[Event "Chess960: Chess960 League - Season Eleven"]
[Site "SchemingMind.com"]
[Date "2024.11.25"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Goz"]
[Black "Clive Everill"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Variant "fischerandom"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "qrbnnbkr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/QRBNNBKR w KQkq - 0 1"]
[WhiteCountry "ENG"]
[BlackCountry "CZE"]
[WhiteElo "1210"]
[WhiteRD "124"]
[BlackElo "1576"]
[BlackRD "84"]
[GameID "749150"]

1. b3
{
Goz: These variations are good fun. Have you tried atomic chess ?  I have only played it a few times but my recollection is that when you take a piece, everything on that and adjacent squares gets blown up and removed from the board.
}
1... e5
{
Clive Everill: No, I prefer just these variations ;-) I looked at Atomic Chess, but a bit bewildering for me :) 
}
2. Qxe5
{
Goz: The games of Atomic Chess I have played have usually only lasted about 10 to 15 moves - everything gets blown up !
}
2... Nd6
{
Clive Everill: I do that in normal games, from time to time! :D
}
3. Nf3 Nc6 4. Qf4
{
Goz: I commented earlier on one of our other games how good Bodo Glimt were looking against Man. U. They were leading 2-1 at the time. Not long after I had sent off my move Man. U. were leading 3-2 !
}
4... b5
{
Clive Everill: Kiss of death! :)
I see Eng are doing well in NZ - but then again, they have dropped 6 chances today, 4 for Brook! :O 
}
5. d3
{
Goz: Although Blundell did not get many, Alistair Cook reckoned in his analysis of the day that he played well defensively at a time when the ball was moving about a bit and batting was tricky. But what happened to the quaint idea that your best batsmen plays at no. 3 and novices start off at no. 6 and work their up the order as they develop their game.
}
5... Bb7
{
Clive Everill: In the end, an impressive result & Bethell certainly didn't hang around at the end! :) Carse looks the business! 
}
6. e4
{
Goz: Very impressive. I think Durham can say goodbye to Carse playing for them next season - he will be busy with England. And a very impressive knock by Bethell - he has booked his place for the rest of this series and probably for all next summer.
}
6... Nb4
{
Clive Everill: Yes - the future does look bright for both of them - I hope we've moved on from Bairstow etc...
}
7. Rb2
{
Goz: No chance of Blairstow coming back. There has been a gradual clear-out of the old guard since McCullum came in.
}
7... Be7
{
Clive Everill: Seems to be that way... :) 
}
8. c3 Na6 9. Ne5
{
Goz: What a game Newcastle v Liverpool. One of the best and most entertaining games I have ever seen. I did not expect Newcastle to play so well considering how all conquering Liverpool have been of late. No doubt too much to expect them to play like that against Brentford on Saturday although it seems that Villa found Brentford to be easy pickings tonight.
}
9... Bc6
{
Clive Everill: Looks like it was a great game! I'll try & see the highlights later :) 
I saw some of the Villa game - for the 2nd part of the 1st half, we looked great! Back to our old form. Apparently Mings & Konsa were excellent as a pair. We have Forest & Southampton coming up next - hopefully we'll put a good run in, before we face Man City! :) 
}
10. d4
{
Goz: Forest and Southampton do not sound too challenging. We have next Brentford, Leicester and Ipswich -which Newcastle will turn up ? The Newcastle who ran Liverpool all the way or the Newcastle who could not even get one shot or target against Palace ?
}
10... O-O
{
Clive Everill: Other than getting hammered by Chelsea & a 3-0 home defeat to Man U, S'ton usually put up a fight...we shall see, but I'm confident Emery has tweaked our defence positively :) As for the Toon - be careful! They might have Spursitis! :D 
}
11. d5
{
Goz: You are probably right about Toon having Spursitis. We shall see on Saturday against Brentford. But it is great entertainment
}
11... f6
{
Clive Everill: reminds me of the catchphrase from Stingray - a puppet show from my youth - 'Anything can happen in the next 24 hours' - Spurs should play that before each game! :D 

}
12. dxc6
{
Goz: Watched the first half of Spurs game against Bournemouth. Spurs will have to improve on that unimpressive performance on Sunday when they play Chelsea who seem to be the team of the moment.
