Drunken Knights is more of an institution than a chess club. It plays its home matches on Monday evenings at the Plough pub next to that other venerable institution, the British Museum. It is the most sociable of all the London clubs as measured by the number of pints consumed before, during and after the game. The club, which emerged 35 years from under the gills of the Mushrooms club, is going from strength to strength and now has three teams in the London League. Perhaps its very existence indicates that alcohol, taken in moderation, can assist the thinking process. The club supremo is the indefatigable Nevil Chan, who manages to cajole grandmasters and IMs into turning out to play on the top boards.

The following game was played in last night’s match between Drunken Knights 2 and Lewisham.

John Foley (DK) v Roger Winterburn (L)
Black to play
White threatens Ne4-f6+ forking the king and queen. Black lags in development and so took the opportunity to develop his knight and protect the f6 square. 1…Nb8-d7

The pawns are exchanged. 2.d5xc6 b7xc6 2… Nd7-c5 is better but White gets a material and positional advantage after 3.Ne4-f6+ Kg8-f7 4.Qf1! Qe8xc6 5.Nf6xh7+

White to play
What had Black overlooked?

3. Qd3xd7! 0-1

Another queen sacrifice! If Black captures the queen 3…Qe8xd7 there follows 4.Ne4-f6+ Kg8-f7 5.Nf6xd7 Kf7-e6 6.Nd7xf8+ and White is a piece ahead.