Match Reports

Albert’s Christmas Cracker………see news page

Success story set to continue

Chairman David Fone’s idea for an internal FIDE rated Swiss tournament always was an imaginative idea and it is proving even more succesful than Lichfield Chess Club officials dared hope.

First of all 30 of the club’s 53 members entered and after three months and three months only one person has dropped out and that was because of unavoidable work commitments.

Albert Chacko leads with a maximum three points after his shock win over tournament favourite Mircea Mesesan and there are four players on two and a half points, tournament organiser David Fone himself, Brian Homewood, John Fryer and Peter Rose.

Combined team beat bottom club

Derby League

Lichfield and Burton A team edged out bottom club Chesterfield A 2.5 – 1.5 thanks to a big inpout from the Lichfield contingent. Ben Nevett-Farman and Adam Routledge won on boards two and four to build on Mircea Mesesan’s draw on board one. David Pickering lost on board three.

The combined D team drew 2-2 with third placed Derby 2 and although the win only took the combined team to 3pts and one spot from the bottom they are only a further point from the league leaders. Albert Chacko on board one and Carlos Williams on bard foiur were the combined team’s point scorers.

Outstanding victory lifts Lichfield ‘B’ to top of table

Cannock League Division 2

Going into their match against Mercia, the Cannock 2B team expected to struggle due to limited availability of players, and this expectation was emphasised further when the team saw the strength of players on their opponents’ team sheet.

The first game to finish was David Hulme on the top board. It was an even game, and out-graded by 100pts, he didn’t think for too long when his opponent made a draw offer. John Fryer was next to finish on Board 4. His lower-rated opponent made several blunders and so John was able to calmly claim the victory.

With the team now on 1.5pts, captain Peter Rose was pretty happy. With both he (on Board 2), and Brian Homewood (on Board 3) being out-graded – including Peter himself by over 300 points – his realistic objective was to score at least half a point more to secure a match draw.

The end result far exceeded this ambition. Peter’s game was next to finish. He boldy sacrificed a pawn to gain initiative and build pressure against his opponent’s uncastled central King, eventually winning an exchange but at the cost of allowing his opponent to create a protected passed pawn. After some shuffling of pieces, Peter managed to stifle the counter play and activate his remaining Rook, causing his opponent to resign. This secured the win for the team, and was a great personal victory for Peter against a 1900 graded opponent.

To put the cherry on the cake, Brian Homewood then followed up with the final victory on Board 3. He picked off three of his opponent’s pawns, giving him three connected passed pawns on the Queenside. His opponent realised his counterplay wasn’t going to be sufficient, and so also resigned.

The result puts the B team top of the table going into Christmas, with a win against last year’s winners, Stafford, already under their belts. January will be a further test to see if they can maintain their lead, with matches against three tough opponents, including a visit to Stafford, and an away match against current 2nd place team, Rushall. (Match played: 16th December)

Newcomer heads Lichfield Club Championship challenge

Lichfield newcomer Dylan Wright leads the Liichfield Club Championship at the half-way stage with a maximum four points, level with Norton Cane’s Evan Millerchip.

Seven players head the chasing group on three points, Elliot Ward, James Hadley, Bill Kimberley, Stephen Smithson, Albert Chacko and another Lichfield newcomer Andrei Pinzaru.

First thing we have learned about Andrei is that he is a talented photographer and a selection of his photographs taken last night will appear on this page,

Time trouble win by Ben gives combined ‘A’ side vital victory

Derby League Division 1

For the second time this season the combined Burton and Lichfield ‘A’ side defeated Chesterfield ‘A’ by 2.5 – 1.5, lifting them to mid-table in the tough Derby and District League Division 1.

After an unexpected defeat in his last Derby League match, Adam Routledge returned to ‘business as usual’ in his outstanding season. Playing on Board 4, Adam played a new opening line vs. 1 e4, and the players castled to opposite sides, launching attacks against their opponent’s kings. Adam’s attack proved to be faster and stronger, leading to a convincing win.

David Pickering was a last-minute stand-in on Board 3, and was therefore already behind on the clock at the start of his game against a higher-rated opponent. His opponent exploited pawn weaknesses in the middlegame and endgame, eventually forcing the win of a pawn, then converted the winning endgame in impressive style, leaving David with few opportunities for counterplay.

For the second time this season, Mircea Mesesan drew with highly-rated Chesterfield stalwart Peter Ackley. Playing White on Board 1, Mircea had the better of the game, but Peter defended resolutely and Mircea was unable to break through. A draw was agreed.

With the match tied, the deciding game was Ben Nevett-Farman’s game on Board 2. The position emerging from the opening was fairly equal, but Ben’s opponent played an errant ‘en passant’ capture, and Ben seized the initiative. His opponent elected to sacrifice the exchange, giving Ben a winning advantage. However, Ben was also in time trouble, playing on the 10 second increment as he sought to convert for a win. His task was simplified by an exchange of Queens, and despite the time pressure, Ben converted calmly, his opponent resigning in a hopeless endgame position.

The match victory leaves Burton and Lichfield ‘A’ in mid-table. With predominantly home games to come in the New Year, hopes are high that the team can push further up the table when the season resumes in January. (Match played: 16th December)

Stunning mating tactic secures drawn match

Derby League Division 3

A wonderful mating tactic from Albert Chacko was the highlight of a keenly fought 2-2 drawn match between Burton and Lichfield ‘D’ and Derby ‘D’.

Terry Knight on Board 3 was not happy with his performance (“Don’t mention my game”) as he fell behind on material and lost convincingly against the experienced André Cockburn. Mark Grubb was also defeated on Board 2.

Carlos Williams’ game on Board 4 was a tense affair, with both players new to league chess this year. Carlos successfully complicated the position in the middlegame to transition into an endgame where both players had two rooks, but Carlos an extra pawn. At one point, his opponent then incorrectly thought he had mated him and stopped the clocks. The clocks were restarted, but his opponent then forgot to press his clock on the following move … eventually, after further moves, his opponent ran out of time to give Carlos the win.

The highlight of the match, however, was the brilliant mate in four tactic spotted by Albert Chacko on Board 1. In a complex position where both kings were vulnerable to attack, he noticed a clever mating pattern in advance, playing Rc1+. When his opponent quickly played the natural Kh2 (instead of the correct Re1 to block the check), the game arrived at the position below:

Can you spot the mating tactic? Black to play and mate in 4 – answer at the bottom of the page *

Proof from Albert that intensive tactics training pays off and a creditable team performance in the very competitive Derby League Division 3. (Match played: 15th December)

Time trouble tells as combined ‘A’ team lose to Rolls Royce

Derby League Division 1

The combined Burton and Lichfield ‘A’ team lost 2.5 – 1.5 in a tense, well-matched encounter with Rolls Royce ‘A’.

Ben Nevett-Farman’s Board 1 game and Ryan Smith’s Board 4 game both ended quietly in agreed draws. Ben’s opponent engineered piece exchanges from a slightly cramped position to leave neither side with any realistic chance of pushing for a win. Ryan Smith’s game also lacked in tactical fireworks; he described it as “pretty dead”, with a draw agreed shortly after queens were exchanged on move 25.

