Shrewsbury B returned to the summit of Shropshire Online Chess League division two after a tense, nervy victory over fellow promotion contenders Telford A.
The player with the white pieces won on all three boards, meaning the B’s scraped home 2-1 to move back above Oswestry C and restore their two-point lead at the top of the table.
Ivor Salter won the critical game on bottom board, defeating Richard Thompson in an opposite coloured bishops endgame despite having been on the back foot for much of the game.
The experienced Thompson had previously missed opportunities to press home his advantage in a complex ending both with the queens on and after they had been exchanged.
Both players made inaccuracies in a difficult position to handle. But consecutive errors by Thompson on moves 58 and 59 allowed Salter to run his e-pawn through to queen, prompting an instant resignation.
It was the pivotal game in the match as the scores had been locked at 1-1.
Shrewsbury captain Mark Smith had earlier got his side off to a flier by checkmating Mark Keady in just 19 moves on top board. Although the game started as a Closed Sicilian, it quickly became an open, tactical affair. Facing a difficult position, Keady grabbed a hanging bishop – missing an instant checkmate on d8.
But Telford hit back thanks to Roger Brown’s win over Stephen Priestley on board two. Priestley appeared solid on the black side of a Scandinavian Defence, but Brown built up strong pressure in the centre that saw him establish a supported passed pawn on d6 as the players exchanged into a double rook ending.
Priestley soon found himself two pawns down, and had no answer to the advance of white’s queenside pawns – a very smooth performance from Brown indeed.
The result also puts welcome distance between the B’s and Telford in the table. Telford still lie fifth, but would go second and just a point adrift of the B’s if they win their two games in hand.
The B’s next face struggling Telepost B in the week beginning March 28th, while Shrewsbury C will face Telford A during the same week.
Full scores:
Telford A 1-2 Shrewsbury B (Shrewsbury colours in brackets)
1.Mark Keady 0-1 Mark Smith (w)
2.Roger Brown 1-0 Stephen Priestley (b)
3.Richard Thompson 0-1 Ivor Salter (w)