

Normally we would leave on the Monday afternoon for the drive back, but with the problems we had been having with the van, decided to stay an extra night. This meant that we had a chance to walk around the town, visiting the new development along the estuary and watching mussels being unloaded at the quayside.

Tuesday was a different story. Delilah, our beloved van, was dead. She refused to start and the RAC were to arrange a relay back. It looked like a blown head gasket and possibly other damage too. Now we had the problem of trying to get back in time to post the items which had been bought over the weekend. We arrived back with 1 hour before the last post and both went to work wrapping, addressing parcels and certificates of posting and finally made it with minutes to spare. It was then time to console each other with what may happen to the van.

Wednesday's first job was to empty out all the chess equipment and bookstall from Delilah before the garage could have a good look at her. Fortunately a good friend with a Volvo estate helped and the job was done quickly. Then the bad news. A blown head gasket, blown water pipe, possibly distorted cylinder head, and a gear oil leak. The latter was the most worrying and, with an automatic gear box, could easily send the bill into 4 figures. After discussions and much soul searching, it was decided to scrap her. But the day wasn't over, and we had a chess match to play in that night (I won, John lost, but was heavily out graded by his opponent).

Thursday and we took the final few bits out of Delilah and said our goodbyes. Both of us were emotional, she may only be a lump of metal that got us from A to B, but she was our lump of metal and we loved her. Now we have to find a new van.........

Monday 2 April 2007

Chess Study

In theory I should now be studying the black opening that I crashed and burned with on Saturday evening. However, I have a match as white tonight, so have decided to concentrate on my white opening. Recently I have been questioning the move order, so out comes the book that I prefer and study begins.

I am also aware that I lack confidence in my ability at the moment, so hopefully some concentrated study will help to rectify that problem. It's finding the time to study alongside everything else, but if I want to improve then that is what I must do.

Sunday 1 April 2007

Caterham Congress

I played in the U-100 section yesterday and today. 3 rounds yesterday, 2 today. I started off with a game which I won easily. Then, in the afternoon, a slightly tougher game, but I managed to get a 2 pawn advantage and swap off into an ending. The final game of the day was a very different story. I played black, against an opening that I know is critical, that I know that I should study and haven't, and that I lost to the last time I faced it. History repeated itself. Guess what I shall be studying next week! This morning I had a game which on paper I should have been ensured a win. However, my opponent threw everything at me and I ended up defending for my life. Fortunately he made a miscalculation and lost a minor piece. After that the position was such that swapping off was inevitable and I won, although really it should have been the other way round. The final game was against the tournament leader who was on 4/4. (Last week he beat a 160 so I knew that I would have my work cut out to win). Tactically he's very good and I managed to get into an awful mess and lost. It put me out of the prize money, but I enjoyed the game - at one point I took a pawn which I knew would lead to something nasty, but I couldn't see what, and as I was losing wanted to see the continuation. The good news was that our club came second in the club competition, so at least that was a consolation.