We won our last round match against Bank of Scotland but had to be content with 2nd place as our main rivals, Dunfermline Knights, also won (final table). Still, it is by far our best showing in the SNCL as team captain Elliot Sloan reports...

Round 9

We had a strong team again for the final round, facing Bank of Scotland/Civil Service, who had outperformed in SNCL and Edinburgh League this season. We had to win and hope that Dunfermline Knights lost their final match vs Hamilton, for us to win the SNCL.

There were quite a few cagy games. First to finish was Mark Orr who drew with Hugh Lamarque with black. Elliot Sloan's match against Chris James looked like it might be a bit more tactical, but both sides covered the threats and it ended in an earlyish draw. Andy Burnett and Jorge Bianco drew, but the other 2 games lasted much longer.

Tom Leah won a pawn in the middle game versus Mike Thomson, and was able to methodically convert it in a Knight vs Bishop endgame. Walter Burnett had an interesting game vs Crawford MacNab, with persistent pressure which eventually paid off for a win and a 3½-1½ score.

Unfortunately, Hamilton were not able to keep their side of the bargain, losing a couple of games quite quickly, including to Dunfermline's 1400 board 5 junior. So we finished 2nd in the top league, by far our best showing in the SNCL. Congratulations to Dunfermline Knights on winning the league, their first SNCL in 20 years.

Thanks to all the players this season, we all performed well but Walter's score of 8 out of 9 was particularly great, and by 1 point, the best result of any player in the top league.

Wandering Dragons	3½‑1½	Bank of Scotland
Burnett, Andrew (2185)	½‑½	Blanco, Jorge (2141)
Orr, Mark (2111)	½‑½	Lamarque, Hugh (1813)
Leah, Tom (1992)	1‑0	Chisholm, Mike (1919)
Sloan, Elliot (1964)	½‑½	James, Chris (1876)
Burnett, Walter (1957)	1‑0	Macnab, Crawford (1792)

Round 8

Team captain Elliot was the hero with his game being the decisive one of this match against tough opponents. His comment: "Ian Marks left me a pawn early in queen's gambit (and then gave me a second by move 10). Too good to turn down, and I managed to neutralise his counterplay".

Wandering Dragons	3‑2	Stepps
Orr, Mark J L (2111)	½‑½	Bryson, Douglas (2307)
Minnican, Alan (2071)	½‑½	Nolan, Graeme (2151)
Leah, Tom (1992)	½‑½	Allor, Chukwuka (2121)
Sloan, Elliot (1964)	1‑0	Marks, Ian (1851)
Burnett, Walter (1957)	½‑½	Hulme, William (1925)

Round 7

No slip-ups in this round against somewhat weaker opposition.

Hamilton A	1:4	Wandering Dragons
Montgomery, James (1885)	0‑1	Orr, Mark J L (2111)
Mccusker, Andrew (1806)	½‑½	Minnican, Alan W (2071)
Donohue, Tom (1934)	½‑½	Leah, Tom (1992)
Montgomery, Robert (1831)	0‑1	Sloan, Elliot (1964)
Mulholland, Arthur (1741)	0‑1	Burnett, Walter (1957)

Round 6

The team fought out a draw in the afternoon v Bon Accord. Walter sacked his remaining pieces for a stalemate v 2 rooks and 5 pawns! Andy drew with Hamish Olsen, Alan drew with Bob Lothian and Elliot beat Jan Berg, who never recovered from misplaying the opening.

The Dragons are on 9 points out of 12.

Wandering Dragons	2½:2½	Bon Accord
Burnett, Andrew B (2185)	½‑½	Olson, Hamish (2279)
Minnican, Alan W (2071)	½‑½	Lothian, Robert (2038)
Sloan, Elliot S (1964)	1‑0	Berg, Jan (1785)
Burnett, Walter (1957)	½‑½	Macdonald, Duncan (1685)
Carter, Richard G (1792)	0‑1	Murray, Thomas W J (1655)

Round 5

The Dragons had a tight 3-2 win over Edinburgh in the morning, Elliots's game finished about 2:30pm!. Alan and Walter won, and then Richard and Elliot (eventually) got the draws needed.

