Mike Wood will be remembered as someone who always preferred risky and exciting lines of play. The Evans Gambit and the Milner-Barry were among his favourites as White and here are some examples of his style of play.
“An Evans crushing” administered by Mike Wood in 1961
Robert Wildig was probably Bristol’s best chess prodigy (after David Wells) in the early 1960s. He played for Horfield in those days and in this game he succumbed to a crushing in the Evans.
[Event "D&F A v Horfield A"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1961.03.14"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Wood, Mike"]
[Black "Wildig, Robert"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C51"]
[PlyCount "33"]
[EventDate "1961.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2016.11.16"]
[SourceVersionDate "2016.11.16"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 {Trademark gambit.} Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4
exd4 7. O-O Bb6 (7... dxc3 8. Qb3 Qf6 9. Bg5 Qg6 10. Nxc3 Nf6 $11) 8. cxd4 d6
9. Nc3 Nf6 10. Ba3 Bg4 11. e5 {Mike would have been playing on remote control..
.but still only a slight edge for the pawn.} Bxf3 $2 {But Black embarks on a
faulty plan.} (11... Bxd4 12. exf6 Bxc3 13. Bxf7+ Kf8 14. fxg7+ Kxg7 15. Bd5
Rf8 {Still just a small plus for White!}) 12. Qxf3 Nxd4 13. Qf4 d5 $4 {After
this it’s all over.} 14. exf6 dxc4 $2 15. Rfe1+ Ne6 16. Rxe6+ fxe6 17. f7+ 1-0
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W.A. Oddy (was it Bill?) was in the middle of the Bath top three between Bob Northage and Ron Gregory for many years. Here Mike throws the kitchen sink at him.
[Event "D&F A v Bath A"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1966.02.14"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Wood, Mike"]
[Black "Oddy, W A."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B21"]
[PlyCount "55"]
[SourceDate "2016.11.16"]
[SourceVersionDate "2016.11.16"]
1. e4 {From “Versus” No. 3, Summer 1983, “The Cleak Archive”, notes by Ken
Cleak.} c5 {I know that Mike was always pleased with this win over W.A.Oddy of
Bath – a truly wonderful game.} 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. c3 {White’s fourth
move initiates an interesting line against which black must play very
carefully.} dxc3 5. Nxc3 Nc6 6. Bf4 e5 7. Be3 Nf6 8. h3 Be7 9. Rc1 O-O 10. Bd3
Bd7 11. g4 Rc8 12. Nh2 Nd4 13. g5 Ne8 14. h4 Ne6 15. Rg1 g6 16. Ng4 N8g7 17.
Nd5 Nh5 18. Rxc8 Bxc8 19. Be2 Nef4 20. Bxf4 exf4 $2 21. Nh6+ Kg7 22. Bxh5 gxh5
23. Qd4+ f6 24. Nxe7 (24. gxf6+ Kxh6 25. fxe7 Rg8 (25... Bg4 26. exd8=Q) (25...
Qxe7 26. Nxe7 Bg4 27. Nf5+ Rxf5 28. exf5 f3 29. Qf6#) 26. Qf6+) 24... Qa5+ 25.
b4 Qxa2 26. Nhf5+ Bxf5 (26... Kf7 27. Nxc8 Qb1+ 28. Ke2 Qa2+ 29. Kf3 Qb3+ 30.
Kg2 Kg8 31. gxf6 h6 32. Kh2+ Kh7 33. Rg7+ Kh8 34. f7 f3 35. Rg1+ Kh7 36. Qg7#)
27. gxf6+ Kh6 28. Nxf5# 1-0
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And here is a game annotated by Tyson Mordue for the D&F magazine “Versus” back in 1985. “Who needs Tal?” indeed!
[Event "D&F B v B&C C"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1984.10.25"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Barron, J C."]
[Black "Wood, Mike"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A13"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[SourceDate "2016.11.16"]
[SourceVersionDate "2016.11.16"]
1. Nf3 d5 {From “Versus” No.9, January 1985 from “Ty at Large” Notes, if you
hadn’t guessed, by Tyson Mordue.} 2. c4 e6 3. b3 Nf6 4. g3 Bd7 $5 5. Bb2 Nc6 6.
Bg2 Be7 7. O-O h5 {An enterprising attempt to unsettle White, who reacts
classically with a break in the centre to counter the wing attach.} 8. d4 Ne4
9. Nfd2 f5 10. f3 Nf6 11. e4 fxe4 12. fxe4 Ng4 {Although Black’s play looks as
if a beginner is handling the pieces, White’s Q-side is completely out of play
and he can take no drastic action to refute Black’s opening.} 13. Qe2 Bg5 14.