Richard Anderson, playing Black on Board 2, also drew, but it was a more interesting, imbalanced encounter. Faced with a weak ‘b’ pawn in the late opening, Richard chose to allow it to be captured, preserving instead the compensation of the two bishops. The decision proved to be a sensible one; following a rook invasion to c2, a pawn push, and a short calculated sequence, the exchange of a pair of rooks led to a still interesting, but essentially equal position. A draw was agreed.

The match result therefore depended on Vinod Fernando’s Board 3 game. Venturing a new opening choice for the first time with white, Vinod succeeded in sidelining one of his opponent’s knights on the a6 square. The game developed into a highly complex middlegame position with Vinod winning a pawn, and then building a significant advantage. He was, however, also under severe time pressure, falling ten minutes down on the clock, and playing on the 10 second increment in a very tricky position with all of the major pieces still on the board. He won another pawn, but then pushed his passed pawn prematurely, and allowing his opponent’s knight to invade to a key square. A pin of a rook to his king was the killing blow, and Vinod resigned. It was a fascinating, complex encounter that sadly ended the wrong way for Burton and Lichfield ‘A’. (Match played: 11th December).

Combined ‘B’ team defeat league leaders

Derby League Division 2

The combined Burton and Lichfield ‘B’ team secured an excellent 2.5 – 1.5 victory against league leaders Clay Cross to move within a point of them at the top of Division 2.

David Pickering, coming in as a last minute illness substitute as white on Board 3, agreed a draw once his early slight positional advantage ebbed away. At about the same time, John Hoddy wrapped up a convincing win against Derby League stalwart and new Clay Cross recruit Dean Hartley. John won a pawn in the opening and converted efficiently; a strong performance against a strong opponent.

It looked possible that Ryan Smith, playing on Board 1, could complete the match victory. His opponent sacced the exchange to leave himself with a very strong bishop on b7 eying light-squared weaknesses around Ryan’s king. It was a good practical choice, although not actually a sound sacrifice, but was rewarded when, at a key moment, Ryan missed an opportunity to close the diagonal with a pawn push. His opponent took advantage, finishing the game off with another neat sacrifice.

With the match tied up, the result now depended on Joe Parker’s match on Board 4. Joe, although a pawn up, was under some positional pressure, but his opponent slid into time trouble, eventually losing on time in a position that had already collapsed. A great win for Joe against a higher-rated opponent, and an important victory for Burton and Lichfield ‘B’. (Match played: 9th December)

Another Routledge win not enough to avoid match defeat

Wolverhampton Division 1

Adam Routledge’s superb season rolled on towards a likely 1900+ grading, but his win on Board 4 was not enough to prevent Lichfield ‘A’ from suffering a 2.5 – 1.5 defeat away to West Bromwich. Adam was always in control. winning a key central pawn in the early middlegame, then a bishop. His opponent resigned when faced with a crushing kingside attack.

On Board 1, Mircea Mesesan’s opponent played solidly with black to neutralise Mircea’s opening ideas. The game ended quietly with a draw agreed.

On Board 3, Richard Anderson held a positional advantage in the middlegame and won a pawn, but, under time pressure, mistakenly exchanged off a pair of bishops, leaving a key square vulnerable to an invading knight. He battled on, and an escape to a draw looked possible until he blundered in time trouble, sending his king the wrong way in the endgame, and into a mating net.

The last game to finish was Ben Nevett-Farman’s Board 2 match. Ben misplayed the opening, delaying castling by one fatal move. His opponent took the opportunity to open up the centre, and Ben assessed his position as already lost by move 12, but fought on into the ending. Looking for stalemate tricks, he was instead checkmated. (Match played: 9th December)

Honours even after premature resignation

Birminham League Division 5

David Fone, playing the crucial last match thought he had lost. He had a runaway pawn on the outside lane but it could be caught by the King. It was a classic King and pawn battle. His opponent had two isolated pawns near the centre of the board and it was impossible for David to stop both wasn’t it. The watchers appeared to think so and David resigned. But to his chagrin, David later discovered analysis which showed that the game and the match with Shirley ands Wythall could have been drawn. “It just shows you should play on” said David.

It was one of those nights for earlier Matty Blackwell on board one outplayed his opponenent in the opening and was pawn up when when he blundered a simple tactic and completely threw his game. Fortunately Peter Rose on board three con tinued his recent climb up the club ladder board with his seventh win and another team member having a good season, Stephen Shields , also won. The match was drawn 2-2 with Lichfield slipping to second place.

Combined team facing likely relegation from Division 2

Derby League Division 2

The Lichfield/Burton combined team had a disappointing loss to Rolls Royce D with the club’s star performer this season, Adam Routledge losing unexpetedly on board one despite a substantial rating advantage. A run of wins had taken Adam’s rating up to 1900. This defeat by 2.5 – 1.5puts the combineds team into relegation danger.

Worse was to follow. Skipper Brian Homewood moved a Knight and it cost him a Queen to a Bishop. Gary Monks was in a closely contested game and a draw was agreed .The only real bright spot came from Mike Hoare who benefitted from his opponent losing his Queen and yet had to repel a strong attack to win the game. (Match played 11th December)

B5s unbeaten record maintained

Birmingham League Division 5

It was a closely fought match but Lichfield’s B5 team came through the clash with Walsall Kipping it to stay top of the league with an unbeaten record

For most of their games David Fone and Bob Frost were very even against their opponents on boards two and three but they secured significant time advantages. Very slightly down David agreed a draw whilst Rob capitalised on a mistake to beat a very experienced opponent.

Stephen Smithson built a positional advantage and then his opponent fought back strongly until Stephen launched two rooks on open files, grabbed a Bishop on the 7th rank and forced mate in two. Albert Chacko’s recent run of losses continued on board one.

B3 team go five points clear on top

Birmingham League Division 3

Lichfield’s 3B team recovered from an early 2-0 deficit to gain an excellent 3.5 – 2.5 win at Redditch to increase their lead at the top of Division three to five points. David Fone and Albert Chacko got into slightly worse positions and lost, Albert’s losing run as amazing as his previous winning run. When will his fortunes change again?

But help was at hand. Yuriy Slobodyuk and John Staniforth battled hard to come out of tricky positions with wins and with the match tied at 2-2 Adam Routledge won in a time scramble when his opponent blundered a Rook. Tony Green then played a good solid game to draw and clinch victory. (Match played 3rd December).

Gary’s strong finish led 3B to draw with Rushall

Cannock League Division 3

When skipper John Fryer loked at board one it all seemed very level. Next time he looked Gary Monks was wrapping it up very efficiently. John Fryer himself followed with a second win on board two. His opponent provided him with space and a pawn but the position changed as quick play produced a dangerous Kingside attack that was tricky to defend.

Then one or two positional errors, possibly due to playing too quickly, provided John with a counterplay and then came a disastrous miscalculation. He could either block a check with his Queen, forcing an exchange or move his King out of check. He chose the swap off and quickly lost the end game.

