Mick Croft Cup Final

Bridge   3         Broadstairs   2

1 James Essinger  (155) 0-1           David Horton (164)
2 Patrick Burns (e136) 1-0           Bob Page (141)
3 Lee Butcher (e128) 1-0           Andy Flood (113)
4 Tim Spencer (e120) 1-0           Bob Cronin (101)
5 Ian Redmond (86) 0-1           Michael Doyle (80)

Bob Page writes:

Alas, it was a case of ‘so near yet so far’ in the Mick Croft Final. Having carefully selected a team with the maximum grade total of 625, we were dealt a double blow with the withdrawal of first John Couzens and then Alan Gosman. Not surprisingly, Bridge managed to find a team with an aggregate of 625 so our hastily rearranged team (599) was always going to find it a struggle. It was obvious from a glance at the two line-ups that it would be difficult for Andy and Bob on boards 3 and 4 so if we were to win the match, we would probably need to win on the other three boards.

Not for the first time this season, Michael pulled a rabbit out of the hat and was the first to finish on board 5. He admitted that his opening was dodgy at best but the ending was neat (see diagram). I was the next to finish but it was not the result I wanted.  Trying too hard to win, I overplayed my hand, left myself with a rook that went AWOL and a poor position: desperately disappointing. On board 4 Bob had a even game for a while but then lost a piece and the end came with a king and rook fork.  Andy fought gamely against Lee Butcher, who had a grade of 163 as recently as 2009, but eventually he was ground down and the match was lost.

Meanwhile on board 1 it would have been easy for David to take a draw at this stage.  He won a pawn against James Essinger early on but later sacrificed rook for knight and suddenly the game looked much more even. Both players fell short of time, James offered a draw but David played on, won a rook in time trouble but still James fought back, threatening to queen a passed pawn. However, David got his in first and won with less than two minutes left on his clock. What as shame it wasn’t the point we needed to win the match.

Many thanks to all those who played in the Mick Croft Cup this season – both matches!

White: Ian Redmond (86)                     Black: Michael Doyle (80)

Mick Croft Cup Final (2015)

Hargreaves Shield v Woodnesborough (a)

Broadstairs   4       Woodnesborough   0

 

1. Paul Carfrae (132) 1-0       Kit Blundell (e128)
2. John Couzens (131) 1-0       Mark Towlson (101)
3. Andy Flood (113) 1-0       Roy Dawson  (75)
4. Reg Pidduck (104) 1-0       Rens Bossers (e60)

Andy Flood writes:

The final game of the season saw the Hargreaves team travel to Woodnesborough knowing that a win would secure the runners up spot for Broadstairs.

Outgrading opponents on all boards, John Couzens was the first to secure a convincing win on board 2. Reg followed on board 4 with another win for black. I managed to secure maximum points with a win, which only left Paul playing on the top board.  As we weighed up the decision whether to stay or drive back to Broadstairs, the scales were tipping in favour of leaving Paul, a piece down in a lost position.

Paul offered a draw which was quickly declined and the game was concluded in seconds with little more than the blink of an eye. No, not a 3 – 1 win but a 4 – 0 win to Broadstairs as Paul (Houdini) Carfrae quickly exchanged rooks and mated a shocked opponent on the back rank with his other rook and a clever use of his advanced pawn. The shock of Paul’s opponent was only exceeded by Paul’s own amazement at securing a win from a lost position in such a short time.

Game of the Week 12

Broadstairs’ recent victory at Bridge resembled a lap of honour as the team secured the Walker Shield with a 100% record. It is fitting, therefore, that we should feature one of their wins as the latest Game of the Week. Michael Doyle’s typically swashbuckling performance was not without the odd alarm and readers playing through the game may wish to pause after 15. Bc6 to consider how Black could extricate himself from what looks like a perilous position.   While it is fair to say that White’s 17th and 18th moves were not his best options, it was nevertheless a fine win for Black.

White: Ray Rennells (82)        Black: Michael Doyle (80)

Walker Shield:  Bridge v Broadstairs 

Walker Shield v Bridge (a)

Broadstairs  3½       Bridge ½

1. Andy Flood   (113) 1-0      Stuart Honey (e110)
2. Reg Pidduck    (104) ½-½      Shahid Sahi (107)
3. Bob Cronin  (101) 1-0      Graeme Boxall (98)
4. Michael Doyle (80)  1-0      Ray Rennells (82)

 

Reg Pidduck writes:

This win gave us 6/6 in the Walker Shield and with the grades being very even we expected a close match.

BOARD 4. SUPER SUB STRIKES AGAIN. Michael Doyle has a secret weapon, the Birmingham Defence (so named by Tony Miles). It suits his attacking nature as he came out all guns blazing to claim an early finish against Ray Rennells: 1-0

BOARD 2. A PHONE INCIDENT. I played my favourite defence (the Dutch) against Shahid. We ended up with a blocked pawn position with same coloured bishops and I offered a draw but he wanted to play on to see what would transpire. A very quiet phone ring then went off and it wasn’t until Graeme and Shahid both looked at me that I realised it was Shahid’s . I did not claim the game and we agreed the draw: 1½-½

BOARD 3. BOB ON TOP. Bob Cronin’s good form continued against Graeme Boxall as each time I looked he was always comfortable. He ended up in the endgame three pawns to the good and Graeme resigned: 2½-½. (Bob was unbeaten in all his five games played in the Walker Shield this season.)

BOARD 1. SOLID ANDY. Slowly and surely Andy wears his opponents down. Always looking assured, he never looked in trouble and, like Bob, ended three pawns up so Stuart Honey resigned: 3½-½ (Andy was unbeaten in all six games this season.)

Final score 3½-½  and the Walker Shield returns to Broadstairs.

In the six matches there have been 24 games in which we have scored 18½  points and dropped only 5½.   Well done team! (Congratulations, Reg – Ed)

 

Blunder of the Week part 2

Following on from the earlier Blunder of the Week – see April 1st – it did not take long to find a worse calamity than the one that befell your correspondent.  Step forward Lithuanian WGM Deimante Daulyte. The following position is taken from her game with Polish WGM Monika Socko at the recent World Championships.  Commenting on the position, GM Michael Adams said that White could win in any number of ways, adding dryly that 1. b6 mate had much to recommend. However……..

White: Deimante Daulyte (2397)                     Black: Monika Socko (2463)

Women’s World Championship Sochi 2015

1. Qa5??          Qxa5

resigns