exd5 Be3+ 15. Kh1 Nxd4 16. Qd3 Nf5 {Black now has the perennial threat of Nxg3,
h4 and hxg3, completely exposing the White King.} 17. dxe6 Bxe6 18. Qe4 {
Exchanging Queens affords White no relief.} (18. Qxd8+ Rxd8 19. Ne4 h4 20. gxh4
Nxh2 21. Kxh2 Rxh4+ 22. Bh3 Rd3 23. Kg2 Rxh3 24. Kxh3 Bc1+ 25. Kh2 Bxb2 $19)
18... Qe7 19. Ba3 Qf6 20. Qxb7 Kf7 {Simply strolling to a safer place on g6.}
21. Qxc7+ Kg6 22. Qc6 (22. Bxa8 h4 23. Rxf5 Bxf5 24. Qc6 hxg3 25. Qxf6+ gxf6
26. Nf1 Bd4 27. Nc3 Nxh2 28. Kg2 Bxc3 29. Rc1 Bh3+ 30. Kxg3 Nxf1+ 31. Kf3 Bd2
32. Bd5 Bxc1 33. Bxc1 $19) 22... h4 $19 23. Ne4 hxg3 24. h3 Rxh3+ {Spectacular,
but if Black first plays Qe5…} (24... Qe5 25. Rxf5 (25. Bd6 Nxd6 26. Nxd6
Nf2+ 27. Rxf2 Bxf2 28. Qe4+ Qxe4 29. Nxe4 Bxh3 30. Nxf2 gxf2 31. Kh2 Bxg2+ 32.
Kxg2 Rh2+ 33. Kf1 Rf8 $19) 25... Qxf5 26. Nbd2 Ne5 27. Nf2 gxf2 28. Be4 Nxc6
29. Bxf5+ Bxf5 $19) 25. Bxh3 Rh8 {Why study Alekhine and Tal when Mike’s games
are available?} 26. Nxf6 Rxh3+ 27. Kg2 Rh2+ 28. Kf3 Ne5+ 29. Ke4 Nxc6 $19 {
At the moment Black is the exchange down but he is threatening g2, winning a
Rook, also the Nf6 is en prise so White has only one move} 30. Ng4 Rh4 31. Rxf5
Bxf5+ $2 {Both players by now were in bad time trouble.} (31... g2 32. Nc3
Bxf5+ 33. Kxe3 Rh1 34. Rg1 Rxg1 35. Kf2 Ra1 36. Kxg2 Bxg4 $19) 32. Kxe3 Rxg4
33. Nd2 Ne5 34. Bd6 Kf6 35. Rg1 g2 {Time control reached: the players
sportingly agreed a draw after a game that’s a pleasure to play through.}
1/2-1/2
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Mike generously left money to both the Bristol League and Downend and Fishponds and the D&F committee have been pondering how best to commemorate this. Part of it is being used to provide a trophy for the best attacking play in games on our website and this year there were 23 from which to choose. Committee members and team captains were asked to rank the three games which best reflected Mike’s style of play.
In third place is this wild game between two of our club members in the Pentyrch match. Neil and Richard certainly entered into the spirit of this always friendly occasion.
[Event "D&F v Pentyrch"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2017.10.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Adams, Neil"]
[Black "Livermore, Richard"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C02"]
[PlyCount "65"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2017.10.29"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.10.29"]
1. e4 e6 2. f4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Qa4 Bd7 7. Qb3 Qc7 $15 8.
Nf3 Bc5 9. Bd2 Nge7 10. Na3 a6 11. c3 {Neil is demonstrating that he is not
really sure of this opening!} Na5 12. Qd1 Qb6 13. Nd4 $6 Qxb2 14. Nac2 Qb6 15.
Bd3 Nac6 $6 (15... Nc4 16. Bxc4 dxc4 17. a4 Bc6 $17) 16. Rb1 Qc7 17. Qg4 O-O-O
{Depends on which way you look at this move. In the words of Mr McEnroe “You
cannot be serious!”. Alternatively Richard sportingly opens a can of
interesting possibilities.} 18. Qe2 Nb8 19. Nb4 Bxb4 $6 (19... Rde8 20. O-O f6
$11) 20. cxb4 Qb6 $2 21. Be3 $18 {Plus 3.} Rdg8 {Has Black not noticed that
White has not castled K-side? (Sorry Richard!)} (21... Nbc6 22. Nxc6 Qxc6 23.
Rc1 d4 24. Rxc6+ Bxc6 25. Bd2 Kb8) (21... Ba4 $1 22. Nf5 (22. O-O Kd7 23. b5
Ke8 24. bxa6 Qa5 25. f5 Nxa6 26. fxe6 Nc5 27. Qh5 g6 28. Bb5+ Bxb5 29. exf7+
Kd7 30. Qh3+ Kc7 31. Rxb5) 22... Qc7 23. Nd6+ Rxd6 24. exd6 Qxd6) (21... Qc7
22. O-O Nbc6 23. Rfc1 Kb8 24. b5 axb5 25. Nxb5 Qa5) 22. Nb5 $2 {Not best, Nf5
or 0-0 was rated higher.} (22. Nf5 Qc7 23. Nxe7+ Kd8 24. Nxg8 {[%emt 0:00:07]
Plus}) (22. O-O Qd8 23. Rfc1+ Bc6 24. b5 axb5 25. Nxb5 {[%emt 0:00:08] Plus})
22... Qd8 (22... Qxb5 {was best according to the engine.} 23. Bxb5 Bxb5 24.