Stephen Shields, on three looked to have a draw but ht his opponent knew he had to win to save the match. Throwing caution to the winds paid off with a pawn on the seventh rank. Conclusive. Connor Whetnall can play some strong chess but may need to slow down to achieve league success. He lost quickly on board four. (Match played 1st December).

Week to forget for combined teams

Derby Leagues

Lichfield and Burton combined teams played four matches in a week, lost heavily in three of them and managed a draw in the other match.

The first team lost to Belper A 3-1 with two of Lichfield’s leading players. Mircea Mesesan and Ben Nevett-Farman both losing. David Pickering also lost and Burton’s Vinod Fernando was the only winner.

The combined D team were wiped out 4-0 by Chesterfield B with Lichfield’s Phil Sykes amongst the losers while the E team lost 3.5 – 0.5 to Rolls Royce F. Graeme Drayton’s draw was the only point for the combined team.

Lichfield and Burton B provided the only bright spot of the week in drawing with Rolls Royce C. Matt Benfield won his game, Phil Sykes drew and John Hoddy and A Ramawickrama drew.

Belper are too strong for ‘A’ Team

Derby League Division 1

Belper ‘A’ are the strongest Derby League Division 1 side by grading, and their strength ultimately told as they beat the combined Burton and Lichfield ‘A’ Team 3 – 1 to join Derby ‘A’ at the top of the league table.

The standout Burton and Lichfield performance of the evening came on Board 3, where Vinod Fernando convincingly defeated the highly experienced Simon Gilmore, stranding his opponent’s King in the centre of the board, and then winning the queen as Simon struggled to free himself.

Sadly, however, the other three games all ended in defeat. On Board 1, Mircea Mesesan faced the formidable 2180-graded John Potter, who built a clear advantage in the opening, and didn’t let up in converting for a full point. The Queen’s Indian opening in the Board 2 encounter between Lichfield’s Ben Nevett-Farman and Jamie Tilston led to quick piece exchanges and a slight advantage in a Rook and Knight ending for Ben’s opponent. A draw looked possible, even likely, but Jamie kept up the pressure, and Ben slightly misplayed the ending, allowing his opponent to win a pawn and establish a won position. Jamie has been an excellent addition to the Belper side; since arriving with the club in January, he has not lost a single classical over-the-board game. His grade is climbing quickly towards 2100.

With Ben heading towards defeat, attention turned to David Pickering’s game on Board 4. Despite a grading disadvantage, David’s knowledge of key opening ideas lead to a middle-game advantage, with David the exchange up. Both players were under time pressure however, and it was David who faltered first in a complex, very open position in which both kings were in danger. David’s game was lost, and when Ben then resigned, a 3-1 win for Belper was confirmed. (Match played: 26th November)

Adam’s fine form continues

Birmingham League Division 3

It is a golden season for Adam Routledge. Twelve wins and only one loss in his last 17 games have swept him to the top of the club’s Ladder League and close to a 1900 rating. “I now believe I can go on to reach 2000, particularly if I try to get some coaching which I have never had” he said.

Adam’s latest win against Mike Biddle in Lichfield’s 3.5 – 2.5 win over Oscott came after Mike fell 40 minutes behind on the clock, and then blundered in the inevitable time trouble. Lichfield’s recruit from Rushall, John Staniforth continued his fine form, winning a hard fought game in which he captured a Bishop late on. It proved decisive.

“Not much happened” was Tony Green’s verdict on his draw on top board but it was certainly exciting for teammate Peter Rose who was making his B3 debut. Peter played well and took a pawn and the very next move surprised himself by checkmating his opponents in a rather comical and satisfying ending.

Yuriy Slobodyuk sacrificed a Bishop for three pawns and then found that a connected pawn rush was unstoppable,Mike Hoare got in positional trouble and couldn’t find a way out of a tricky mating position,

The win took Lichfield to the top of Division 3. (Match played 20th November)

C4 team edged out by Tamworth

Cannock League Division 4

Stephen’s Shield’s Kingside attack was blunted by his higher rated opponent who forced an exchange of Queens leaving the position strategically even and the only pieces left to each player were a Bishop and King. A draw was agreed.

Ben Adams has made an excellent start to league matches. He sacrificed a Rook and a Knight to open up an attack on the King and it was decisive. Meanwhile his son Isaac battled hard for a long time but eventually lost and Maurizio Baravalle never recovered from losing a piece, Result Lichfield 1.5 , Tamworth 2.5 (Match played 24th November)

Chacko draw not enough to avoid match defeat

Wolverhampton League Division 1

Lichfield suffered a narrow 2.5 – 1.5 defeat to early league leaders Halesowen in a keenly contested encounter.

On Board 4, Albert Chacko was making his Division 1 debut against a player graded 250 points higher. Playing actively in the opening with Black, Albert seemed to hold a small advantage until the position opened up with exchanges, leaving possible weaknesses for his opponent to exploit. Albert neutralised any possible advantage for his opponent, however, and a highly creditable draw was agreed.

On Board 3, Richard Anderson was under pressure in the middle-game against his higher graded opponent, but found a Knight manoeuvre that lead to equality, and with both players heading into time pressure, a draw was also agreed. Ben Nevett-Farman on Board 1 was a pawn down in the middle game, but found counterplay, and his game also ended with a handshake and agreed draw..

Three drawn games left the match result depending on Mircea Mesesan’s game on Board 2. Playing Black, Mircea looked to be in trouble early in the game, with his opponent having better development and more space. Mircea found a way to complicate the game and create possible threats against his opponent’s king, but his opponent found the correct path, and exploited a critical pin on a black rook to win the game. It was Mircea’s first defeat in his last 15 games following an outstanding start to the season. (Match played: 24th November).

Tie break drama sends Burton & Lichfield into semi-finals

Derby League Cup and Plate

After Rounds 1 and 2 of the Derby League Cup and Plate rapid-play competitions, all three combined Burton and Lichfield sides were in contention. The top four teams in each competition would qualify for the semi-finals in February, so there was everything to play for as the teams made the journey to Rolls Royce in Derby for Rounds 3 and 4.

In the Cup competition, largely made up of Division 1 sides, Burton and Lichfield ‘A’ were tied for second place on 4.5/8 after Rounds 1 and 2. In Round 3, they fell out of the top four places, scoring only 1.5/4, with Vinod Fernando securing a strong victory on Board 2, and Ryan Smith a draw on Board 3. A better performance in Round 4 boosted their score; Richard Anderson was victorious on Board 1, and Ryan Smith drew again, before Anuskha Ramawickrama converted a material advantage for a crucial victory on Board 4. This left the team on a very creditable 8.5/16 overall, and in a tie for third with both Chesterfield ‘A’ and Rolls Royce ‘A’. With only four teams qualifying, one team had to be eliminated through the tie-break rules, and it was Rolls Royce who lost out, sending Burton and Lichfield into the cup semi finals for the first time in many years.

In the Plate competition, Burton and Lichfield ‘C’ were unexpectedly leading after Rounds 1 and 2 on 5.5/8, but fell away in Rounds 3 and 4. The team of Piotrek Natoniewski, Mark Grubb, Terry Knight and Dmitrijs Aleksandrovs scored 1/4 in both rounds to finish tied for sixth, but still on a laudable 7.5/16.

