New Season

It's a new season in English chess, and I started it off with a win against Martin Gibson in the 2007/08 Spondon club championship:

[Event "Spondon Club Championship 2007/08"]
[Date "2007.09.11"]
[White "Martin Gibson"]
[Black "Dean Madden"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B01"]

1. e4 d5 2. e5 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bd7 4. Bxc6 Bxc6 5. d4 e6 6. Nf3 Bb5 7. Nc3 Qd7 8. a4 Ba6 9. Rb1 Bb4 10. Ra1 Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 Qc6 12. Bb2 Qb6 13. Rb1 Qc6 14. Ra1 Ne7 15. Nh4 Bc4 16. Qd2 O-O 17. a5 Qb5 18. Ba3 Qxa5 19. Bxe7 Qxa1+ 20. Qd1 Qxd1+ 21. Kxd1 Rfe8 22. Bb4 a5 23. Ba3 Reb8 24. Kd2 b5 25. Bc5 a4 26. Ra1 Ra6 27. Bb4 Rba8 28. Ra3 f5 29. f4 c6 30. g3 h6 31. Nf3 R8a7 32. Ke3 g6 33. Nh4 g5 34. fxg5 hxg5 35. Nf3 Rg7 36. Kf2 f4 37. g4 Kf7 38. Ke1 Kg6 39. Kf2 Rh7 40. Ke1 Rh3 41. Kf2 Ra8 42. Be7 Rb8 43. Bxg5 Rxf3+ 44. Kxf3 Kxg5 45. Ra1 b4 46. Rxa4 bxc3 47. Ra3 Rh8 48. Ra7 Rh3+ 49. Kg2 Rd3 50. Rg7+ Kh4 51. g5 Rd2+ 52. Kf3 Be2+ 53. Kxf4 Rxc2 54. Rh7+ Bh5 55. g6 Rf2+ 56. Ke3 Rf3+ 57. Ke2 Rg3+ 58. Ke1 Rxg6 59. Rc7 Rg1+ 60. Kf2 c2 61. Rxc6 c1=Q 62. Rxc1 Rxc1 63. Ke3 Rc2 64. Kf4 Rf2+ 65. Ke3 Rf3+ 66. Kd2 Bg6 0-1

I was up the exchange after he miscalculated a series of captures, but then the game got very tight and difficult to force the advantage. It took 66 moves and 1hr 39mins out of the 1hr 45mins to force the win, was very relieved afterwards.

Since the last post, I've updated the Spondon chess club website with the last seasons review after the AGM. Mr Lauri Nelson donated 49 chess books to our club after contacting me on the website, a very nice gesture. I've worked on my endgame a bit with Silmans book, but still a long way to go. I've entered the Leicester Chess Congress over the weekend of 21st to 23rd September, my first longplay tournament, five games: 1 friday, 2 saturday and 2 sunday. Looking forward to it and expect to be knackered afterwards!

I'm currently playing in the online STC Gauntlet while teamleague takes a break. I enjoy playing in these organised competitions more than just logging on and playing any random player. My current FICS standard rating is 1445 after a recent high of 1458, I'll be happy while I tend to constantly improve like this.