The final three rounds of this season’s Four Nations Chess League took place over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend.

Oxford 1 stood clear of the relegation places before the weekend; but were hit hard by the absence of key players including board 1 David Zakarian due to illness. Disappointingly Oxford could only manage one point from their last three matches and are relegated to division 2. A swift return to the top flight is expected. Individually, the best results of the weekend — and indeed the season — were turned in by Tom Eckersley-Waites. His 4.5/5 against strong opposition equates to a grandmaster level tournament performance of 2617. Of his four wins, Tom’s round 10 victory over International Master Andrew Greet stands out. Greet is well known in Oxfordshire following his three straight triumphs at the Kidlington Congress. Here however — though he equalises out of the opening — his endgame play fails to impress.

White: Tom Eckersley-Waites Black: Andrew Greet 1.d4 d6!? An interesting defence to 1.d4, inviting a transposition to a Pirc or Modern.

2.Nf3 Bg4!? According to Nunn’s Chess Openings this is called the Tartakower system.

3.e4 Nf6 4.h3 Bh5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Qe2 a6 Played because White was threatening 7.Qb5+ winning a pawn.

7.g4 Bg6 8.g5!? White gains yet more space —but allows Black’s bishop back into the game. 8...Nfd7 9.Be3 b5 10.a3 Bh5 11.Bg2 c5 12.dxc5 dxc5 13.0–0–0 Be7 14.Qd2 Nc6 15.Nd5! Tom correctly assesses that the position is critical and drastic action is called for. For instance if he tamely unpins with 15.Rde1 then after 15...b4 16.axb4 cxb4 17.Ne2 Bxf3 18.Bxf3 Qa5 19.Kb1 Nde5 Black is close to winning.

15...Bxf3 16.Bxf3 exd5 17.exd5 Nce5 18.d6! Nxf3 19.dxe7 Qxe7 After 19...Nxd2? 20.exd8(Q)+ Rxd8 21.Rxd2 Black is in trouble since 21...0–0 22.Rhd1 loses a piece. Keeping the extra piece with 19...Qc8 is very dangerous for Black since his king will remain stuck in the centre.

20.Qd5 0–0 21.Qxd7 Possibly 21.Qxf3 was a better move since White can continue with 22.Rhe1 to gain time against the black queen.

21...Qxd7 22.Rxd7 c4 The endgame is approximately equal — but for here on, Tom outplays his highly rated opponent.

23.Rhd1 f6 24.gxf6 Here 24.Re7 intending Rdd7 looks testing.

24...Rxf6 25.a4 c3?! 26.Rd8+ Rxd8 27.Rxd8+ Kf7?! After 27...Rf8 28.Rxf8+ Kxf8 29.axb5 axb5 30.bxc3 Ke7 Black could hardly lose. After the move Greet chose, he is struggling to hold.

28.axb5 cxb2+ 29.Kxb2 axb5 30.Rd5 This is the problem for Black and if he loses the b-pawn, White’s c-pawn will be hard to stop.

30...Ng1 31.h4 Nh3 32.Rxb5 Nxf2 33.Rb7+! Kg6 33...Kg8 is an unpleasant move to have to play — but does not lose the g-pawn.

34.Bd4 Nd1+ Perhaps only now did Greet realise that 34...Rf7? 35.h5+ loses immediately.

35.Kc1 Rf4 36.Rxg7+ Kh6 37.Rd7 Rf1 38.Bg7+ Kg6 39.Rxd1 Rf4 40.Rg1+ Now it’s all over.

40...Kf7 41.h5 Rf5 42.h6 Kg8 43.Re1 Rf1 44.Kd1 Avoiding Black’s last stalemating trick. 1–0