The Burton and Lichfield ‘B’ team of Mike Hoare, Brian Homewood, Connor Whetnall and Jack Newton fared better in the Plate Rounds 3 and 4, scoring 1/4 in Round 3, and 3/4 in Round 4 to also leave them tied sixth on 7.5/16 overall. Connor and Jack are both new to over-the-board competitive league chess – Jack was making his debut – and both contributed points in strong performances for the team.

The evening was a very pleasant celebration of competitive chess; it’s always fantastic to feel the ‘buzz’ of a large room full of local players giving it their all to secure victory for their teams. (Event played: 20th November)

Missed fork cost game and match

John Fryer’s opponent went a pawn up with a superior position by mid game. Then a series of quite reasonable moves suddenly gave John an opportunity and a missed fork was conclusive.

That point enabled Lichfield’s 2B team to win the match against Tamworth 3-1. Another vital point was earned by Adam who is on a three match winning streak which has enabled him to draw level with Albert Chacko on the Ladder Board . His match went the full distance but Adam had a strong positional advantage when his opponent’s flag dropped.

The third winner was skipper Peter Rose who romped home win in 23 moves with a strong Kingside attack. The only match lost was on board one where David Hulme had a cramped position from the opening moves. (Match played 13th November)

This was a chess player’s dream

Lichfield’s Matt Blackwell, playing against a player rated 100 points higher,not only had the satisfaction of winning his match against tough opponents Redditch A in a handful of moves but also captured his opponent’s Queen in the process. Stephen Shields also won his match against a higher rated opponent as the match was drawn 2-2.

Phil Sykes was involved in a very even game until losing a Rook for a Bishop, while Rob Frost lost in which the pawns were decisive. pawn. (Match played 11th November)

Tough match for newcomer Dylan

Cannock League Division 4

A recent newcomer to Lichfield Chess Club, Dylan Wright is highly regarded by opponents he has met in friendly games.He lost his debut match and then found himself on board one against a very experienced Norton Canes player, Joe Parker , who has a genuine 1423 grading. It was a close match which Dylan eventually lost. He will be disappointed but is going to become a strong club player

Similarly there are high hopes of 14 years old Emilie Nastase who won her second league game comfortably on board three. Ian Boddington and Marc Carter also won to make it a 3-0 win for Lichfield. (Match played 13th November)

Setbacks for combined Lichfield and Burton teams

Derby League

It was an illusion, After what seemed a promising start to the season combined Lichfield and Burton teams are dropping down the league tables.

Burton ad Lichfield C team crashed 4-0 to Clay Cross A and Burton and Lichfield a team went down 2.5 – 1.5 against Rolls Royce C. Mircea Mesesan was the only winner in the Rolls Royce match. Ryan Smith drew and John Hoddy and David Pickering lost.

In the C team match Yuriy Slobdyuk, Kevin Gallagher, Mike Hoare and Matthew Benson were the victims,

Outgraded Lichfield pull off fine win

Birmingham League Division 1

Below strength and outgraded on every board, Lichfield’s first team pulled off an excellent 4-2 win at Redditch to move into sixth place in the Birmingham League’s Division 1. Encouragingly, Lichfield have already played three of the top five teams and while all the seven teams below Lichfield have one or two matches in hand David Hulme and his team have every reason to beliieve they can avoid the dreaded drop with a bit to spare this season.

It was David who set the tone, preventing his opponent castling and then succeeding in opening winning lines to his opponent’s King.

Maurice Staples was the exchange up but could not force the win and there was another steady draw from John Keaveney. Adam Routledge, back in the first team for the first time this season, won a piece and simplified into a winning endgame.

The pressure was on Ben Nevett-Farman who was running short of time but had the compensation of a strong attack on his oppondent’s King and to avoid mate that meant sacrificing a piece. Ben then comfortably conrolled the situation and poduced Lichfield’s third winning point.

The only loss was by Albert Chacko, drafted in for his first first team game. It went to a Bishops and Knights endgame before he lost.(Match played 13th november)

League leaders Ossett edge close match with Lichfield

Wolverhampton League Division 2

Title challengers Oscott defeated a strong Lichfield team 2.5 – 1.5 to head the Division 2 table, leaving Lichfield in third place. There was not much to choose between the ratings.

Adam Routledge was Lichfield’s only winner on board three- the first of two victories in three days. Tony Green drew on the top board while there were defeats for the two Davids, Hulme and Fone. (Match played 10th november).

Lichfield well beaten in top of the table battle

Cannock League Division 3

Lichfield’s 3A team were well beaten by a strong Tamworth team who take a two point lead at the top of the third division. The deficit was 3.5 – 0.5 with Lichfield’s only point earner coming from young Isaac Adams who played well to earn his second draw in the two league matches he has played.

Dylan Wright has impressed in club games earning a few notable scalps in friendly games and is thought to have an unofficial rating of around 1500. His opponent on his league debut was ranked over 1500 so he need not be depressed by his board three defeat.

Results are suddenly going the wrong way for current Ladder Board leader Albert Chacko who lost on board one while Maurizio Barravalle also lost on board three.(Match played 10th November)

Debutante Emilie would have liked a stronger opponent

Cannock League Division 3

Fourteen years old Emilie Nastase joined Lichfield at virtually the same time as Turan Asgarova and she would love to emulate her achievements. Turan returned to chess after a long absence in her mid teens whilst Emilie started to play only this year. A few days ago Emilie took the first step, spending just 15 minutes of her time in demolishing the Wolverhampton board four. Afterwards she told her very supportive parents that she wished she had been able to play a stronger opponent.

Emilie and her opponent were nominally rated 1200 but club ‘victims’ of her skills and compuer ratings place her around the 1500 mark. She has great enthusiam for the game as well as ability. Hopefully club captains will help to speed her progress.

The match produced one surprise, Albert Chacko lost his second game in succession after a string of early season successes. He made a solid opening but played nine Queen moves in the first 19. Under great pressure the Queen was lost.

Wolverhampton had to concede two boards and make early departures because shampoo in one eye was causing a young player too much stress. Lichfield won the match 3-1 as a result. (Match played 6th November)

Knight ‘trick’ clinches surprise victory

Derby League Division 1

The combined Burton and Lichfield ‘A’ side scored a surprise 2.5 – 1.5 victory over a strong Chesterfield side in a tense encounter hosted on neutral territory at Spondon Chess Club in Derby.

Mircea Mesesan, playing on Board 1, continued his excellent recent form with a solid draw with Black against 2090-rated Chesterfield stalwart Peter Ackley. The Queens were exchanged early in the game, and neither side ever held a significant advantage.

On Board 4, John Hoddy offered a draw which his opponent rejected. His opponent continued to push, but in doing so left weaknesses around his king. John exploited these, forcing the loss of an exchange to avoid a mating attack. He neatly converted his advantage to win the game.

Adam Routledge, playing Black on Board 3, looked to be in trouble after his opponent blockaded a key central pawn with a rook. Adam fought for piece activity, giving up two pawns to free his position and transition into a rook and pawn ending. Black’s rooks found strong squares within White’s position, and his opponent struggled to make any progress despite his material advantage. A draw was agreed; a resilient performance from Adam that kept Burton and Lichfield ahead in the match.

