Broadstairs 3 Bridge 1
| 1. | Paul Carfrae (131) | ½-½ | Chris Stampe (139) |
| 2. | John Couzens (118) | 1-0 | Shahid Sahi (115) |
| 3. | Bob Cronin (112) | ½-½ | Ray Rennells (86) |
| 4. | Andy Flood (111) | 1-0 | Graeme Boxall (85) |
Andy Flood writes:
After last week’s great result at the unfamiliar Phoenix Club, Broadstairs were in the more familiar setting of their Hilderstone home and hoping to maintain their title challenge.
In what was a close match on all four boards, following last week’s quick win Paul was again the first to finish on Board 1 but this time to secure a draw and to share the points. Bob was an early pawn up in a match in which he had the edge from start until the drawn end, so with two games finished honours were even with the other two games also looking like draws. Thinking we needed a win from my Board 4 game, having got into a pickle from grabbing an early pawn, I managed to salvage a win from what should have been a draw, by aggressively attacking and advancing a pawn to queen.
Once again it was left for John ‘Gullbuster’ Couzens to be the last match to finish. It was apparent that I had misread his drawn game as he ‘busted’ through the centre with his pawns to promote to queen and attack his opponent’s very exposed king. In the end it was an inevitable resignation from the Bridge Board 2 player who resigned just one move away from mate.
So the Broadstairs team go into their final Hargreaves game in April knowing that a draw against Woodnesborough will secure them the Shield.