2019 Autumn Cup – Round 4

The Autumn Cup is being played on Monday in April, May and June and consists of two Swiss Grades. It is Nationally Rated.

Vega Links: A Grade , B Grade

Round 4 PGN by Ewen Green

A Grade

Paul Garbett vs Allen Fan – White in an early attack, Black made a couple of errors and it was all over. 1-0

Mike Steadman vs John Duneas – After a slightly better opening Black let White get in some pressure and eventually White picked up an exchange. Though some exchanges and a lot of maneuvering White was able to keep his lead and win. 1-0

Paul Macdonald vs Alex Nagorski – White overlooked a tactic and lost a piece. White tried a tactic to get back in the game but overlooked the defense and resigned in the face of losing more material. 0-1

Don Eade vs Bruce Watson – White unwisely gave Black a half-open g file to attack White’s king. Black was able to deploy several pieces into an attack on White’s King that White was unable to defend. 0-1

Alphaeus Ang vs Lewis Jordan – White picked up an early pawn and kept it though the game while restricting Black. 1-0

Euan McDougall vs Daniel Gong – White had a good opening but got a little lost and Black equalised. White then missed a couple of moves and black was able to apply pressure until White blundered. 0-1

Tim Ha vs Nigel Metge – White got a worse opening and then made a mistake and lost an exchange. Black was winning but White managed to use his two bishops well and get a perpetual check. Draw

Nathan Goodhue vs Felix Xie – White tried the fashionable “1. b4” but came out of the opening worse. White castled into a very exposed position and was very quickly lost. 0-1

Boyuan Zhang vs Jeffrey Yu – A very sleep symmetrical Exchange-French opening until White game up piece for Black’s h and g pawns. Black swapped off attackers and was ahead until he got a piece trapped on move 40. 1-0

Joe Wang vs Caroline Yan – White got a rook trapped early and was down an exchange. White then miscalculated a tactic and lost another piece. 0-1

Simon Lyall vs Virginia Milne – White overlooked a mate-in-one. 0-1

Abraham Deng vs Anya Thurner – Black left her Castled King under-defended with her pieces on the Queen side and a pawn chain in-between. White quickly mounted a successful attack. 1-0

Andrew Michael vs Isabelle Ning – White got a little ahead during the middle game. Black allowed a tactic and gave up an exchange which left her in a lost position. 1-0

Winston Weng vs Ajit Pendharkar – Black lost a piece early. White then steadily exchanged material. 1-0

Arkadi Polyakevich vs Karl Holdo – White won an exchange and was giving Black a hard time but allowed Black’s queen to mount an attack and obtain perpetual check. Draw

Upsets in Round 4:

Felix Xie beat Nathan Goodhue
Virginia Milne beat Simon Lyall
Tim Ha drew with Nigel Metge
Alex Nagorski beat Paul Macdonald

Paul Garbett is the only undefeated player on 4/4. Alex Nagorski and Mike Steadman are 2nd= on 3.5

B Grade

Yolanda Chang vs Penghao Chen – White played for a dubious tactic. After a feeding-frenzy of swaps Black emerged a piece up and managed to convert. 0-1

Huge Gao vs Lakshmi Ravi – White managed to get a pawn up and better in the early middle game. But some quiet play by White allowed Black to even the position and White settled for a draw.

Upsets in Round 4:

Penghao (Jack) Chen by Yolanda Chang
Kelvin Xiao beat Neil Sonnekus

After 4 rounds the leader is Jack Chen on 4/4 with Scott Treanor in 2nd on 3.5 points.