The final match of the season for Oxfordshire in the open division of the Chiltern League was a home fixture against Berkshire on April 27.

This was also the final match in charge for Oxfordshire’s captain Ian Brooke after some 15 years at the helm.

Ian has been a successful and popular captain and happily his reign ended on a high when, by narrowly beating Berkshire 10.5-9.5, the team secured second place in the final league table behind Hampshire.

Though Oxfordshire had a strong line-up for the Berkshire match, we were somewhat out-rated on the top boards. Wins at the top were consequently hard to come by and Cowley’s Rod Nixon on board 6 secured Oxfordshire’s only full point from the first 10 boards. Here’s the game.

White: Rod Nixon

Black: Dave Roberts

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 The Open Variation of the Ruy Lopez has a long history and was a former favourite defence of the present World Champion, Vishy Anand.

9.a4 Slightly unusual — 9.c3; or 9.Nbd2 Nc5 10.c3 are more often played.

9...Nc5 10.Nbd2 White could try 10.axb5! here and then after the logical sequence 10...Nxb3 11.cxb3 axb5 12.Bg5 Be7 13.Rxa8 Qxa8 14.Nc3 he would have a considerable initiative.

10...d4?! It’s hard to fathom this move which does nothing for Black’s development and gives up the important e4 square. 10...Be7 is both natural and the move preferred by the machines.

11.axb5 axb5 12.Rxa8 Qxa8 13.Ng5!? Qc8?! Understandably, Black didn’t like the look of 13...Nxb3 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.Nxb3 Qd8 16.Qh5+ g6 17.Qf3. Nevertheless this was a better option than what he chose to play.

14.Nxe6 Missing the trick 14.Bxe6! Nxe6 15.Nxf7 Kxf7 16.Qf3+ 14...Nxe6 15.f4 White has a dominant position and a natural attacking plan of pushing his pawns towards the un-castled Black king. It’s probably already objectively won — but, as all chess-players know, there’s many a slip…

15...Nc5 16.Qe2 Better was the forcing 16.Qf3

16...d3!? 17.Qf3 Nd4 18.Bxf7+! This combination is now necessary to maintain White’s advantage.

18...Kxf7 19.Qd5+ Kg6? Black had to try 19...Ke8 but even then after 20.Qxd4 dxc2 21.f5 White’s advantage would not be in doubt.

20.Qxd4 Qf5 21.Rf3 h6 22.g4 Qc8 23.b4 Here Black resigned having now wish to see something like 23.b4 Nd7 24.e6 Nb6 25.Qxd3+ appear on the board. 1–0

Banbury player Carl Portman has arranged a 20-board simultaneous display by personable grandmaster Danny King to take place on Sunday, July 14, at Hanwell Village Hall, near Banbury. There are still a few boards yet to fill — so if you are interested in playing one of England’s best then please contact Carl via carl.portman@hotmail.co.uk