Edinburgh 1	2:3	Wandering Dragons
Thomson, Craig S M (2280)	1‑0	Burnett, Andrew B (2185)
O`Donnell, Matthew (1943)	0‑1	Minnican, Alan W (2071)
Blackford, Ross (1779)	½‑½	Sloan, Elliot S (1964)
Kane, Robert (1751)	0‑1	Burnett, Walter (1957)
Smith, John S R (1728)	½‑½	Carter, Richard G (1792)

Round 4

A draw was not a bad result against a slightly stronger team.

Wandering Dragons	2½:2½	Dundee City A
Burnett, Andrew B (2185)	1‑0	Findlay, David John (2150)
Minnican, Alan W (2071)	½‑½	Spencer, Edwin A (2128)
Leah, Tom (1992)	0‑1	Magnussen, Helge (2062)
Sloan, Elliot S (1964)	0‑1	Wright, Andrew G (2097)
Burnett, Walter (1957)	1‑0	Hogg, Stephen William (2011)

Round 3

The bottom two boards were the heroes in this round.

Forth Valley A	2:3	Wandering Dragons
Mcgeoch, Kenny R (1916)	1‑0	Burnett, Andrew B (2185)
Browning, Isaac (1981)	½‑½	Minnican, Alan W (2071)
Cooke, Susan G (1930)	½‑½	Leah, Tom (1992)
Shemilt, James F (1828)	0‑1	Sloan, Elliot S (1964)
Spiers, William (1755)	0‑1	Burnett, Walter (1957)

Round 2

In the afternoon versus Edinburgh West, Andy had initiative against Joe Redpath but had to settle for a draw. Elliot was in a slightly tricky position but sacced an exchange for initiative, and then got a perpetual. Tom drew with George neave, and Alan drew with Craig pritchett. This left Walter last to finish, 2 pieces for a rook up against Martin Robinson. It was a difficult position to convert, and as they got short of time, Walter's queen was lost, he was able to get it back for the cost of the 2 minor pieces, leaving a drawish looking position with opposite coloured bishops and rook, with both having a forward passed pawn. Draws were offered, and declined, from both sides, and a long battle continued with both players never more than a couple of minutes left. Walter won the bishop, but lost his good pawn and the match went on another hour and around 110 moves, with Walter making progress trying to eke out the win, which required keeping the rooks on. Martin lost on time after a 5 hour epic at 8pm. So we won 3-2.

Edinburgh West	2:3	Wandering Dragons
Redpath, Joe (2275)	½‑½	Burnett, Andrew B (2185)
Pritchett, Craig W (2200)	½‑½	Minnican, Alan W (2071)
Neave, George (2073)	½‑½	Leah, Tom (1992)
Bell, Alan D (1964)	½‑½	Sloan, Elliot S (1964)
Robinson, Martin E (1863)	0‑1	Burnett, Walter (1957)

Round 1

As you may have seen, we got 3 points out of 4. In the 1st match against Dunfermline Knights, Alan M had a quick draw. Elliot got his queen trapped and lost quickly afterwards, Tom was 2 pieces for a rook down against Ian Robertson, but was able to get a back row attack and broke through to win. Andy had won the exchange but was in a complex position, and eventually lost. Walter was struggling from the opening, and later on was a couple of pawns down. He opted to give up his queen for some counterplay, and was able to create multiple threats and then break through for an unlikely win to save the match as a draw.

Wandering Dragons	2½:2½	Dunfermline Knights
Burnett, Andrew B (2185)	0‑1	Bozinakis, Pavlos (2238)
Minnican, Alan W (2071)	½‑½	Savidge, Daniel (2013)
Leah, Tom (1992)	1‑0	Robertson, Ian C (2049)
Sloan, Elliot S (1964)	0‑1	Skettos, Nicolas (1903)
Burnett, Walter (1957)	1‑0	Mckay, Jonathan (1917)