The annual Town versus Gown match which took place last month at St Hugh’s College. Town triumphed 4.5-2.5 over the seven boards — but top board went to the University’s Benjamin Atueyi after City Club’s Jon Manley blundered a rook.

I can report happier times for the City Club at the end of season celebration — the Cowley Blitz. Jon Manley was in action again, remaining unbeaten and taking first prize and City Club’s Karlmarx Rajangam was awarded the trophy for the best results in division 1 last season.

Karl’s 7/8 included the following game where Black is ruthlessly punished for not talking to his pieces.

White: Karlmarx Rajangam (Oxford City)

Black: David Robson (Cowley)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ndf3 f6!? Attacking the base and the head of the pawn chain. White can’t be allowed to develop unchallenged otherwise his advantage will not be in doubt — so Black’s move is undeniably logical. Even so, 7...Qb6 first is the usual strategy.

8.Bd3 cxd4 9.cxd4 Be7?! 10.Ne2 0–0?! Black has developed normally — but here is a rare situation where this approach is not good enough. Instead, to maintain the balance, Black had to attack the White centre with ...Qb6, and even sacrifice a piece on e5, to unsettle the first player.

11.exf6?! Karl played this because he feared Black might play ...f5. Indeed, if and when Black plays ...f5, the character of the position is changed and White must play more slowly and carefully to build his attack. However exchanging on f6 in this position only helps Black unblock.

11...Bxf6? Black was not listening to his pieces. If he was then the knight on d7 would have convinced him not to be left on that square.

12.0–0 Qb6 13.Kh1 Kh8?! As if to highlight Black’s poor 11th move, the best move in this situation might well be 13...Be7 followed by 14...Nf6.

14.Bb1 Rf7?! Again, 14...Be7 might be best.

15.Ng5! Bxg5 16.fxg5 Rxf1+ 17.Qxf1 Qd8?! 18.Qf7 Qf8? Wasting a tempo. After the superior 18...Qg8 White plays 19.Qh5 g6 20.Qh4 — which is ugly for Black, but not hopeless.

19.Qh5! Qg8 20.Nf4! Nf8 21.g6 Nd8 Black’s army is confined to barracks and White can take his time.

22.Bd2 a5 Any time Black plays ...h6, White will simply sacrifice on this square. There really is nothing Black can do but await the end.

23.Bd3 Bd7 24.Rf1 Be8 25.Rf3 Nc6 26.gxh7 Nxh7 Black could have given up a piece with 26...Bxh5 27.hxg8Q+ Kxg8 28.Nxh5 Nxd4 29.Rg3 — but the endgame is hopeless.

27.Ng6+ Bxg6 28.Bxg6 Rf8 Losing immediately — but it was hopeless anyway since if 28...Ne7 then 29.Bf7 and if the queen moves then 30.Qxh7+ leads to mate.

29.Rxf8 1–0