}
12... fxe5
{
Clive Everill: Well, at 2-0 up, thanks for Cucu wearing the wrong boots (did he have wellies on?), Spurs contrived to be extra Spursy - I was the last 1/2hr & Chelsea look a very good team. 
}
13. Qxe5
{
Goz: I thought Newcastle’s defensive display against Brentford was pretty inept but Spurs surpassed that. One stupid penalty but two ? I have been impressed with Chelsea for a while now - they are serious title challengers.
}
13... Bf6
{
Clive Everill: I'm going to watch the Newcastle highlights ;-) Villa got a solid win in yuk weather - we'll settle for that. Leipzig tomorrow! 
}
14. Qd5+
{
Goz: Have you heard that Man. U., after battling with Newcastle to get Dan Ashworth as Sporting Director and paid Newcastle a few millions to buy out his Newcastle contract, have sacked him ( officially left by mutual agreement ) after only 5 months, during which he oversaw new signings costing £200 million. Man. U. certainly know how to waste money !
}
14... Kh8
{
Clive Everill: Utter incompetence! The club stinks from top to bottom, but surely Amorin knew what he was letting himself in for? 
}
15. Bd3
{
Goz: Perhaps he was persuaded by a lot of bullshit or just money.
}
15... dxc6
{
Clive Everill: I'm sure the money had a lot to do with it :) 
What about Duran's goal? He's special! Got some flair about him. 
}
16. Qe6
{
Goz: But does he not like playing 90 minutes ? Or does Emry think he is better just coming on as and when ?
}
16... Rbe8
{
Clive Everill: I think Emery is rotating him & Watkins to suit the style we need against opponents, but he is even considering using both of them :) 
}
17. Qg4
{
Goz: I wish we had sufficient strikers to rotate. Callum Wilson, after making the subs’ bench in the last few games after being out all season, is injured again ! A good player but there is no point in keeping him if he is never fit to play.
}
17... c5
{
Clive Everill: A good player, but he seems like Tomas Rosicky - made of Bohemian glass ;-)
}
18. Re2
{
Goz: I am finding it amusing the way the new format for the Champions League is panning out. Specially designed to ensure all the big clubs do not get eliminated at the end of this league but Man. City look in real danger and must win their last match against PSG who are also in danger. Not quite how it was intended !
}
18... c4
{
Clive Everill: When I first heard about it, I was certainly not convinced, but as it's gone on, it's been refreshingly different & shocks galore, and it seems to have back-fired on some of the 'big' clubs - squeaky bum time! :D 
}
19. Bc2
{
Goz: I would still prefer to go back to two legged ties from the outset
}
19... Nc5
{
Clive Everill: 2 legged ties, on muddy pitches - reminds me of lyrics from Mad Man Moon by Genesis :)
"For a gaol can give you a goal
Goal can find you a role
On a muddy pitch in Newcastle
Where it rains so much
You can't wait for a touch
Of sun and sand, sun and sand"
}
20. f3
{
Goz: Never heard those lyrics before and I think it’s a bit unkind to pick out Newcastle for a muddy pitch - I can think of much worse, including the Baseball Ground which I think has already featured in our chat - and for rain - this part of the country is much drier than most parts of the country, especially Manchester.
}
20... Nd3
{
Clive Everill: :) Of course, I'd agree - it's just funny that there's a reference to Newcastle & football in a song! My guess is Phil Collins wrote the lyrics - a London lad, I think? 
