This was always going to be a tough match for the C Team, particularly without captain Alex Potts and Mike Botteley both with other commitments and – through illness on the day – Callum Shields. Without Callum we opted to default on board 2 rather than land anyone else with the consequences of Rule 8 of the Beds League rules which would have prevented them from playing for any other team in the League this season. That suited Ravi whose Thursday evenings often consist of dashing for the train from London, sprinting from the station to run the junior club, shooting home for something to eat and then back for his A Team duties. He got the evening off!
I was the first to succumb. James on board 3 effortlessly responded to my Modern Defence with the well known (??) Makagonov system (Ed – epic chess – g4 asap!) – charging his pawns at my King side and wrapping up a win with hardly 30 minutes on his clock. James moved so quickly that barely had I stood up to look at the other boards that I had to make another move, so I can’t say very much about them.
What I can say is that Lucian put up a good fight against Paul Habershon before dropping a piece and the game.
Young Jack Hale played, I believe, his first over the board competitive and recorded game ever, appeared to be holding his own against Nick Collacott for most of the evening before losing a piece. What a debut! (Ed – I agree, this looked a very assured performance from which he should take great heart)
That left the two Steves on board 1 and to me they looked to be heading for a draw with most of their pawns blocked and a queen and rooks each and no obvious break through for either. I was wrong – Steve Ledger did break through to clinch a clean sweep. (Ed – a London System in which I got a bit confused with my move order but, somewhat fortunately, worked out ok for me; my metal friend gave me the edge at move 27 but, as so often happens against Mr L, I made some poor choices in the end game transition)
So:-
1. Steve Ledger 1 – 0 Steve Pike
2. C team default 1- 0
3. James Gardner 1 – 0 Peter Gill
4. Paul Habershon 1 – 0 Lucian Cox
5. Nick Collacott 1 -0 Jack Hale
Peter Gill, 26th January 2024