Division 5 side off to a fine winning start

Birmingham & District Division 5

Lichfield's Division 5 side got off to a flyer in their first match of the season, defeating Walsall Kipping 3.5 - 0.5 in a match at The Guildhall.

Connor Whetnall, playing Black on Board 4 was first to finish. His opponent brought his Queen out very early to initiate an attack, and Connor managed to exploit a pin against her to go up a piece. His opponent generated some counterplay, but Connor secured his position and then used a passed pawn to ensure victory.

On Board 3, Rob Frost, played a gambit as White and gained an active position. His opponent had barely developed at all, which Rob exploited to attack. Rob then missed a tactic which required him to sacrifice his rook to save his queen, but it wasn't a critical mistake; the lack of piece development in his opponent's position was ultimately fatal, and his opponent's position collapsed under the pressure to give Rob a win.

Peter Rose's game as Black on Board 2 had a steady start until his opponent, with his King still uncastled, tried to open up the centre. Peter obliged and his opponent followed up by sacrificing a piece to generate an attack. Peter called his bluff, accepted the piece, and allowed the attack to proceed. Peter emerged two pieces up, but with his King dangerously exposed in the middle of the board. His opponent missed the best continuation, the attack fizzled out, and his opponent resigned.

The final game to finish was Albert Chacko's match on Board 1. Unusually for Albert, he was caught in a common opening trap, and lost a piece for two pawns. His opponent pursued the obvious approach of seeking piece exchanges, arriving in an ending where he had a King, Bishop and pawns vs. two extra pawns for Albert. Albert battled well, making it as difficult as possible for Black to make progress, and was rewarded when his opponent went astray. He was unable to find a way to force the capture of additional pawns, and, as his frustration built, misplayed a pawn move, allowing Albert's King to invade his pawn position. Albert's position was briefly winning, but it was then his turn to make the final mistake, and the game ended as a draw. (Match played: 10th September)