1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. O-O-O Nbd7 10. g4 b5 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. g5 Nd7 13. f5 Nc5 14. f6 gxf6 15. gxf6 Bf8 This was rattled off by both sides in less than two minutes. It's all 'theory' and joyfully wild if you like that sort of thing. Now the ways part. Steve McGrane chose the familiar 16 Rg1 when trouncing me in the EU Open a few weeks earlier. On that occasion I forgot my 'theory', not surprising since the last time I had this line, Harold Wilson was PM. Here we see the rarer but highly plausible... 16. Bh3 b4 Fischer's choice 17. Nce2?! this is a concession. The ultra-sharp 17 Nd5!? is required when, after 17... exd5; 18 exd5 Bxh3; 19 Re1+ Kd8; 20 Nc6+ Kc8; 21 Qxh3+ Kb7, a good scrap ensues 17... Rb8 18. Ng3 a5 19. Nh5 a4 20. Ng7+ Kd8 Faint-hearted colleagues felt I must be lost here. In fact I'm close to winning! Nothing serious happens on e6 as things stand, and the N on g7 is where White's KR usually goes so it can't make things worse 21. Kb1 e5!? a big decision, yielding light squares for dark 22. Ne2?! Bxh3 23. Qxh3 a3! thematic 24. Qf5 Qd7 25. Qf3 axb2 26. Rd5 Ra8! threat Qa4 27. Rxc5 panic 27... dxc5 28. Qb3 Kc7 29. c3? loses outright 29... Qd3+ 30. Kxb2 Qxe2+ 31. Ka1 c4 thwarting all tricks 32. Ne8+? Kc6 0-1 [Dave Robertson]

It's the Autumn, so time for my annual toasting of Joe Siddall. As fellow league players often learn to their cost, Joe likes to lace his games with dashing flourishes and rapier thrusts This year's game was no exception.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Signature move of the Rossolimo variation 3... Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Nxd7 5. O-O Ngf6 6. Re1 Qc7 7. Nc3 e6 8. d4 cxd4 9. Qxd4 Be7 10. Bg5 O-O 11. Rad1 a6 12. Bh4 Everything is standard to this point. Now Black faces decisions on where to line up the Rooks, a choice I often get wrong, with frustrating long-term consequences 12... Rad8 On reflection, either Rfd8 or Rac8 was more precise 13. h3 Rfe8 The end of preparations. Black stands equal; White will try to squeeze. There's all to play for; no need to rush 14. g4?! What did I just say, Joe? A typical Siddall thrust scuttles any idea of a slow battle for supremacy 14... Ne5 15. Nh2? Oh dear, not a cavalier's riposte! Nxe5 was essential 15... Nfxg4! winning at least a pawn in all lines 16. hxg4 Bxh4 (But if 16 Bxe7 Nxh2; 17 Bxd8 Nhf3+; 18 Kg2 Rxd8 still wins) 17. Kg2 Bf6 18. Qe3 Nc4 and White's Q-side caves in too (19 Qc1 Nxb2; 20 Qxb2 Bxc3). So Joe fell on his sword. 0-1 [Dave Robertson]