The final three rounds of the Four Nations Chess League took place over the Bank Holiday. In division 1, a disastrous round-seven defeat to Guildford 2 had left Oxford 1 needing to win two of the last three matches to avoid the drop.

On Saturday, they lost 4.5 – 3.5 to Betsson.com. The next day, however, Oxford won by the same score against Poisoned Pawns, setting up a last-round relegation showdown with South Wales Dragons.

David Shaw lost his board three battle with the Dragon’s Charles Morris; but in the end Oxford’s lower boards were too strong for the Welshmen and they won 5 – 3. So Oxford have secured another season in the top flight of British chess. At the other end of division 1, Pride and Prejudice secured themselves the services of Britain’s best player, Michael Adams, in the hope of winning all three matches and depriving Wood Green of the title. It went wrong for Pride and Prejudice on Saturday when, despite a 100-point-a-board rating advantage, they lost to Barbican, 6 – 2. Adams was held to a draw on board one by Lorin D’Costa and Wood Green duly retained the title; but Adams’ disappointing weekend was alleviated to some degree when he won the following fine game the next day.

White: Richard Palliser Black: Michael Adams 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 This is a slightly offbeat line and both 4.e3 and 4.Qc2 are considerably more popular. Nevertheless, Palliser has played this many times before and Adams would have known this. World-class players like Adams are very hard to surprise in the opening so Richard decided to stick to something he knew well.

4...d5 5.a3 Bd6!? Of course if you do not surprise your opponent, he will surprise you, and this rare and provocative move must have unsettled Palliser. 5...Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 is usual and 5...Be7 is also seen from time to time. Adams has played both of these moves before in serious games; but never 5…Bd6. 6.e4 6.c5 Be7 7.b4 is considered safer.

6...c5 7.cxd5 cxd4!? Another aggressive move from Adams and this time sacrificing a pawn. 7...exd5 would have retained parity since, after 8.e5, Black saves his piece with 8…cxd4 9.Qxd4 Nc6 10.Bb5 Qe7 8.Qxd4 exd5 9.Nxd5 Nxd5 10.Qxd5 0–0 Black has good play on the dark squares for his pawn; but the immediate 10...Qh4+? would have been answered by 11.g3 Bxg3+ 12.hxg3 Qxh1 13.Qe5+ Be6 14.Qxg7 Rf8 15.Be3 with a big advantage. Now though, 11…Qh4+ is a threat.

11.Be3 Qc7 12.Ne2 Rd8 13.Rc1 Nc6 14.Qg5 Be5! 15.Bf4? A mistake - 15.Nc3 was called for – and, against Adams in such a dynamic position, it’s fatal.

15...f6! 16.Bxe5 Qa5+! 17.b4 Nxe5! 18.Qe3 Qb6! A series of six accurate moves from Adams has left Palliser’s position in ruins.

19.Qxb6 Nd3+! 20.Kd2 axb6 21.Rc3 Nf2+ 22.Ke1 Nxh1 23.Nf4 Kf8 24.Nd5 Rd6 0-1.