Hendon's first team scored a vital victory in last night's home match against a strong Athenaeum team, taking them closer to the vital five points they need to stay in the First Division of the Middlesex League next season.

We now have 4.5 a with two games to play - next week's away match against tailenders Metropolitan will be the decider! (I will send another email with venue details for that match)

Thanks to International Master Gavin Crawley, who lives just round the corner from the chess club, for coming out of retirement for this crucial match! We hope he will be able to play regularly for Hendon in future.

Everyone played their part, and commiserations to David Ben-Nathan, who only narrowly lost his game in the last few moments of extra time.

Things were close after two hours play - the only game I liked the look of was mine;

Paul McKeown - Adam Raoof A84 vs Athenaeum, 1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.d5 Bb4+ 5.Nc3 Qe7 6.Bf4 Bxc3+ 6...exd5 7.cxd5 Qc5 7.bxc3 d6 8.dxe6 Bxe6 9.Rb1 0-0 10.e3 10.Rxb7 10...b6 11.Nd4 Na6 12.Be2 Nc5 13.0-0 Nfe4 14.Qc2 Qf7 14...g5 15.f3 gxf4 16.fxe4 fxe4 17.Rxf4 Rxf4 18.exf4 Rf8 15.f3 Nf6 16.Nxf5 Nh5 17.Nd4 Nxf4 18.exf4 Qxf4 19.Nxe6 Qe3+! 20.Kh1 Qxe6 21.Rfd1 Rae8 22.Bf1 Rf5 23.g3 Re5 23...Rxf3 24.Bg2 Qf5 was possible, but I didn't see it! 25.Qxf5 Rxf5 26.Bd5+ Kf8 27.Rf1 looks harder to play. 24.Qd2 Re3 Na4 at some point here would also have been strong. 25.Qd4 h6 26.Bg2 Kh8 27.h4?! Re2 27...Qg6! 28.Kh2 Nd3 (Fritz) 28.g4 Rxa2 29.g5 Qg6 30.Rg1 Ree2 30...Nd3 31.Rbf1 hxg5 32.Bh3 c5 33.Qg4 Nf2+ 34.Rxf2 Rxf2 35.hxg5 Ree2 36.Rd1 Qe8 37.Kg1 Re1+ 38.Kxf2 Rxd1 wins. 31.Qg4 h5!? I knew that Rxg2 probably won, but saw a different way through... 31...Rxg2 32.Rxg2 Rxg2 33.Qc8+ Kh7 34.Kxg2 Qxb1 32.Qc8+ Kh7 33.Rbf1 Ne6 34.f4 34.Re1 Rxe1 35.Rxe1 Qc2 36.Rg1 Nf4 37.g6+ Nxg6 38.Qxc7 Qf2 39.Qd7 Qxh4+ 40.Bh3 Qf4 41.Rg2 Ra1+ 42.Rg1 Rxg1+ 43.Kxg1 Qg3+ 44.Kh1 Nf4 34...Qf5 35.g6+ Qxg6 36.Qb7 Qf5 36...Qf6 also wins. 37.Rd1? Qh3+! 0-1