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A different flavour — not a poem or dialogue, but a story told through chess moves.
A different flavour — not a poem or dialogue, but a story told through chess moves.
This is the story of a game — part strategy, part character, part quiet lesson.
This is the story of a game — part strategy, part character, part quiet lesson.
☁️ Today’s Brew
☁️ Today’s Brew
The Game (I am white - It was played at Hastings & St Leonards Chess club. 10 September 2025). It was tense - I needed to win this game to claim the Bradley Martin Cup, at the end of the summer competition.
The Game (I am white - It was played at Hastings & St Leonards Chess club. 10 September 2025). It was tense - I needed to win this game to claim the Bradley Martin Cup, at the end of the summer competition.
The moves - if you want to play along -
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Qxd7 5. c4 Nf6 6. d3 Nc6 7. O-O g6 8. a3 Bg7 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Bd2 e6 11. Re1 a6 12. Na4 Qc7 13. Bf4 Nh5 14. Be3 b5 15. cxb5 axb5 16. Nc3 b4 17. axb4 cxb4 18. Na4 Ra6 19. Rb1 Rfa8 20. b3 Qb7 21. d4 Rd8 22. Qe2 e5 23. d5 Nd4 24. Nxd4 exd4 25. Bd2 Be5 26. Qc4 Rb8 27. Ra1 Bf6 28. Nc5 dxc5 29. Qxa6 Qe7 30. Qa7 Rb7 31. Qa6 Be5 32. Qd3 Nf4 33. Bxf4 Bxf4 34. Qf3 Be5 35. Ra8+ (black resigns)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Qxd7 5. c4 Nf6 6. d3 Nc6 7. O-O g6 8. a3 Bg7 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Bd2 e6 11. Re1 a6 12. Na4 Qc7 13. Bf4 Nh5 14. Be3 b5 15. cxb5 axb5 16. Nc3 b4 17. axb4 cxb4 18. Na4 Ra6 19. Rb1 Rfa8 20. b3 Qb7 21. d4 Rd8 22. Qe2 e5 23. d5 Nd4 24. Nxd4 exd4 25. Bd2 Be5 26. Qc4 Rb8 27. Ra1 Bf6 28. Nc5 dxc5 29. Qxa6 Qe7 30. Qa7 Rb7 31. Qa6 Be5 32. Qd3 Nf4 33. Bxf4 Bxf4 34. Qf3 Be5 35. Ra8+ (black resigns)
The story - for those who enjpy words rather than chess moves.
The story - for those who enjpy words rather than chess moves.
The Sicilian Defence had reached a tense middlegame.
The Sicilian Defence had reached a tense middlegame.
Both sides had castled, the centre was locked, and the queens were circling like predators.
Both sides had castled, the centre was locked, and the queens were circling like predators.
But I saw something. A seed of an idea.
But I saw something. A seed of an idea.
If I could lure Amir’s bishop to f6, then a knight jump to c5 would split the board in two. Not immediately — but later, at the right moment. The challenge was not spotting the move. It was planting the trap and waiting for it to ripen.
If I could lure Amir’s bishop to f6, then a knight jump to c5 would split the board in two. Not immediately — but later, at the right moment. The challenge was not spotting the move. It was planting the trap and waiting for it to ripen.
That meant repositioning my queen, manoeuvring my pieces, and—most importantly—keeping my face still. If Amir sensed the danger, he’d never walk into it.
That meant repositioning my queen, manoeuvring my pieces, and—most importantly—keeping my face still. If Amir sensed the danger, he’d never walk into it.
The position after 27…Bf6:
The position after 27…Bf6:
(White to move)
(White to move)
At the club later, Jim set this up as a puzzle. Everyone stared at it. Nobody found the move. But I had prepared it several moves earlier - can you spot it?
At the club later, Jim set this up as a puzzle. Everyone stared at it. Nobody found the move. But I had prepared it several moves earlier - can you spot it?
28. Nc5!!
28. Nc5!!
The knight lunges forward, the trap springs shut. If Black takes, the queen slices in with Qa6, tearing the position apart. If Black ignores it, the knight becomes a permanent thorn in his camp. Or, better still, the night is exchanged for the rook. This move was the turning point in the game. And Amit and I both knew it.
The knight lunges forward, the trap springs shut. If Black takes, the queen slices in with Qa6, tearing the position apart. If Black ignores it, the knight becomes a permanent thorn in his camp. Or, better still, the night is exchanged for the rook. This move was the turning point in the game. And Amit and I both knew it.
Chess Lesson:
Chess Lesson:
The beauty of tactics lies not only in spotting them, but in preparing them. A hidden resource is worth nothing if revealed too early. Patience and timing turn a good idea into a winning move.
The beauty of tactics lies not only in spotting them, but in preparing them. A hidden resource is worth nothing if revealed too early. Patience and timing turn a good idea into a winning move.
Life Lesson:
Life Lesson:
Many of life’s opportunities are like that. We see a possibility, but the real test is holding back—waiting, preparing, resisting the urge to rush. The harvest comes only when the seed has matured.
Many of life’s opportunities are like that. We see a possibility, but the real test is holding back—waiting, preparing, resisting the urge to rush. The harvest comes only when the seed has matured.
That was the story of my game against Amir. The move was not an accident. It was a plan, planted and protected until it was ready.
That was the story of my game against Amir. The move was not an accident. It was a plan, planted and protected until it was ready.
Editor’s Note
Editor’s Note
This piece was first drafted for Adrian, Jim, Rasa, and Steve — as a sample of the style we are exploring for a possible book about our Calais trip next month: nine rounds of chess, 36 games. It appears here in the Cloud Café as a preview of that experiment: a chess analysis told not just in moves, but in story and reflection.
This piece was first drafted for Adrian, Jim, Rasa, and Steve — as a sample of the style we are exploring for a possible book about our Calais trip next month: nine rounds of chess, 36 games. It appears here in the Cloud Café as a preview of that experiment: a chess analysis told not just in moves, but in story and reflection.
It’s also meant as a bit of fun — a puzzle wrapped in narrative. And yes, it happens to feature one of my better games (perhaps raising my profile as a player more than I deserve).
It’s also meant as a bit of fun — a puzzle wrapped in narrative. And yes, it happens to feature one of my better games (perhaps raising my profile as a player more than I deserve).
☁️ If you enjoyed this piece, you might also like our book Because I Said So — coming soon.
☁️ If you enjoyed this piece, you might also like our book Because I Said So — coming soon.
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