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(27) Parrott,K - Skinner,B [D60]
Bronowski Trophy, 05.04.2004
[Kevin Parrott]
Every Dog Has His Day!
I had rung Geoff Naldrett a few weeks before the match offering to be on standby. This was mainly to spare Geoff having to ring around anxiously on the day of the match and potentially having to default a bottom board. My intention was to attend regardless and stay for an hour or so - to say 'hello' to people and to watch some chess. When Geoff rang me on the day, I was secretly pleased to be participating but also concerned about being able to contribute in a match of such importance.
I arrived at 40 Melton Street - and duly went through the security process, including being given a visitor's badge that had Reason For Visit as CHEST (sic). By coincidence, I travelled up in the lift to the 14th floor with Brian Skinner, who, it turned out, would be my opponent.
I went through the usual procedures - locating where the toilets were, where the food and drink was, confirming the time control details and which end of the room would be housing the lower boards. I chatted with people I knew well, nodded at those I knew on nodding terms, and was studiously ignored by those who studiously ignore people. I felt a little strange as I have feet in both camps - I play for Asphalia in the Commercial League. The views from the room were excellent - you could see the Millennium Wheel, the 'gherkin' and many other London landmarks. You could also see the rain clouds forming in the distance.
My first feeling when I saw the board order was one of relief at avoiding George Monk - he had politely kicked my head in the previous year. I noted that, as expected, ICC had the grading advantage on the top boards but we were outgraded at the lower end. After physically re-arranging the bottom 2 boards so that players could more easily move around during the evening, the match got underway. 1.d4
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