| Board | Rating | Milton Keynes B | V | Bedford B | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2041 | Bowler, Andrew | 0 – 1 | Botteley, Michael T | 1994 |
| 2 | 1858 | Heath, Alan | ½ – ½ | Bodily, Richard T | 1968 |
| 3 | 1976 | Senturk, N Ozan NE | ½ – ½ | Hale, Jack | 1750 |
| 4 | 1829 | Ward, George | ½ – ½ | Habershon, Paul F | 1947 |
| 5 | 1475 | Bhalla, Sumit | ½ – ½ | Pike, Steve C | 1863 |
| Total | 9179 | 2 – 3 | 9522 |
Because Bedford A were to lose to Milton Keynes A on April 30th, the B Team on the same evening in retrospect needed at least a draw v Milton Keynes B to finish third in Division 1. This we achieved in unexpected fashion.
We outrated the opposition by some margin on Boards 2-5 but failed to win a single game there. All were drawn. Richard Bodily was only +0.2 in the middle game when peace was agreed. Jack Hale pressed hard in a K and P ending but his opponent had just enough to draw. I had gained no advantage against George Ward when it came down to a minor piece ending. Steve Pike castled Q side but the usual fireworks never got going.
Meanwhile our hero Mike Botteley on Board One played the in-form county champion Andrew Bowler and set up a veritable steamroller of central pawns for the crucial win. Here it is with Mike’s comments.
So third place confirmed, only three points behind Leighton Buzzard A. Many thanks to captain Rob Walker for organising despite sitting out most matches. With 2.5/4 he made a valuable contribution when he did play.
Paul Habershon, 4th May 2026