Just back from Poringland, where we enjoyed lunch with the Stedmans and Robinsons, followed by afternoon tea on the lawn – well on a table on the lawn. So you can tell that the weather is pretty warm, though it was turning chilly towards the end. We’ve known each other since the mid-70s, when Mick Stedman was a vicar in the Bramerton Group, and the Robinsons’ home was in Alpington, the adjoining village. We lived in Holly Bank at Yelverton for 12 years. Dot is about to go on a girls’ night out: she never stops.

Here’s the game I played last night:

1 c4 e5 2 g3 Nf6 3 Bg2 Nc6 4 Nc3 Bc5 5 e3 0-0 6 a3 a6 7 Nge2 Re8 8 0-0 Ne7 9 d4 exd 10 exd Ba7 11 Bg5 Ng6 12 Nd5 c6 13 Nxf6+ gxf 14 Bf4?! d5 15 cxd cxd 16 Rc1 Bg4 17 f3 Qe7 18 fxg! Qxe2  19 Rc2! (Having foreseen the coming sacrifice) Bxd4+ 20 Qxd4 (Kh1 is also possible) Qxc2 21 Bh6! Re2 22 Bxd5 Ne5 23 Rxf6 (With all kinds of threats) Rd8 24 Rxf7!

Rg2+ 25 Bxg2 Qd1+ 26 Qxd1 Rxd1+ 27 Rf1 Rd8 28 Bd5+ Kh8 (If Rxd5, Rf8 is mate) 29 Rf8+ Rxf8 30 Bxf8 Nxg4 31 Bc5 Kg7 32 Bxb7 1-0. Of course, the most exciting possibilities never happen on the board.