There may only be three teams in this competition this season, but as the holders it would still be nice to win it again, especially as we have only done so twice in the competition's thirty odd year history (although we do have a pretty healthy record of finishing last). Undaunted by that last thought we set off for Ipswich with confidence, in spite of the efforts by Essex Highways to close the border with Suffolk. and Ipswich Borough Council hiking parking rates and installing machines that refuse to issue parking tickets after taking your money.
  It was clear that going solely on the basis of ratings, we should win this match comfortably, but in reality it was anything but comfortable. Jim was the first to experience that having entered a very complicated game that took an inordinate amount of time to figure his way through. His chances were not looking good, but in the end it was the clock that defeated him.
  John followed soon after facing a very lively Italian Game that trod paths he was completely unfamiliar with and he felt he was about to enter a prepared opening trap (and not for the first time). Having navigated the numerous threats and being finally able to castle at move twenty, his position gradually improved. He even managed to win a pawn but was too hasty in advancing it, allowing his opponent to break through with a pawn of his own in the centre. It was a repeat of Jamie's situation in his game the previous evening, where John had to give up his rook when the enemy pawn queened and then had to advance his king and pawn to make his opponent do the same.
  With only half a point from two boards things were not looking too good. Bob seemed to have an edge but it was difficult to say if it was enough, and what Simon had was hard to describe, but it certainly wasn't an edge. The funny thing is that both games ended in identical ways, thanks to a certain amount of luck (or was Caïssa taking pity on us for having messed up our week so much?)
  Simon had bravely entered a dangerous trap by accepting the tempting offer of his opponent's rook on a1 with his queen. He should have lost it for an additional bishop but his opponent miscalculated and Simon got two rooks for his queen instead. A very difficult game ensued but the uneasy balance was maintained to the ending where two rooks and a knight were facing a queen and a knight, with equal pawns. One of Simon's central pawns was under threat so he did the only sensible thing and defended it with his knight. His opponent then increased the pressure overlooking the fact that Simon's knight move wasn't a defensive one at all and immediately resigned when his king and queen were forked. The match was now level.
  Bob's game had come down to a bishop v knight ending, with Bob holding the knight. Bob was a pawn up but it was a backward h pawn and it was difficult to see how he could make that pay. Bob cleverly positioned his knight for a trap, allowing his opponent to attack that backward pawn with his bishop, which he did. That pawn was then advanced h2-h4 turning it into a passed protected pawn. Without much thought beyond the danger that such a pawn posed, his opponent exchanged pawns en passant allowing another deadly fork of king and bishop, resulting in instant resignation once his opponent realised he was in check. It is very early days, but this puts us tie with Bury at the top of the table. And our first encounter with them is next week, at home.