09/10/2024
by Nathan Ekanem

I may have just played my finest chess game of the year. Despite never entering the Northumbria Individual Championship before, I decided to leap into the deep end and compete in the prestigious Zollner section for the first time.

The championship is divided into three sections, each consisting of a 7-round tournament: the Gilroy (ECF rating under 1700), the Sell (ECF rating under 2000), and the Zollner (no rating limit!). The Zollner is where the crème de la crème of the region battle it out!

My round 1 pairing was the stuff of nightmares. When I opened the message from Mark Mckay (the tournament director) in my inbox, my heart sank. I was paired with the black pieces against the rock-solid and formidable FM David Walker (FIDE 2226)! David needs no introduction in these parts — he’s the top board for the county team (where I usually play bottom boards), top board for Leam Lanes chess club, and has been the individual county champion countless times. No wonder I felt dispirited. But, as we say here, I had to accept my fate and crack on.

The game held yesterday at the Old George, and against all odds, I managed to win! As expected, the famed FM played 1. c4 (The English Opening), and I immediately followed with Nf6, heading towards an Indian formation with the Gufeld Bishop perched on g7. Before the game, I received some pearls of wisdom from FM Tim Wall. He said, “One little piece of advice: Everyone in the Zollner prepares for their opponents. Dave will be looking at your published games :)”. Unfortunately, and as usual, I didn’t prep much, but I did take a cursory glance at what the internet had to offer, if I’m honest 🤪 and found a treasure trove of David’s games dating back to 1999!

I was genuinely impressed with my level of play, maintaining a 93% accuracy and sustained focus throughout (even though my scattered brain is usually all over the place). It’s games like this that make me think I might have the potential to be more than just a chess enthusiast — perhaps a decent player worthy of that knightly pat on the back. 😊 True to my style, I decided to mix things up by sacrificing a pawn, and FM Walker upped the ante by sacrificing his knight on c6, overlooking my brilliant Nf4!! — undoubtedly the move of the game. This led to an exchange of queens that left me a piece up, but I still had to earn my win.

For those who have played solid titled players or strong opponents in general, you’ll know you have to practically finish them to secure a win. The phrase “I was winning” is all too common. With this in mind and with less than 2 minutes on the clock, I managed to keep my cool and make the right moves. After my Bg2, David’s clock slowly dripped down to less than a minute. You could hear him muttering to himself and shaking his head. Shortly after, he looked up at me and extended his hand in resignation.

With this round 1 win against David Walker, I’ve painted a target on my back, but I’m not worried. It’s an incentive to keep playing well. I eagerly look forward to round 2 and hope that lady luck will shine on me again. 😊

Nathan