Attention now turned to Board 2, where Richard Anderson, playing White, had held a space advantage in the middlegame, but used up too much time when trying to increase his advantage. He over-pressed, weakening a key pawn as the game transitioned into a knight and pawn endgame with Black a pawn up. The endgame was clearly lost with best play, but with Richard playing only on his 10 second time increment, and his opponent also looking to play quickly to force a blunder, it was instead Black that went wrong, allowing white to develop and push a passed pawn. Richard found a simple trick in which his pawn promoted to a knight to force a quick draw, and to confirm an unexpected, but very welcome match victory. The match scorecard is here. (Match played: 4th November).

Strong Stafford team prove too much for Lichfield

Wolverhampton League Division Two

All four Stafford players were rated above 1800 and they had a comfortable 3-1 win over Lichfield. Tony Green handled a lot of the pressure on top board but when he knew he needed a win to prevent the team’s defeat he over pressed and his position unravelled.

David Hulme and Bowie Carter had steady draws on boards two and three while Albert Chacko faced a big rating deficit on board four and was beaten. (Match played 28th October)

Father and son lead Lichfield to win over Stafford

Cannock League Division Four

Ben Adams toppled an opponent rated more than 300 points higher and his son Isaac, playing his fiirst league game chipped in with a draw as Lichfield won at Stafford by 2.5 – 1.5 and are now second in the table.

John Fryer was a winner on board one, his opponent helping him on his way by playing too passively.John launched a strong Kingside attack but couldn’t quite land the final blow. He met a determined defence while losing time and time eventually ran out.as a 6th rank pawn threatened to Queen.

Stuart Andrews faced most players nightmare, the ultra keen youngster who knows all the openings and moves very quickly. It proved too much. (Match played 31st October)

Greek gifts and tragedies as Division 1 side beat under-strength Shirley & Wythall

Birmingham League Division 1

After three league defeats, Lichfield earned a much needed 4-2 win over a Shirley & Wythall side who arrived at The Guild Hall with a weaker lineup than expected.

The match win was built on victories on three of the lower boards, with David Hulme, John Keaveney and Richard Anderson all beating lower-rated opponents.

John, playing on Board 3, grabbed a ‘hot’ pawn, then spotted a key defensive idea in the followup and converted his advantage to win. David, playing Black on Board 6, built pressure and won a pawn in a Sicilian, but his opponent generated counterplay by embedding a knight on d6. Both sides threatened their opposing kings, and potential perpetual checks needed to be carefully considered. Eventually, however, David’s opponent succumbed to the pressure, blundered and lost.

Richard Anderson’s opponent on Board 5 castled into a classic Bxh7+ ‘Greek gift’ sacrifice on move 8, and the Black king was forced into the open on g6. Richard couldn’t correctly calculate the checkmating line – the engine later revealed there was a forced mate in 10 – but went for the next best thing, winning back the sacrificed minor piece and an extra exchange. He prised open some files for his rooks, and his opponent resigned when faced with a mate in two.

The only Lichfield player to lose on the night was Ben Nevett-Farman as Black on Board 2, who described his defeat as a “tragedy”. His opponent opted for an unsound piece sacrifice in the middlegame, and Ben seized control of the game to build a winning advantage. Ben believed he had spotted a forcing line to win his opponent’s Queen with a Rxg3+ tactic, but missed that when the Rook was recaptured by the f pawn it opened a defence of the threatened White Queen. He was left an exchange down and in a lost position.

Both Maurice Staples, playing on Board 4, and Turan Asgarova, on Board 1, drew. Turan, just 10 days before the due date for the birth of her first child, was last to finish, doggedly exerting pressure on her opponent’s weakened king position in a time scramble. Her opponent defended resiliently, repeatedly finding the best defence, and a threefold repetition brought the game to a close. (Match played: 30th October).

Phil’s late show clinches Division 5 win

Birmingham League Division 5

Phil Sykes built up a threatening attack but accurate defence pushed Phil into using increment time. Only seconds were left when he finally forced his opponent to resign. That was his third win in succession within a matter of days and it helped Lichfield to a 2.5 – 1.5 win over league leaders Solihull A. Lichfield are in second place and have two matches in hand over Solihull.

Albrt Chacko walked away from the board with a grin when his opponent settled for a draw in a completely winning position. Albert had defended for most of the game, finally risking a daring exchange which left his King exposed. Matt Blackwell meanwhile had a comfortable game and put pressure on a backward pawn. Errors crept in leaving Matt the winner.

On board four Rob Frost found himself in a positional bind for most of the game which was dominated by two Bishops. Eventually Rob was unable to stop an advancing pawn and lost. (Match played 29th October)

Burton & Lichfield ‘C’ off the mark with Division 2 draw

Derby League Division 2

After two league defeats, the combined Burton & Lichfield ‘C’ team got off the mark in Division 2 with a 2-2 draw against Derby ‘C’.

On Board 1, Yuriy Slobodyuk played out a very solid draw with his higher-rated opponent. Neither player ever held a significant advantage. Kevin Gallagher’s game on Board 3 was also evenly balanced throughout, and petered out into a drawn knight ending.

On Board 2, David Pickering’s opponent played the dubious 1 e4 e5 2 c3?!, and David quickly seized the advantage, exerting great pressure on his opponent’s position, then winning a piece and the game soon after. Unfortunately, Mike Hoare on Board 4 missed the best continuation in an already difficult position and lost the exchange. He ran out of time on his clock in a losing position.

One fun detail from the match was that Derby Chess Club have recently purchased a set of DGT digital boards and clocks, and could therefore livestream the match onto Lichess. Website visitors can therefore review all four games on Lichess here. The match scorecard is here. (Match played: 28th October).

‘Played like wolves in sheep’s clothing’ claim

Cannock League Division 3

Lichfield’s 3B team found it so tough against Wolverhampton that skipper John Fryer said two of their opponents played like wolves in sheep’s clothing with performances which belied their ratings. Perhaps one might expect that bearing in mind the town they represented.

Lichfield lost the match 2.5 – 1.5 with Gary Monks the only Lichfield winner turning a difficult position into victory. John faced his most difficult opponent this season who played well throughout and then added a perfect end game.

Stuart Andrews will be kicking himself. He had an overwhelming position and a possible mate in two which he missed. His opponent then forced a draw by repetition. Peter Rose faced a difficult opponent on board two and was beaten. (Match played 27th October)

Burton & Lichfield sides in running for semi-final Cup and Plate places

Derby League Cup and Plate

After Rounds 1 and 2 of the Derby League Cup and Plate competitions, both played at Rolls Royce Chess Club on 23rd October, all three combined Burton and Lichfield sides are in contention to qualify for the semi-finals. In each round, every player in a team of four is paired against their equivalent from a different competing side for a 30+0 rapidplay game.

