The B team remains the only unbeaten side in Division 2 after this week’s round of matches. “Yes, but for how long?” I hear the cry from the South Shropshire Hills, as next up are the ultra strong Church Stretton A. For those of a footballing disposition let’s hope we can “Do a Bradford,” so to speak, or I am being unduly pessimistic? But a point against them would be a great result.
A creditable draw against a strong Telepost B was achieved this week, with all 5 boards drawing their matches, a pretty rare occurrence, I believe. Mark continued his unbeaten run on board 1, after facing the Nadjorf defence. I then drew my game after playing an ultra-passive Worral attack and then coming under intense pressure, losing a pawn but finding some useful resources and hanging in there, basically. My 100% record is no more!
Ivor was also under great pressure on board 2, but kept fighting until the end to thwart the ever improving Alistair Benjamin. Norman, on board 3 by his own request, reached an impasse against John Westhead, in what to me looked like a very complicated position. All square, then, with just Andrew “Lethal” Lewis left to secure the point against the tremendously improved Kate Walker on board 4, the “Silent Assassin” of female chess!!
Andrew was so nearly her next victim after Kate went a piece up against the Centre Counter and looked like taking the full point. However, Andrew showed great tenacity and later on regained the piece but Kate had a very dangerous pawn on the seventh rank poised to join in the kill, when something very bizarre occurred. After chasing Kate’s King around the board with his rook, Andrew announced check mate and started apologizing for having won the game after looking to be dead in the water. So convincing was he, that Kate believed him as well, and looked like she was about to resign when they discovered that it wasn’t checkmate after all!!! What strange things happen at the end of chess matches. The game continued and then ironically, Kate was about to place her king on a square which surely would have won her the game when she changed her mind at the last second, because she thought it allowed a mate (it didn’t!) Finally a draw was agreed. Phew!
| Telepost B | Shrewsbury B | |
| K. Tabner | ½-½ | M. Smith |
| A. Benjamin | ½-½ | I. Salter |
| J. Westhead | ½-½ | N. O’Connor |
| K. Walker | ½-½ | A. Lewis |
| V. Crean | ½-½ | I. Davies |
| 2½-2½ |
Ian Davies