A somewhat diminished C team trekked up to Luton on Tuesday, for a crack at the newly-christened “University of Bedfordshire”, formerly known as Luton C. Shorn of our regular board 1 – Callum “can’t do Tuesdays” – everyone else was playing one board higher than usual, including yours truly leading from the front. From chatting to my Lutonian opposite number, I gathered that he was taking the developmental approach to squad selection, so he was also fielding a rather green team and this represented a good opportunity on both sides.
Francesco was first to finish on board 5. I hear he quite easily overcame a very new, very young opponent – frankly, a beginner. Players at that age improve very fast, so rack up the wins while you can, Francesco! And no shame on his opponent, we all have to start somewhere and I hope he is not discouraged; it’s the defeats that help you improve. I wish young Tanav Namburi the very best on his chess journey.
Nigel had a close game on board 2 against Luton’s captain Tim Hayden. Tim seems to be a solid player with a sharp tactical eye, but Nigel matched him blow-for-blow for 90% of the match. Unfortunately, it’s that last 10% that always ends up mattering most. One mistake can ruin a whole game, and that’s the fate that befell Nigel. Still, a doughty effort for a player unaccustomed to the heady heights of board 2.
My own game on board 1 was next to wrap up. I’d never come across the name Tom MacDonald before, and I found out afterwards he’d very much been a last-minute call-up. He played a Caro-Kann defence which then morphed into something more French-looking, and found himself with good queenside pressure as I pushed on the kingside. But then he voluntarily released that pressure by initiating a series of trades, giving me a free hand. My attack duly won an exchange, and it got a bit sloppy after that but I eventually won as I picked off his queenside pawns. There was all sorts of off-the-board nonsense too, with Tom repeatedly forgetting to press his clock, and my cheap biros not working on Luton’s glossy scoresheets. Altogether a bit of a mess, but a win’s a win!
And then Cedric, in what I hear has become a bit of a grudge match against his arch-rival Desmond Welton, took us over the finish line on board 4. It seemed like a fairly even position when I glanced over about twenty moves in, but then when I finished my game and wandered back over Cedric had an extra knight. The game didn’t last much longer as Desmond resigned after Cedric trapped his undefended castled king between a strong queen on the h2 – a8 diagonal and a pawn storm on the a and b files.
All of which took the pressure off our debutant Shiva. Not that he needed it – he had a very comfortable game, where his advantage cascaded from one pawn, to two, to a full piece; apparently he just comprehensively outplayed his opponent Richard Lewis. Perhaps in hindsight he should have been the board 2? Shiva played a lot in his youth, he is unrated but not inexperienced – an exciting prospect for the club!
So that left the final match result at 4-1 to Bedford. All in all a very satisfying evening’s work, and a jubilant mood among the team that not even an annoying road closure on the way home could do much to dampen.
Alex Potts, 28th October 2025