In the Cup competition, largely consisting of Division 1 sides, Burton and Lichfield ‘A’ finished the evening tied for second place with three other sides on 4.5/8, with Richard Anderson scoring 2/2, Vinod Fernando 1.5/2, and Anushka Ramawickrama 1/2. Ryan Smith on Board 3 was unfortunate not to add to this tally after a wild time scramble in his second game, but the Burton and Lichfield score was also boosted by a fortuitous victory for Richard in Round 1, when Breadsall Board 1 Paul Madden played an illegal move in a time scramble to forfeit the game.

In the Plate competition for sides from Division 2 and below, the Burton and Lichfield ‘B’ side of Kevin Gallagher, Dragos Munteanu, Peter Rose and Brian Homewood all contributed points as the team finished the evening on 3.5/8, leaving them in 7th place overall, but still in contention.

The real stars of the evening though were Burton and Lichfield ‘C’. The team scored a brilliant 5.5/8 to lead the Plate, with Terry Knight and Mark Grubb scoring 1/2, Graeme Drayton an excellent 1.5/2, and Dmitrijs Aleksandrovs a brilliant 2/2.

Round 3 and 4 of both competitions will take place on Thursday 20th November, after which the top four sides in each competition will move forward into the semi-finals to be played next year.

Albert wins in just seven moves

Cannock League Division 3

With a looming checkmate threat and facing inevitable material loss Albert Chacko’s opponent resigned in just seven moves in 3A’s match with Bushbury. It was the spark which led to a 4-0 win. Steady pressure from Phil Sykes in the middle game was followed by his opponent blundering a Rook, prompting swift resignation.

On board three there were comeback heroics from Maurizio Baravalle who lost a piece but then marched a passed pawn down the board enabling the resulting Queen to turn the tide. On bottom board Stephen Smithson absorbed a lot of pressure and in the endgame exchanged Rooks and emerged two pawns up to round off the team’s perfect night.(Match played 22nd October).

Lichfield sweep Shirley away

Birmingham League Division 3Lichfield sweep Shirley and Wythall away

Wins from Bowie Carter, Adam Routledge and Phil Sykes spearheaded a Lichfield 4.5 – 1.5 victory at Shirley and Wythall and they are now top of the league.

Tony Green, John Staniforth and Mike Hoare added draws. (Match played 23rd October)

Fast starting Stephen launches big win

Birmingham Division 5

With Queens exchanged on move three Stephen Shields quickly marshalled a strong attack from both Bishops and a Knight and found a forced checkmate on move 20. Lichfield built on that to win 3-1 against Solihull B.

Mathew Blackwell drew on board two, Ian Boddington chipped in with a win on board four and John Fryer clinched the match result with a nervy draw. John established a clear positional advantage but didn’t spot the beginnings of an attack that could have finished him. Despite a pwan advantage his opponent Penny Wood offered a draw which was accepted. (Match played 23rd October)

Wolverhampton Division 1 team off to a strong start

Wolverhampton League Divison 1

Lichfield got their Division 1 season off to a 3-1 winning start against a Kidderminster ‘A’ side who were weaker than anticipated. The home victory was achieved through wins for Maurice Staples and John Keaveney on Boards 3 and 4. Ben Nevett-Farman on Board 2 misplayed his dangerous queenside attack in a time scramble, but recovered to draw. On Board 1, Turan Asgarova had the better of the game, but was unable to break through in a locked position. (Match played: 23rd October).

10 year old makes promising start

Cannock League Division 4

Ten year old Wilf Hopper made a promising start to his league career with a draw against a substantially higher listed Rushall player as Lichfield won 3.5 – 1.5.

Rob Frost, Elliot Ward and Marc Carterwere the three Lichfield winners, (Match played 16th October)

Cunning variation didn’t quite work

Cannock League Division 1

Ben Nevett- Farman had to face the rare and cunning Hartlaub-Charlick variation of the Englund Gambit and it took him a long time to achieve a position in which deft play secured victory when nearly out of time. Meanwhile his teammates were also gaining the upper hand and it all resulted in a 4-0 victory for Lichfield against Wolverhampton.

Mircea Mesesan play an incredibly accurate opening and middle game and never let up the pressure. His opponent resigned when it was clear that he would Queen a pawn, Adam Routledge perhaps had the easiest game and gained an early pawn. He denied his opponent any counter play in completing victory.

Albert Chako played a young opponent he had beaten previously at a tournament. The opening played out much the same way until Albert found a tactic in a hectic middle game to win a piece and he went on win on time. (Match played 20t October)

Night to remember for John Keaveney

Lichfield’s first team suffered a seond narrow defeat, losing 3.5 – 2.5 to Solihull B. Turan Asgarova won her fifth game in six top board outings. She and her opponent had only a handful of seconds left on their clocks, Turan finally winning when her opponent lost a piece,

John Keaveney, Richard Anderson and David Hulme all drew in games in which they possibly held a small advantage and it was a memorable night for John Keaveney who completed 50 years of league chess with Lichfield. Ben Nevett-Farman lost a tight endgame. (Match played 15th October)

Combined team whitewash Derby B

Derby League Division 1

Following a defeat in their first match of the season, the newly-promoted Burton and Lichfield ‘A’ side kickstarted their campaign in Derby League Division 1 with a 4-0 whitewash of Derby ‘B’.

Playing Black on Board 4, Vinod Fernando was a bishop up within six moves following a simple blunder from his opponent. He neatly converted his advantage by engineering exchanges into a won ending.

Turan Asgarova, making her Derby and District League debut as White on Board 1, outmanoeuvred her opponent in the Alapin Sicilian, winning a pawn and stranding Black’s king in the centre of the board. In trying to untangle his pieces, Black lost the exchange, and Turan converted her advantage efficiently to win.

Mircea Mesesan on Board 2, emerged from the opening with a slight disadvantage with Black. He calmly improved the position of his pieces to equalise, and then caught his opponent in a tricky trap in which White was misled into thinking he could attack and win a key pawn. Mircea had calculated further, and his opponent’s position collapsed.

The final game to finish was on Board 3. Following a tense middlegame, Richard Anderson, playing White, had a structural advantage of doubled isolated pawns in his opponent’s position, but with lots of pieces and possible tactical ideas still in the air for both sides. His opponent missed a tactic that led to the Queens coming off, and a position in which Black was forced to give up the exchange to avoid the loss of a knight. Richard converted his advantage to win.

The combined Burton and Lichfield ‘A’ side seem to enjoy playing Derby ‘B’. Since the start of the last season, they have played three times, twice in Division 2, and now in Division 1. The combined score from those matches is 11.5 – 0.5. (Match played 14th October)

Crushing win over Central Birmingham

Birmingham League Division 3

Lichfield thrashed Central Birmingham 5.5 – 0.5, the last game lasting beyond 10pm and being won by Phil Sykes. Tony Green set the stage on top board, marching his pawns up the board with his Rooks controlling the game. John Staniforth exchanged pieces in a tight game to secure a draw and Adam Routledge found that winning a knight for two pawns was enough to win the end game.

Yuriy Slobodyuk found himself under pressure before finding some attractive agressive moves which won material and the game while Mike Hoare showed great control of the position before getting his young female opponent into a mating net. (Match played 16th October)

Abrupt ending to Albert’s winning sequence

Cannock League Division 3

Albert Chacko’s run of winning performances has come to an end with what he describes as a horrible performance. After playing for Lichfield 3A against Rugeley’s Catherine Hiley he berated himself by saying he just beat himself. Catherine is not an easy player to beat. While Albert lost on board one his team mates did well.

