Epsom Salties: 4NCL Online - Season 12, 4th November 2025

4NCL Online - 4th November 2025 - Division 4 - Round 5

4 boards, Online

Epsom Salties 1   2 - 2   London Deaf Chess Club

Epsom Salties 2   2 - 2   Dartford Juniors

Epsom Salties 3   2 - 2   Wessex H

It is easy to report the results for the three teams: Three draws. We are now 6th (-1 place), 14th (+2) and 26th (+2) for Salties 1,2,3 respectively. So overall we have moved up the table.

Salties 1 really needed to win to challenge for a top 4 position and promotion. Luckily we considerably out-rated our opponents, but in reality, we were lucky to get a draw. We played the London Deaf Club (including Epsom member Jordan). It is the second deaf club (after English deaf club) that Salties 1 have lost points to. Luckily there are no more deaf clubs in the division. Lev was simply outplayed by Jordan, who is a very good opponent, there were no bad moves just Jordan consistently found the slightly better moves. 

Position 1: Black to play - Solution at the end

Pietro's game was very even, until he dropped a pawn and then blundered, black has a clear response, what is it (position 1)? The game didn’t last long after that.

Mike breezed through, with a classic trick against the Trompowsky, the use of c6 rather than a more typical c5 sets up the trap to win the Bishop. 

While I turned a very comfortable position into a nightmare – 3 pawns up. I was playing a ‘won game’ and lost my focus, while I watched the other games. So I ended still up two pawns but completely stuck. I could see that I needed to win but it seemed impossible. In the last position, my opponent lost heart in his attack and went to Kg4 instead of Kg2. Which went from wining to losing. Also if he had known the score and realised that he only needed to draw - then that would have been very easy for him from the middle position. So I got the win that we needed – and very relieved. Apparently, he did offer a draw twice, I didn’t notice –anyway I couldn’t accept, even at the risk of losing.

The winning of a queen is always a pleasure in chess and the opportunities flowed for Salties 2 – as seen below.

Trevor's game was even when suddenly Qe5 was made – surely a mouse slip. Trevor only took seconds to grab that queen and had an early night.

Here we have Tiara as black, white played the obvious move – Qe4 threatening either checkmate or grab the rook. But there was a nice sequence 18 ….Nf3 19. QxR Bb7 20. Qa7 then the amazing Ra8 trapping the queen. Unfortunately Tiara missed the last move and played Qc6.

Haris was ahead in this game – but he finished it nicely from here – Qh4+ Kg7 (forced) Nh5+ and black loses the queen.

The Salties 3 faced the most difficult draw they could have had in the league – so a draw was a great result. So to add to the missed draw of my opponent, we have the missed draws of Salties 3. Which could have swung it the match to a win. Andrew had an opportunity, to get three fold repetition on move 17 in an even game – probably too early to accept it, but it would have allowed him to watch Watford. Unfortunately he went on to lose.

Lucy has a lot of fight in her – she fought back to get her two rooks onto the 7^th rank – it is not possible to force a win here, but a draw is possible, just move the e rook along the 7^th continually checking the king, unfortunately the white King escaped – but she made her opponent work hard and actually got to a R+B v R position, which is usually a draw. But after a lot of chasing, she finally got pinned down.

So to the excellent wins of the night: Dom and Gary

Dom has the ability to play well and in this one, he played a relatively comfortably through the match, with a few ups and downs but was always ahead. There were two interesting positions, he missed the first but found the second – Can you get both? Positions 2 and 3.

Position 2: White to play - Solution at the end

Position 3: White to play - Solution at the end

Gary’s games are often entertaining, his opening skills and time usage have improved. He still likes to use his f-pawn, he opened 1. e4 g6 2. f4 – not sure of the plan there. So we end up in this position where his Kingside has been blown open, while his queenside are hanging around have lovely chat. Black kept a more robust position and kept a lead until they blundered their rook. Eventually Gary won through.

So overall a let off for Salties 1, a fair draw for Salties 2 and Salties 3 can be proud of their performance.

Boardcraft of the day: keep focus, as there is no such thing as a won game until it is won. It is useful to know what the team score is. We need to keep piece activity and then the tactics can appear.

Alistair Mackenzie

Solutions: 

Position 1: Nf3+ winning the rook

Position 2: f4 (winning the knight); 

Position 3: RxBd6 (win a Bishop or an unstoppable pass pawn)