Notable opponents in the Borders League: Martin Wallace
Twelve times Borders Champion and Galashiels No 1, Martin is the most successful locally of all regular Borders players, his unmatched fighting spirit being a significant contributor to those results. Martin is as mentally tough as they come over the chessboard, and is always ready to pounce on any tactical opportunity that might arise. Add to that some sound endgame play and you have a formidable opponent indeed. The lifetime score between us is 11½-7½ in Martin's favour.
07.11.2017: Gala v Selkirk
D Bogle (1519) v M Wallace (1771)
Focus Centre, Galashiels
A short and snappy game, where Martin's victory contributed to a 3½-1½ win for Gala. I was still thinking about my 20th move the next day!
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bd3 Be7
7...Qc7, keeping an eye on e5, is more usual. This slightly timid move allows me to try an aggressive development.
8.Nxc6 bxc6 9. e5 Nd5 10. Nxd5 cxd5 11. Qg4 Kf8 12. Bd4 h5 13. Qf3 Kg8
At the time I felt that my King Rook's future was on the f-file; but perhaps this was the time for me to be more aggressive. 14. h4!? might have been tried, with a view to opening the h-file and activating my rook that way (Stockfish doesn't like the idea, though!)
14. O-O Bb7 15. Qe3 Qc7 16. f4 Rc8 17. c3 d6 18. Qg3 Bf8 19. f5 dxe5
Why I didn't just play 20. Bxe5 here I don't know. I probably saw some ghost starting with 20...Qb6+. In any event, I did not see how strong 20...fxe6 would be.
20. fxe6 f6 21. Rxf6 exd4 22. Qg6 Rh6 23. Qf7+ Qxf7 24. Rxf7 dxc3 25. Rxb7 cxb2 26. Rxb2 Bc5+
27. 0-1
Martin has successfully defended against my faulty attack and gained the advantage. This move finishes the game, as after 27. Kf1 Bxd4 the exchange is lost, and the e6 pawn will fall too. A nice tactical finish, and well played by Martin.
08.01.2019: Borders Individual Rd 2
M Wallace (1702) v D Bogle (1537)
Town Arms, Selkirk
A tense game fom the Borders Individual Championship, which Martin navigated very well. Chances for both sides, but it was the reigning champion who held his nerve.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bb7 7.Ng5 d5 8.exd5 Nd4 9.d3 Nxb3 10.axb3 Qxd5
A lively variation of the Ruy Lopez Archangelsk. Black is now able to seize the a7-g1 dagonal for a while.
11.f3 Bc5+ 12.Kh1 O-O 13.Nc3 Qc6 14.Nce4 Be7 15.Nxf6+ Bxf6 16.Ne4 Be7 17.Be3 h6 18.Qe2 f5 19.Nc3 Bc5 20.Bxc5 Qxc5 21. Rfe1 Rae8
The air has cleared a little, and there are major exchanges to come. In the meantime, Black's e5 pawn is looking a bit weak.
22.Qe3 Qxe3 23.Rxe3 Rf7 24.Rae1 Rfe7 25.f4 e4 26.dxe4 b4 27.Na4 Bxe4 28.Kg1 Kf7 29.Nc5
The a-pawn is threatened, but a better reaction would have been 29...Bxc2 30. Rxe7+ Rxe7 31. Rxe7+ Kxe7 32. Nxa6 Bxb3, and if now 33. Nxc7 (33.Nxb4! is better) then 33...Bc4! and the knight has to spend 2 or three tempi to extricate itself. I did not see that possibility, and instead moved the a-pawn.
29...a5 30.Nxe4 Rxe4 31.Rxe4 Rxe4 32.Rxe4 fxe4 33.Kf2 Ke6 34.Ke3 Kd5 35.g4 c5
36.h4 c4 37.h5 1-0
A breakthrough on the Kingside can only be stopped at the expense of all the Queenside pawns..