Rob Frost raced to an eight move win over the very experienced Tony Meakin and deubutant Ben Adams won on board four. Ben’s son Isaac regarded as being a better player but yet to make his debut was no doubt encouraged. Another newcomer to the team, Andrew Thornett lost on board three and the match was drawn 2-2.

Rob won his game in fewer than 10 moves, playing the Scotch gambit he established a strong position with Queen and Bishop pointed at f6 and none of his opponent’s pieces developed. He then played a risky f4 threatening to take on e5 and add a Rook to the attack but leaving his King exposed. He then blundred a mate in two but Tony failed to find the only winning move and resigned a losing position. (Match played 13th October)

Two draws for Combined Teams

Derby League Division 2

Last week’s matches produced draws for both Lichfield and Burton teams in division 2. Phil Sykes won on top board as B and L drew 2-2 with Belper D. Graham Drayton got the team’s other point.

Ryan Smith also won on top board as B and L ‘B’ drew with Rolls Royce ‘D’. John Hoddy and David Pickering drew on boards 2 and 4 respectively.

A and B teams incredibly well matched

Cannock League Division 2

As it was last season Lichfield’s Division 2 Cannock League teams are incredibly well matched on every board and a total difference of only 45 rating points. Inevitably it was another tight match with the early season honours going to the 2B team which emerged with a 2.5- 1.5 victory.

On top board two in form players, Bowie Carter and Adam Routledge fought it out with Adam emerging as the winner for the B squad. Mike Hoare followed up with another B team win against Gary Monks, the A team got their win through Albert Chacko – who took his league wins for the season to eight -,against Brian Homewood on board three, and Phil Sykes drew on board four against Peter Rose.

Squashed- yet not a player let us down

Birmingham League Division 1

Lichfield’s first team were beaten 6-0 by a Solihull A team which had a ratings advantage of at least two points on the top four matches and in the case of Turan Asgarova on board one the margin was 389 points.

After a couple of hours play Turan had Queen for Rook and Knight but she had Rook and Knight stuck on the back rank against five active pieces. The end was inevitable. The rest of Lichfield’s team battled hard without reward.

Brilliant bluff turns the tables

Cannock League Division 3

It was a topsy turvy game for Albert Chacko in a Division 3A game against Rushall. He gained an early advantage and then slipped into a losing position. He sacrificed a Rook-seemingly a blunder-but actually a brilliant bluff that turned the tables and led to a stylish win.

Unortunately it was not enough to beat Rushall, winners by 2-5 points to 1.5. Bill Kimberley’s game became a closed position with opposite coloured Bishops which led to a draw; Stephen Smithson’s opponent sacrificed a rook to creat three unstoppable connected pawns and Maurizio Baravalle’s position turned sour after a greedy attempt to win a pawn.

It was a better result for 3A in their latest game at Stafford which they they drew 2-2. Albert Chacko improved his stunning early season to further stretch his Ladder Board lead and this time he was supported by Phil Sykes who also won, on board two.

Against the rarely used Alekhine’s Defence,Albert burned time in the opening phase. Castling kingside early his opponent struggled to co-ordinate the rest of his pieces leaving structural weaknesses as Albert castled Queenside and launched a pawn storm under which his opponent cracked, blundering a Bishop. There was no way back. In his game Phil won a piece and a Knight fork trapped both Rooks and completed a mate.

Bill Kimberley and Maurizio Baravalle lost on the bottom two boards. Maurizio had no chance to recover after being foreced to surrender a Rook-a tough loss in a game that demanded precision throughout (Matches played 25th Sept and 3rd October).

Combined team held to a draw at Rolls

Derby League Division 2

Rolls Royce demonstrated their strength in depth once again as the Lichfield and Burton combined B team were held to a 2-2 draw against Rolls Royce at Burton.

Ryan Smith, an 1800 player, drew on Board 1 against a similarly rated opponent and the other points for the home team were draws from John Hoddy and David Pickering.

Newcomer starts with a win

Birmingham League Division 5

Matthew Blackwell, one of two players who have joined Lichfield from Rushall started on board 2 with a victory which helped his new club to a 2.5 – 1.5 win over Redditch.

Albert Chacko rattled off another win on board one to push his grading close on 1600 and took him to top of the Ladder Board while John Fryer gained a two pawn advantage but suffering from tiredness and in a complicated position with two Rooks on the 7th rank against two connected Knights he offered a draw which clinched the match for Lichfield. Peter Rose lost on board three.

Combined team lose at Rolls

Derby League Division 2

The Lichfield and Burton combined team went down to a 2.5 – 1.5 defeat against Rolls Royce C despite a top board win by David Pickering. Mathew Benfield got a draw on board 3 but there were defeats on the other boards byMike Hoare and Brian Homewood.

Peter’s triumph against the odds was in vain

Cannock League Division 3

Peter Rose was conceding a couple of hundred rating points in his board one game against Tamworth and his outstanding winning performance was not quite enough to prevent Tamworth securing a 2.5 – 1.5 victory against Lichfield’s 3B side,

Peter’s opponent made a rare and unsound opening, failed to reverse a Bishop move and left himself with obvious weaknesses to target.Finally connecting his Rooks threatened some counterplay but Peter’s advanced pieces surrounding the King proved too much.

John Fryer had to contend with a Larsen opening which he had not encountered before. His best defence was countered and the game was already lost when he made a mistake which clinched matters. Ellliott Ward earned a fine draw against a much stronger opponent and for the first time an Elliott’s drawn game lasted longer than 20 minutes. Father Simon was delighted as Elliott’s normally plays blitz chess almost entirely. Connor Whetnall, playing his first league game for years, showed in defeat that he has a lot of potential. (Match played 2nd October)

Tony sets tone for big win

Wolverhampton League Division 2

Tony Green got Lichfield off to a great start with an early win and David Hulme gained a draw on board two.Bowie Carter went into an end game with a Roook and three pawns- a two pawn advantage over his opponent and with acurate play won easily,

Adam Routledge’s opponent avoided an early checkmate by swapping off. Adam pomptly set up another mating threat with Rook and Bishop, only to miss a mate in one. Luckily he still had a whole Rook advantage against his opponent’s three connected pass pawns. It was just not enough as Adam sacrificed his Bishop and mopped up the pawns, (Match played 2nd October)

Combined Division 1 team defeated in season opener

Derby League Division 1

Both teams were missing players from their strongest line-ups as the combined Burton and Lichfield ‘A’ team took on Breadsall ‘A’ in their first match of the season since securing promotion back to Derby League Division 1. Ultimately, the strength in depth of the Breadsall team proved to be decisive, as their squad of a 2100 ECF player and three 1900+ players defeated Burton and Lichfield 3 – 1.

The games on the top two boards were both drawn. On Board 1, Mircea Mesesan played very solidly with White in securing a quick draw against 2100-graded Paul Madden’s French Defence. On Board 2, Richard Anderson’s opponent played unambitiously with White in a Slav. The game was even throughout, with neither player making significant errors or missing clear opportunities to improve.

