Broadstairs  6        Margate   1

David Faldon writes:

For once, a match went our way from the start. Michael won a piece right in the opening, Richard won some pawns and Paul got an early kingside attack despite playing with the black pieces. Yes, the other games were close, but for a change being team captain added no stress to my main job, winning my own game. That I failed to do, though, thanks to excellent play from my opponent. I messed up in the opening (as usual) but then steadily improved my position until I felt confident I had good chances to win. My opponent, Peter, defended splendidly, however, until I was forced to take the draw despite still being a pawn to the good. By then we were already 5-0 up from the other games. Michael, a late substitute on board 7, kept the pressure on after his early win of a piece and was first to finish. Richard on board 5 seemed in control throughout and was second to score. Paul on board 4 chalked up our third win after successfully countering some late tricks from his opponent. Our other two winners, Shany on board 2 and Chris on board 6, both won what looked to me to be smooth positional games with the black pieces. Just what a team captain wants: his player pushing to win all the way with almost zero chance of a loss. Nice. The last game to finish wasn’t quite so smooth, but Bob on board 3 eventually made a hard-fought draw after dropping a rook for a knight in a complicated middle-game. Overall a very good result for us: five wins and two draws. Many thanks to Margate for being such cheerful hosts and for providing all the tea and biscuits.

This magnificent trophy is one of five made by John Couzens as part of the celebrations for the 50th Thanet Chess Congress that takes place this summer from Friday August 16th to Sunday August 18th. One will be awarded to the winner of the each of the five sections and will be the winner’s to keep. For a golden anniversary it is fitting to have an (almost) gold trophy and this six-inch solid brass king is a unique prize that won’t be repeated for another fifty years. And for those pedants who say five trophies cannot be unique, it is nonetheless true because each one will be engraved with the name of the section so all five are different and, indeed, unique. To win one of these trophies all you have to do is go to the congress website www.thanetchesscongress.co.uk and enter online….oh, and then you have to turn up and play well.

We are hoping that some of those who played in the first congress in 1970 will return and a few have already announced that they will be playing which is excellent news. If anyone reading this knows someone who played in that inaugural Thanet Congress, please draw their attention to this and even if they are no longer playing, it would be wonderful for them to come and meet others who played to exchange stories and renew acquaintance.  We have all the results of the first congress together with a few photos and press cuttings and these will be on display for all to see.

Entry in 1970 was £1 for adults and 10s for U17s and the first prize in the Premier was £30 which was a tidy sum and while we can’t promise a first prize of thirty times the entry fee this year, £350 is still a worthy reward. The titles of SCCU Champion and Kent Open Champion are up for grabs for those who are qualified and there is also, of course, a unique gold(ish) trophy that even Magnus Carlsen could never win – unless he enters the congress, of course, and even then he has to come first. Entry is free for GMs and IMs so if Magnus wants to enter it won’t cost him a penny.

All the information can be found on the congress website and it is advisable to book early.

                                     Broadstairs   3½      Folkestone  ½                      

Andy Flood writes:

A very strong Broadstairs team retained the Hargreaves Shield in their final Hargreaves match of the season and in so doing maintained a 100% win record beating both Bridge and Folkestone home and away. In truth, Folkestone were always going to be up against it. Defaulting on board 4, they were 1 – 0 down from the beginning and outgraded substantially on all boards. They did, however, benefit from being white on two of the three boards and all those playing white (including Michael White) got off to a strong start, none more so than Chris Stampe who was dominant from move 1 chasing his opponent’s knight around the board, and posing numerous threats before his opponent resigned, thereby maintaining his personal 100% win record.  At 2 – 0 down, Folkestone still had an outside chance of getting a draw as they were on top on board 3 and had started well on board 1, gaining early material advantage. However, Richard won back a piece and with solid play recovered well from a less than ideal position to comfortably win and secure the points and a match win for Broadstairs. The final game to finish was on board 3 where from being two pawns down, Gary rallied in the endgame to win the pawns back before agreeing a draw with his opponent who had played a very good game throughout.

Editor’s note: The Hargreaves Shield is the third trophy won by Broadstairs this season. The team was a strong one as Andy said but matches still have to be won. Well done to everyone who has played for the team this season – the four in this match together with Andy Flood and Michael Doyle.

                                               Broadstairs  3         Bridge   1                                        

Richard Clement writes:

John Couzens was heard to exclaim “What have I missed?” as he accepted a bishop sacrifice and not long after his opponent resigned.  As John put it, “He came at me with all guns blazing and it just did not work”.  Gary won a knight early on but his opponent spotted some resources and turned the game around so at this stage the match was in the balance.  Chris won the exchange of a rook for a knight and his pair of rooks drove his opponent  to resignation.  Mine was the last game to finish.  I managed to tie my opponent up in knots but when it came to making progress in the position I played a few moves which lost all my advantage.  Luckily for me, his cramped kingside led him to lose most of his pawns and he resigned and the team won 3-1.  No sweat.