With joint British Champions David Howell and Jonathan Hawkins leading the charge and five other grandmasters on the books, Cheddleton 1 are sure to be challenging for top honours when the Four Nations Chess League concludes in May next year. In round 1 of the competition though, Oxford 1 came within a whisker of defeating them.


Indeed with the score 3.5-a-piece and, in the last game to finish, Oxford’s Neil Dickinson holding a big advantage over Cheddleton’s Jovica Radovanovic, it looked odds-on that Oxford’s young guns would cause a big upset. Sadly, Neil spoilt his position and lost — but nevertheless Oxford had put down a marker for the season and when they faced Barbican 2 the following day there were no slip-ups and Oxford came out 5-3 victors.


For Jon Manley, a recent Oxford recruit, the win was doubly sweet. Firstly, because Barbican are his old outfit and secondly, because his victory over Barbican’s Terry Chapman on board 7 was a special game.


White Jon Manley

Black: Terry Chapman


1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 The Philidor Defence is solid, underrated and has proved an excellent surprise weapon for the likes of former French number one Etienne Bacrot. Unfortunately for Mr Chapman he plays it too often for it to maintain the surprise element for him.


4.Nf3 The position after 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 must be slightly in White's favour — but actually Black scores well from here.


4...Nbd7 5.Bc4 This is where brave souls can try Shirov’s 5.g4.


5...Be7 6.0–0 Nb6!? Very unusual and the move doesn’t even get a mention in Christian Bauer’s excellent book: The Philidor Files. 6...0–0 is more often played and then White replies 7.Re1 and typically 8.a4 with a slight space advantage.


7.Be2 White would like to play 7.Bb3 but then Black can confuse matters with 7...exd4 8.Nxd4 (8.Qxd4 is better) 8...c5 9.Nf3 c4 10.Ba4+ Nxa4 11.Nxa4 Nxe4.


7...exd4 8.Nxd4 0–0 9.a4 a5 10.f4!? d5!? 11.e5 Ne4 12.f5!? Nxc3?! It looks tempting to wreck White’s pawns like this — but the move exchanges and important defender and solidifies White centre allowing him concentrate on the attack — and these are the more important factors.


13.bxc3 c5? 13...Nd7! offered a better chance, because if White plays as in the game with  14.f6 gxf6 15.Bd3 then Black’s knight comes to the rescue with 15...Nxe5.


14.f6! gxf6 If 14...cxd4 then 15.fxe7 Qxe7 16.Ba3 bags some material leaving White in control.
15.Bd3! Going for mate by targeting the h7 square — fantastic attacking play from Manley.


15...fxe5 16.Bxh7+! Kxh7 17.Qh5+ Kg8 18.Rf3 Bh4 Desperate, but how else to stop 19.Rg3+?
19.Nf5 Bxf5 20.Rxf5 1–0

  •  The traditional mid-season event, The Cowley Christmas Blitz, takes place from 7pm on Monday, December 1, at its usual venue, Rose Hill Methodist Church. There are prizes and all chess players are welcome.