On 5th January the C Team played Ashton Community Chess Club, the first visit by any East Cheshire Team. Ashton CCC is a community resource set up for u18s and before the match we saw a room full of keen students of the game intently watching a lesson /demonstration. This Club may well progress to higher divisions in the League in future years.
The results were
East Cheshire C Ashton CCC
Board
1 Geoff Clarke 0 1 Phil Armstrong
2 Mike Cunnane 0.5 0.5 Tim Chatos
3 Ian Vaughan 1 0 Daniel Bowden
4 Andy Buckley 1 0 Edmund Jones
5 Andy Walker 0 1 Jack Latham
TOTAL 2.5 2.5
Geoff discovered his opponent was graded at 166. Geoff decided to play actively, as he put it to enjoy the game more despite the almost inevitable result.
Ian’s game quickly resulted in a centre with tactical possibilities and with the centre pawns gone. A blunder by black enabled a bishop check with a discovered attack on the queen that proved decisive.
Andy W writes:
” I tried really hard not to be put off by the tender age of my opponent .. or his higher ranking (90 to my 75). but unfortunately, my undefeated run so far this season seemed doomed from the outset. Post match analysis revealed that I could have captured his queen on move 12 and then, although being a bishop up from move 16 on and when under pressure, I gave him the positional advantage when in reality I could have played into a winning position. So I resigned on move 20 to avoid the inevitable checkmate. My consolation? He would probably have played badly too if he’d been at work all day … or maybe not. Bah!”
Mike’s game was the last to finish when at 9.15 he accepted a draw. Mike writes: ‘ I played the black side of a French Defence in which my oponent played an early Nd2, which is the first time I’ve encountered this. I then played Be7 and later had chances to win a pawn, but did not as it allowed better rook placement for white. The game petered out into a draw.’
The consensus was that Mike may have been slightly behind in an even game, and had made a good call.