}
21. Bxd3
{
Goz: I have admit that I cheated because otherwise I would not have had a clue but the song was written by Tony Banks who comes from Sussex - typical ignorant southerner who has not a clue about the North East ! I am now going to enjoy a celebratory glass of wine to Newcastle having beaten Leicester 4-0 - we have not had any wins as easy this season - and then I will watch Villa beat Forest.
}
{
Goz: I watched the Forest - Villa game for about an hour and found it unbelievably boring ( apart from the penalty that Villa should have had ) so I took the dog out with the score still 0-0 and make back just in time to see Villa do a Spurs !
}
21... cxd3
{
Clive Everill: I saw most of the Villa game - very boring. Yes, it looked like a penalty for the foul on Rogers...& other than Duran's goal, we posed no real threat. I stopped watching at 1-0 up, with 10 mins to go as my wife & I were watching something else - so I followed it on text...unbelievable! Yes! We did a Spursy! :( 
}
22. Re3
{
Goz: I watched Spurs destroy Southampton in the first half and wondered whether they might do an extra special Spurs and lose 6-5 but even Spurs cannot lose from 5-0 up. I did once see Newcastle come back from 4-0 down to Arsenal at half time to draw 4-4 which was rather good ( not if you were an Arsenal fan ! )
}
22... Be5
{
Clive Everill: Villa & Forest had an epic 5-5 draw some years back - I was hoping for something similar! :) 
}
23. Rxd3
{
Goz: I saw Birmingham City draw 5-5 with Blackburn Rovers in the 1960s. It was a bit like basketball. One side scored and then the other side went down the other end and scored. A lot more exciting though than most current games.
}
23... Rf6
{
Clive Everill: Is it nostalgia, or were the 'old days' really so much better? For me, they were - something changed - certainly connected with money, stupid hairstyles & goal celebrations...
}
24. g3
{
Goz: I don’t begrudge the money even though it is ridiculous. Man. U. are reported to be wanting to sell him but who is going to buy him when he is reportedly on £350,000 a week. I agree about the hair styles and the goal celebrations though. If you are a hairdresser and you can get Premier League players to be your clientele, you are made for life. As for the goal celebrations, I assume that they must practice them in training. It is quite instructive to watch old videos and see how minimal celebrations used to be. I tend to think that everything about the good old days is better than now but I think it was more entertaining because it was more straightforward attacking with shots at goal instead of the endless passing backwards and sideways that we have to put up with now.
}
{
Goz: The “him” is Rashford.
}
24... Nf7
{
Clive Everill: I might have guessed it was Rashford! :D The Premier Leagues surely keeps hairdressers in a job, and yes, player surely rehearse their celebrations! Is anyone capable of real spontaneity these days? ;-)
I think the father of backwards & sideways passing was surely Ray Wilkins, in his England 'prime'! :) 
}
25. Qd7
{
Goz: And each pass no more than a couple of yards. Great game tonight Spurs v Man. Utd. Spurs at their best and worst !
}
25... Nd6
{
Clive Everill: Spurs are great entertainment, it seems! :) Arsenal in the semi for the Toon! :) 
}
26. Bg5
{
Goz: The way I look at it ( always the optimist ! ) we have already played all the other three teams in the semi-finals and not lost to any of them and we have beaten Arsenal so bring them on ! Not so optimistic about Ipswich on Saturday though !
}
26... Rg6
{
Clive Everill: They really should be beating Ipswich :) However, the cup is a different matter - silverware up for grabs! Spurs desperately need some, as do Arsenal. Liverpool have had a taste over the years. Are the Toon hungry enough? 
}
27. Qg4
{
Goz: You were right about Ipswich. The only mystery, from listening to the radio commentary, was how Newcastle only managed to score 4. Great performance from Villa against Man. City, especially the first goal - contender for goal of the season. Sublime pass by Tielemans.
}
27... h6
{
Clive Everill: Excellent wins for both teams! Yes, our first goal was superb - really good vision - Rogers was also outstanding! 