On Board 4, David Pickering missed a tactical idea on the Black side of an Evan’s Gambit, and his opponent took full advantage, finding a series of neat tactics to blow open the Black king position, and then win David’s Queen. Although David had three minor pieces in exchange, his king was still very exposed, and his rooks completely undeveloped. One final tactic was the killing blow.

The final game to finish was on Board 3. Ryan Smith lost a pawn in the early middlegame, and his opponent was always in control from that point on, eventually exchanging into a straightforward won ending, and prompting resignation. (Match played: 29th September)

Honours even with Stafford in Cannock Division 1

Cannock League Division 1

Lichfield’s new top-rated player Turan Asgarova continued her perfect start to the season, as the games in the Division 1 match with Stafford all proceeded as ECF grades predicted, resulting in a 2-2 draw. Turan won a pawn on Board 1, efficiently converting her advantage to win in the endgame. On Board 2, Ben Nevett-Farman always held an edge, and applied pressure until his opponent finally cracked. On Board 3, Kev Gallagher fought hard against a higher-rated opponent but was defeated. On Board 4, Peter Rose, out-graded by almost 300 points, had possible opportunities to draw or even win, but ultimately, his opponent’s experience told, resulting in a defeat for him, and a drawn match. (Match played: 25th September).

Lichfield lead the way in Birmingham Division 3

Birmingham League Division 3

Lichfield are the early pace setters in Birmingham Division 3 following a 4-2 victory over South Birmingham. Tony Green, Bowie Carter and John Staniforth all delivered victories by winning material in their games. Yuriy Slobodyuk and Mike Hoare battled to draw their games to ensure the match victory, with only Adam Routledge losing, following an uncharacteristic blunder. (Match played: 25th September).

Cannock Division 4 team whitewash Stafford

Cannock League Division 4

Despite being out-graded in aggregate compared to their opponents, the Lichfield team of Rob Frost, Elliot Ward, Stuart Andrews and Marc Carter beat their Stafford opponents 4-0 at our new King’s Head Monday night venue. A great result. (Match played: 22nd September).

A and B teams in tight battle

Cannock League Division 2

The season is only a few weeks old but the leading Ladder Board protagonists of last season, Albert Chacko and Adam Routledge are already in fine form.

Albert pulled off a fine win over Brian Homewood for the 2B team while Adam had a 180 point rating advantage over Gary Monks and duly won for the A team. Tony Green’s default cost the B team victory for Phil Sykes defeated the A team’s Peter Rose to make the match score 2-2. (Match played 22nd Sept).

Combined D team get off to a good start

Derby League Division 2

New skipper Terry Knight was one of three winners as the combined Burton/Lichfield team demolished Spondon A by 3-1. Pietr Natoniewski and Seb Folgar were the other winners. Mark Grubb on board one had a stable position until falling for a neat tactic by his opponent and duly lost.

Lichfield early Division 3 leaders

Birmingham League Division 3

Mike Hoare had a quick victory which set Lichfield’s Birmingham 3 team on the way to a crushing 4.5 – l.5 win over Sutton Coldfield. Bowie Carter on board 2 won a pawn when pieces were being traded , leaving him with an easily convertible end game, His opponent did not wait for the inevitable and resigned.

Adam Routledge was a winner on board three, winning two pawns and then cthe end game. With two wins and draws from Tony Green and John Staniforth there was a long wait before Yuriy Slobodyuk and his opponent conceded that there was no way through a blocked position and agreed a draw. (Match played 25th Sep[tember)

Longbridge beaten but not bowed

Birmingham League Division 5

Longbridge defaulted a board in a Division 5 match with Lichfield but their remaining players battled very hard before losing on all boards against higher rated home players. Albert Chacko on board one gained an advantage but did not find it easy to convert it to a win. Peter Rose may have been a touch lucky in his match on 2 and Stephen Shields on three was up against a promising beginner, holding on to win a long game.(Match played Sept 25th)

Champions edge out below strength Lichfield

Birmingham Division 1

A second board one victory by newcomer Turan Asgarova took Lichfield’s first team within a whisker of snatching an away draw against reigning champions Central Birmingham A. Turan is the first female to play for Lichfield’s top team this century. In fact it is a stretch too far for the editor’s memory to recall any league appearance by a Lichfield female. Turan is rated at 2070, 20pts or so higher than her opponent Nikoli Tisme-Walker

Lichfield’s bottom three boards, Bowie Carter, Adam Routledge and John Staniforth each achieved very creditable draws against players graded 200 points higher. David Hulme lost his game and Maurice Staples lost at the death, making Central winners by 3.5 to 2.5.

Lichfield too strong for Bushbury

Wolverhampton League Division 2

First match of the season for Lichfield’s Wolverhampton Division 2 side and they despatched Bushbury 3-1 away. Board one is always a key game at Bushbury but Lee Grinsell was held to a draw by Tony Green and Lichfield went on to win 3-1 with victories for David Hulme, Bowie Carter and Adam Routledge. (Match played 17th September)

Turan starts Lichfield career with exciting win

Cannock Division 1

Turan Asgarova, Lichfield’s new top player with a 2070 rating started her career with an exciting victory as Rugeley were hammered 3.5 -0.5. Both Turan and her opponent were running desperately short of time with the game heading for a possible agreed draw when Turan’s Knight forked two Rooks, Her opponent ran out of time a move or two later.

Maurice Staples defeated Matthew Carr on board 2 and, Gary Monks drew on board 3 and Albert Chacko overcame a near 200 point rating deficit to beat Luke Sullivan on board 4.

Lichfield Cannock 3B skipper John Fryer picked his strongest possible team for the match with Rugeley and although there was not much in it grading wise Lichfield romped to a 3.5 – 0.5 win.

In an English opening John’s opponent conceded a Knight but despite that a dangerous two edged position developed in which John could win the exchange at the cost of potential mating threats.Instead he gave the piece back to secure a safer position. Opponent Oliver Johnson then blundered a Bishop and after that it was a mopping up operation.

Stephen Shields won on board three and Elliot Ward continued his impressive form of last season to win on board four. Gary Monks drew on board one.

New internal tournament will be rated

Twenty five members have entered and the first round must be completed before the end of September.Mircea Mesesan beat Elliott Ward, Ian Boddington lost to Mike Hoare, David Fone beat Maurizio Baravalle, Ben Adams lost to Bill Kimberley and Albert Chacko beat teenager Isaac Adams

Disappointing start to the season

Cannock League

Albert Chacko continued his brilliant form of last season to beat Norton Canes skipper Mike Hoare but 3B still lost 2.5- 1.5. Albert found a neat sacrifice in the opening and went on to mate Mike’s King in the middle of the board.

Phil Sykes drew on board two, Bill Kimberley lost a Rook in the opening whilst Maurizio Baravalle established a clearly won position before blundering. (Match played August 19th).

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* Albert’s mating tactic: Rh1+!! Kg3 (Kxh1 Qh3+ Kg1 Qxg2#) Rh3+! gxh3 Qf3+ Kh2 Qg2#.