Qc2+ Kd7 25. a4 Bc4 26. Qf2 {and Black struggles on, now only minus 2.8.}) 23.
Nd6+ Kc7 24. Qc2+ Bc6 25. b5 axb5 26. Rxb5 {Good enough, even though some
alternatives were even stronger, for instance} (26. Bxb5 Kd7 27. Bxc6+ Nbxc6
28. Rxb7+ Qc7 29. Rxc7+ Kxc7 30. Nxf7) (26. Bb6+ Kxb6 27. Bxb5 {[%eval 32746,0]
}) 26... Kd7 27. Bb6 Qf8 28. Nxb7 Nc8 29. Rxd5+ exd5 30. Bf5+ Ke8 31. Bc5 Ne7
$2 32. Nd6+ Kd8 33. Bb6# {Phew!! Neil must come out of retirement more often!}
1-0
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Second is a fine example of attacking play by Henry Duncanson, soon, sadly, to be lost to Bristol chess.
[Event "Clevedon A v D&F A"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2017.12.18"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Duncanson, Henry"]
[Black "Eggington, Dave"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B12"]
[PlyCount "51"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2018.06.13"]
[SourceVersionDate "2018.06.13"]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. Nh3 {Henry steers
clear of the well known lines.} e6 7. Nf4 Bd6 8. Nxg6 hxg6 9. Ne4 Bc7 10. g3
Nd7 11. Bg2 Ngf6 12. Bg5 Qc8 13. Qd3 O-O $6 {Risky! Invites trouble.} (13...
Nxe4 14. Qxe4 Bd8 15. Bd2 Nf6 16. Qd3 Qd7 17. h4 Bb6 $11) 14. h4 e5 15. O-O-O
Nxe4 16. Bxe4 f5 17. Qb3+ Kh7 18. Bg2 exd4 19. h5 {Now the attack almost plays
itself.} gxh5 20. Be7 {Spoilt for choice!} (20. Rxh5+ Kg6 21. Rdh1 Qe8 22. g4
Nc5 23. Qh3) 20... g6 21. Bf3 Rg8 $2 22. Bxh5 Kg7 {And now it’s mate in a
maximum of 8 moves.} 23. Bxg6 Ne5 24. Rh7+ Kxg6 25. Rdh1 Ng4 26. Qf7# 1-0
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And first place goes to Aron Saunders for a game that is notable especially for the maturity of an eleven year old’s play. He was the clear winner, nominated by five of the ten voters and with three first choices. It should also come as no surprise that this game featured as the first Game of the Month on the re-vitalized BCT last September.
[Event "D&F F v Clevedon C"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2017.10.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Saunders, Aron"]
[Black "Strong, Peter"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C50"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2017.10.04"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.10.04"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 Ng4 $2 6. h3 {Ng5 and Bxf7+
were other ways to get an advantage} Nxf2 $2 7. Rxf2 Bxf2+ 8. Kxf2 O-O $6 {
Rather inviting it!} 9. Nc3 d6 10. Bg5 Qd7 11. Nd5 h6 12. Bf6 {Played with
barely a moment’s reflection.} Na5 $4 13. Qd2 $2 (13. Ne7+ Kh8 14. Ng5 Qxe7 (
14... Nxc4 15. Qh5) 15. Bxe7) 13... Nxc4 14. dxc4 c6 $2 15. Ne7+ Kh7 16. Nf5 g5
17. Nxg5+ (17. Nxh6 {is mate in 8, or even fewer} Qe6 18. Qxg5 Rg8 19. Qxg8+
Kxh6 20. Qg7+ Kh5 21. Qg5#) 17... Kg6 (17... hxg5 18. Qxg5 Qxf5+ 19. exf5 Rg8
20. Qh5#) 18. Nh7 Qxf5+ {Desperation. Now Aron wraps up calmly.} (18... Kxh7
19. Qxh6+ Kg8 20. Qg7#) 19. exf5+ Kxh7 20. Be7 Rg8 21. f6 Rg5 22. Qxd6 Be6 23.
b3 h5 24. Re1 Rf5+ 25. Kg1 Rg8 26. Rxe5 Rfg5 27. Rxg5 Rxg5 28. Qd3+ Bf5 29. Qd2
Rg6 30. Kh2 Be4 31. Qe2 Bxg2 32. Qxh5+ Kg8 33. Qxg6+ $1 fxg6 34. Kxg2 {Peter
sportingly resigned, rather than play on on the offchance that Aron would tire
and blunder.} 1-0
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Incidentally, fourth, fifth and sixth places were filled by Toby Kan, Jack Tye and Oli Stubbs, showing that the senior players had all better watch out next year
Ian Pickup
After leaving school Ian trained as an accountant, therefore missing his true vocation, to take over from John Arlott as the BBC cricket correspondent.
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