}
28. Qh4
{
Goz: Guardiola for the sack?
}
28... Rxg5
{
Clive Everill: On this form, you would have thought so. Seems Man Utd's new manager is not the promised messiah...and Spurs giving out lots of Spursy gifts today! :D 
}
29. Qh3
{
Goz: We will no doubt be told by the Man. U. powers-that-be that it will take time to turn things around. As long as there is no turnaround before we play Man. U. which is after we play Villa next.
}
29... Qc8
{
Clive Everill: Yes! Villa at the Toon next! :) A classic on the cards ;-) 
}
30. Qxc8 Nxc8 31. Kf2 Rg6 32. a4 bxa4 33. bxa4 Nb6 34. a5 Na4 35. c4 Bd6 36. Rb3 Rf6
{
Clive Everill: An ugly win for the Villa, but missing some key players, so a good result :) 
}
37. Rf1
{
Goz: From what I saw of it, I would say lucky rather than ugly but Leicester just cannot defend. Incidentally, have heard which teams are currently being scrutinised for possible breaches of the fair play rules ? Leicester, Everton and Forest. Clearly Forest will get clobbered with a points deduction to stop them getting into the Champions League. Meanwhile our Daniel offers an interesting view on Man. City’s battle with the Premier League. He reckons that after spinning it all out for years, they will now want to hurry it up and accept a wacking points deduction this season because it will not matter as they will not get into the Champions League next season anyway so it does not matter if they are deducted, say, 20 points, because they will not get relegated. An interesting view on- watch what happens !
}
37... Rxe4
{
Clive Everill: I'm inclined to agree that something is in the air, hence the sub-par performances recently. The players seem to know something is coming. I can't imagine them relegating them, too much money involved. I hope Forest don't get punished - they're doing really well & deserve a crack at the CL, if they last the distance & don't go Spursy :) 
However, it's about time Everton went down! :D
}
38. Kg2
{
Goz: Oh dear - not paying attention again ! 
}
38... Rxc4
{
Clive Everill: So it seems...like the Man U defence ;-)
}
39. Rb7
{
Goz: More like Southampton’s defence ! 
}
39... a6
{
Clive Everill: :) True! 
}
40. Ra7 Nc5 41. Ne3 Ra4
{
Clive Everill: So, the semi tonight - what do you reckon? I'll go 2-1 to Newcastle :) 
}
42. Nd5
{
Goz: About to start - I haven’t a clue - 2-0 to Arsenal
}
42... Rf7 43. Nb6
{
Goz: I got the score right but you got the result right ! I thought that, even though Newcastle’s recent performances have been very good, Arsenal would be much more difficult but Newcastle were brilliant. I was especially impressed with Eddie Howe’s tactical formation for the last half an hour of 5-5-0 which worked a treat. I also enjoyed Arteta’s explanation of why they lost - his players had difficulty controlling the ball which is different in the League Cup from the Premier League ball. He is a bad loser.
}
43... Rxa5
{
Clive Everill: Well, the Toon have been very impressive lately & Isak is on fire. Arteta? What can you say? Surely it's a joke! :D??? Maybe the wind was against them? Something they ate for lunch? ;-) 
}
44. Nc4
{
Goz: Watching the Spurs - Liverpool match at the moment - 0-0 - boring by comparison with last night.
}
44... Ra2+
{
Clive Everill: Spurs got a controversial goal, apparently - & also kept a clean sheet, which is impressive, especially against Liverpool! 
}
45. Rf2
{
Goz: I haven’t seen the controversial goal. So if everything had been, in Postecogolu’s words, “fair and equal”, it would have been a draw ! But, yes, very impressive for Spurs not to concede a goal ( against any opposition ).
}
45... Rxf2+
{
Clive Everill: I shall have to look at it. At least Posty wasn't complaining about the 'different ball' :D
And Everton? What a shambolic club - who would WANT to go there?? 
