Peter Kitchen writes:
A Lazarus-style escape from Francis Best helped Shrewsbury’s over-the-board clinch a crucial point en route to moving into second place in Shropshire Rapidplay League.
Best was involved in a bizarre finish against Shane Greenwood on board two of the opening match against hosts Newport, where both players left the kings en prise in the time scramble at the end of the game.
First, Best left his king in check while facing what looked like a potentially lethal attack from his opponent, and both players stopped, believing the game to be over. They even briefly discussed a possible variation until they realised that Best’s penalty was not to forfeit the game but to have two minutes added to his opponent’s clock.
This still left Greenwood as a heavy favourite as Best was well into his final minute of thinking time. But the Shrewsbury skipper managed to evade Greenwood’s attempts to checkmate him – and the Greenwood left his own king in check.
The same penalty was applied – and this time it was decisive as Greenwood lost a piece and on time a few moves later.
It was a critical result for the match score, as Best’s recovery enabled Shrewsbury to snatch a 2-2 draw.
Shrewsbury also lost 3-1 to leaders Maddocks A before being awarded a 4-0 walkover against Telford, who failed to raise a team.
It leaves Shrewsbury second in the table, six points adrift of Maddocks A. Shrewsbury’s league position has been aided by three default wins so far this season – but we can’t be faulted for making sure we field a team!
Against Newport, Peter Kitchen outplayed Chris Lewis with the white pieces during the course of a tense middlegame on top board and reached an ending a clear exchange up, only to lose on time. The battle of the Dans on board three saw Shrewsbury’s Lockett defeat Newport’s Hilditch-Love on board three, only for Mark Smith to lose to Thalia Holmes on bottom board.
In the Maddocks A match, Kitchen found himself facing Athar Ansari who had convincingly beaten him in the recent league fixture between the sides. He put up a much better showing this time, having the black pieces against an unorthodox Hippopotamus-style opening venture by Ansari with 1.e3.
Kitchen got on top during the middlegame, playing against Ansari’s weak isolated e4-pawn and then directing his fire against his opponent’s king. But an error in the time scramble as he continued to attack saw him drop a piece before again losing on time a few moves later.
Best drew a tight game with Andrew Grillage on board two, and Lockett and Glyn Pugh also shared the spoils on board three. Smith was beaten by Thalia Holmes on board four.
Thanks must be given to hosts Newport for their welcome and also laying on snacks and nibbles at the town’s Royal British Legion for all of the teams involved.
Shrewsbury will sit out the next rapidplay night at Maddocks on June 9, but will be involved in both the final sessions at Telepost on June 20 and as hosts at the Nerdy Café on July 1.