Cannock 2A team are convincing winners over Rugeley

Cannock & District Division 2

Lichfield's "A" team in Division 2 defeated their outgraded Rugeley opponents 3.5 -0.5 in their first match of the season, but all four of the games were highly competitive.

Finishing first, Albert Chacko was victorious in a rollercoaster game as Black on Board 2. He developed a winning position in the middlegame, let it slip, turned down a draw offer, then tricked his opponent with a sneaky tactic to win a Bishop.

Gary Monks, playing White on Board 3, finished with a draw in another back and forth battle. The game simplified into a King and Pawn ending, and Gary offered a draw that was declined. His opponent then blundered a pawn, and accepted a draw offer at the second time of asking.

Captain Phil Sykes sealed the match victory, with a win on Board 4. He offered a pawn in the centre that his opponent took, but at the cost of a Knight. The game continued but the extra piece was telling, and allowed Phil to eventually capture both his opponent's Queen and Rook.

Last to finish was Tony Green, playing White on Board 1. With some early pawn advances on the queenside, his opponent saddled himself with an isolated, weak b-pawn which Tony won on move 23. This left Tony with a passed b-pawn of his own, and the threat of promotion led to the win of an exchange on move 30. The threat of mate or the further loss of a Knight then resulted in his opponent's resignation within another fifteen moves. (Match played: 8 September 2026)