}
46. Kxf2
{
Goz: The answer, apparently, is David Moyes who of course was on the way up when he managed Everton before, until he went to Man. U. Has any manager left Man. U.,since Ferguson retired, with his reputation enhanced ?
}
46... Bf8
{
Clive Everill: :) Almost certainly not! Man U seem to be the ruination of reputations! 
}
47. Ne5 Rf5 48. Nc6 Ne6
{
Clive Everill: Well, Man U didn't ruin Arsenal's reputation - they enhanced it! :D 
}
49. Rxa6
{
Goz: Hopefully Arsenal’s decline in form until after the 2nd leg of the League Cup semi-final.
}
49... Ng5
{
Clive Everill: I really can't see them getting much at Newcastle, no matter if they change the ball or not. :)
}
50. f4
{
Goz: I didn’t see Newcastle getting much in the first leg so you never know. If Arsenal were to score first …..??
}
50... Bc5+
{
Clive Everill: Well, Arsenal really need to up their game & get a striker! :) 
}
51. Kg2
{
Goz: Arsenal would like to buy Isak who would be a great addition to their side but, despite lots of chatter in the Press, it is not going to happen.
}
51... Ne4
{
Clive Everill: I would be amazed if he went there ;-) All media talk - no chance, I think - much better off where he is :)
}
52. Ra8+ Kh7 53. Rc8 Bb6
{
Clive Everill: Well, the Toon took a right old tonking fro Bournemouth! That WAS a surprise! From the highlights, Bournemouth looked sharp & great as a team. Good fightback by Villa - we were in an online call with friends & so I followed it on text - at 2-0 down, I thought our bacon was done - but some fight there! Maybe we have turned the corner that Man U were searching for?? :D
}
54. Ne7
{
Goz: Bournemouth were outstanding and sometimes you just have to acknowledge something like that. Hopefully Newcastle will get back on track in their next game - Southampton !
}
54... Rc5 55. Kf3 Nd2+ 56. Kg4 Ne4
{
Clive Everill: Well, the Villa have made it hard for themselves with a poor performance against Monaco - we need to beat Celtic & hope results go our way to make the top 8 - but our expectations were the play-offs originally :) 
}
57. Kf3
{
Goz: Emry made an extraordinary outburst after the Monaco match, complaining about his players “not following instructions” although he then excused quite a few of the players from that accusation and, by a process of elimination from whom Emry did not mention as being excused, I worked out that the ones who did not ‘follow instructions’ were Digne, Watkins and Martinez ( although I am not sure what “instructions” you give to a goalkeeper ! What will happen to those three now  ??
}
57... Nd6
{
Clive Everill: From what I saw, it could have been anyone! :) Emery admitted having 2 strikers was a problem - Watkins should have swapped with Duran - we lost whatever flow we had when Duran came on & Buendia went off...
}
58. Ra8
{
Goz: I did not see too much flow before Duran went off ! Still, Villa are in a better position than Man. City ! This new format was specifically designed to ensure Man. City did not get eliminated at this stage but it is very close.
}
58... Rc3+
{
Clive Everill: City are having a torrid time! We have West Ham this w/e - have to pick up a win ;-) 
}
59. Kg4 Bg1 60. Ra2 Re3 61. Nd5
{
Goz: Forest have discovered today that Bournemouth’s stuffing of Newcastle was no fluke. Bournemouth could be challenging for a Champions League place ! Newcastle had a scare at Southampton but ran out comfortable winners in the end - Southampton cannot stop conceding goals.
}
61... Re6
{
Clive Everill: Neither can the Villa! We don't keep many clean sheets in our cupboard - & losing Mings (again) was a turning point...like most teams, too many injuries, too many games ;-) 
Bournemouth are on a roll - but it makes you wonder if their bubble will burst - I hope not ;-) Good to see another team doing well & the likes of Spurs & Man U struggle in the nether regions :) 
}
62. Nxc7
{
Goz: A special Spursy performance against Leicester ! Serious candidates for relegation now !
