Here we are at Redworth Hall near Darlington, for the first round of 4NCL’s Northern League.

Play was in the Conference Room, where conditions were of the usual 4NCL high standard.

Our opponents were Aigburth from Liverpool, and we soon had our noses in front when my game quickly came to a violent conclusion.

Later, the match was finely balanced with just Jonathan and David still in play. When Jonathan won, all depended on David’s game. He had a clear win after playing energetically from the opening, but it came down to a rook and pawn ending in which he was a pawn up.

Pawns gradually came off as the first time control came and went, and our team members came and went, observing David’s progress, pondering on the real possibilities of his opponent promoting a pawn or stealing a mate, feeling the pangs of hunger.

A posse departed to find a pub (the evening meal at the hotel was inordinately expensive) while a rearguard waited upon the final result. Eventually, David’s opponent was ground down and resigned, and we all met at a convivial hostelry where we revived after the tension and enjoyed the aftermath of a successful day.

Cheddleton tomorrow. It’s a long drag to Cheddleton normally, but coming to Darlington to play them seems bizarre.

Some more photos …