East Cheshire Chess Club Blog

For their last match this season the C Team played hosts to Chorlton B and conceded only half a point to win 4.5 to 0.5. Unfortunately the visitors had been unable to muster a full team and defaulted on Board 5. In addition, their Boards 3 and 4 arrived very late and were each 20 to 30 minutes down at the outset even after a clock start of 7.50 p.m. However, no Chorlton player lost on time, and all enjoyed a friendly match (with the exception of Andy W), which is the main thing. Special thanks to Andy W for playing a cool game of musical chairs.
The scorecard reads:
1. Paul Bamford 0.5 0.5 Howard Hughes
2. Bill Tait 1 0 John Haines
3. Mike Cunnane 1 0 Philippe Noel
4. Andy Buckley 1 0 Chris Hallsworth
5. (Andy Walker present) 1 0 default.

The C Team hosted the dedicated under 18s of Ashton Community Chess Club on 23 February 2011, and only Mike’s win on board 2 saved a whitewash. Well done Mike. In a year or two it may well be the A Team whom Ashton visit.
East Cheshire C 1, Ashton 4.

In a close contest the C Team scored a near win against Stockport D last night (Thursday 17 February 2011). The scorecard (below) involved only integers this time …

Stockport D…………………East Cheshire C
1….D. Preen……..0…1……B. Tait
2….J. Kelly……….0…1……G. Clarke
3….M. Jackson…1….0…..M. Cunnane
4….I. Anderson ..1….0…..I. Vaughan
5….A. Prime………0…1…..A. Buckley
TOTALS………….2….3

On 9th February 2011, the C Team gained 2 points from Wilmslow B, even though outgraded on every board. The points came from Geoff’s win, and two draws from the Andys B and W. An interesting match.

This was the C Team’s first visit to Macclesfield’s new venue. Unfortunately the Captain (who is that person?) had forgotten to tell everyone that the Club now meets at the Liberal Club on Boden Street, which accounted for boards 1 and 2 finishing later on in the evening, with Geoff and Paul having arrived by the scenic route.
The match was one of two halves not only chronologically, but also scoreologically, with Ian, Andy and Roy accumulating 2.5 points between them before Paul and Geoff had hardly sat down. Paul and Geoff were left to it, in the knowledge we could not lose. Needless to say, Macclesfield were set on not conceding any more points, and achieved the draw, late into the night, with at least one of those games going to the wire with only minutes on each clock. Thanks to Geoff for doing the score card.
Scores:
Board
1 P. Bamford 0 1 J.P. Taylor (139)
2 G. Clarke 0 1 R. Murphy (126)
3 I. Vaughan 1 0 P. Jones (50)
4 A Buckley 1 0 E. Nathan (50)
5 R Burrows 0.5 0.5 A Howe (50)
Totals 2.5 2.5

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.

On Tuesday East Cheshire C ventured out in the snow to visit Chorlton B and won 3.5 to 1.5. Andy Walker captained. The scores were
Alan Stokes 1 0 Evan Wood
Bill Tait 1 0 Howard Hughes
Mike Cunnane 1/2 1/2 E Patten
Andy Buckley 0 1 P Noel
Andy Walker 1 0 M Fullerton

Alan was playing the white side of a Queen’s gambit accepted. It was even until the middle of the game; he later managed a winning king side attack with an exchange sacrifice.
Bill achieved a precarious advantage and managed to promote a centre pawn for a timely win. The drive home was difficult, said Bill.
Andy W says, “Many thanks gents – a convincing win in less than ideal conditions!”

A pair of drawers? On Thursday the C Team played away at Marple, and narrowly avoided being whitewashed by virtue of two draws achieved by Geoff and Andy W. But … “We’ll be back.” (Well , not literally – the return match will be at ours.) Thanks for a good match, Marple, enjoyed by all.
Those scores:
East Cheshire C (Away)…………….Marple B (Home)
Geoff Clarke ……………1/2…. 1/2 Jeff Barlow
Mike Cunnane …………0…….. 1 .. Trefor Thomas
Ian Vaughan …………. 0……… 1.. Roy Phillips
Andy Walker …………1/2….. 1/2 .Barrie Edwards
Roy Burrows …………. 0 ……..1 ..Neil Dainty
TOTAL………………….. 1 …….. 4