}
62... Rg6+
{
Clive Everill: We can dream! :) 
}
63. Kf3 Bb6 64. Nd5 Bc5 65. Ne7 Re6 66. Nd5 Nf5 67. Kg4 Nd4 68. Nc7 Rg6+ 69. Kh3 Bd6 70. Nd5 Re6 71. Ra7 Bc5 72. Rd7 Nf3
73. Nc7 Re2 74. Kg4
{
Goz: Great performance tonight against Arsenal. I didn’t expect it to be so easy !
}
74... Nxh2+ 75. Kh5
{
Goz: Nor did I !
}
75... Nf1 76. Nd5 Nxg3+ 77. Kg4 Ne4 78. Kf3 Re1 79. Kg4 Rg1+ 80. Kf5 Ng3+ 81. Ke6 Re1+
{
Clive Everill: I think you may well have ambled your king into trouble...much like the other game? :) 
}
82. Kf7 Nf5 83. Nf6+
{
Goz: And games I have played against others. I think I have an irresistible urge for my king to wander !
}
83... gxf6 84. Kxf6+ Ne7 85. Kf7 h5 86. f5 Nxf5 87. Kf6+ Ne7 88. Kg5
{
Goz: I thought Man. City were not very good at present. Good enough to blow Newcastle away - 3-0 at present with half an hour left. How many will it end up as. Is it as bad as losing 1-0 to 10 men Ipswich ?
}
88... Rh1
{
Clive Everill: Well, Toon got a 4-0 tonking & we managed a 1-1 draw. Their goalie had a blinder, as is the case in such scenarios :) A frustrating experience - but as Emery will say, we're not the finished article yet. Too many ins & outs - missing our gelling & flow...
}
89. Rc7
{
Goz: Newcastle were certainly missing their gelling and flow this afternoon. Good job it was not on TV so I did not have to watch it.
}
89... Bd6 90. Rd7 Kg8 91. Rxd6 h4 92. Rh6 h3 93. Kf4 h2 94. Ke5
{
Goz: I see Villa are playing Liverpool tomorrow - a good challenge for them
}
94... Re1+
{
Clive Everill: Not sure why we're playing tomorrow? It'll be a test, especially as we have a make-shift defence ;-) Hope Rashford & Asensio get a full game ;-) 
}
95. Kf6
{
Goz: Just seen the makeshift defence present Liverpool with their first goal. Shades of Newcastle against Man. City.
}
{
Goz: Good comeback to Villa now leading 2-1
}
95... Nd5+
{
Clive Everill: Just saw the highlights - awful mistake to begin with, but apparently, McGinn encouraged Garcia & he played well after that. We came back very well - could have gone either way in the end, but a draw seems fair. Much improved by the Villa :) 
}
96. Kg5
{
Goz: When Liverpool pulled it back to 2-2 it looked as if they would go on to win but Villa showed good resolve to hang on. After Man. City stuffed Newcastle, they were stuffed themselves by Real Madrid. I dread to think how Newcastle would get on against Real Madrid !
}
96... h1=Q
{
Clive Everill: Real look the real deal! :) Man City are an enigma - blowing hot & cold...or maybe Newcastle's bubble has burst? 
}
97. Rg6+
{
Goz: Newcastle’s bubble has burst a few times this season but it has reformed a few times as well. Which team will turn up a particular game is now anybody’s guess
}
97... Kf7
{
Clive Everill: We have Chelsea on Sat, you're at home to Forest on Sun - big games for all sides ;-) 
}
{
Goz: I should have packed up ages ago. Too. Good for me again but I will sign up for more punishment, just so we can carry on our chat
}
{
Clive Everill: Always happy to play & chat & I have no problem that you pushed it - you never know, mistakes can happen! :) Especially with me :)
}
0-1

