In the online league this evening, Shrewsbury C managed to snatch a draw at the death against table-toppers Oswestry C writes Rob Green.
With regular Board 1, Norman O’Connor unavailable, captain Richard Vernon drafted in Robert Green to top board. Vernon’s game with Alf Evans was first to finish. Playing the white side of a Sicilian, Vernon found himself suffocated for space early on, but recovered to give himself long term prospects with a pawn majority on the queenside. Evans, though, took advantage of Vernon prematurely bringing his king into the game, a flurry of exchanges leading to a Rook versus Queen endgame, which Vernon resigned.
On board 1, Green began strongly on the white side of a London system against Keith Grice, Green’s well-placed bishops stopping Grice from castling. Grice gave up the exchange to try and give himself breathing room, and Green soon picked up a further pawn. However, Grice pounced on an inaccuracy to produce effective counterplay; under pressure, Green then blundered a rook. This left Grice up a piece, but Green’s connected passed pawns on the queenside looked threatening. With time limited, the players agreed a draw.
Antony Purser, with the black pieces, then needed a win against Al Grocott-James on board 2 to recover a share of the points. Things were looking tough when Grocott-James took control of the centre in an Old Indian opening, with Purser losing tempos and retreating his queen. Grocott-James overextended on the kingside, and, after a series of exchanges, Purser found himself up a piece after 18 moves. Grocott-James battled hard, accurate defence meaning Purser had to work to hold his advantage; eventually a nice tactic saw Purser pick up Grocott-James’s rook on his 50th move, drawing the inevitable resignation.
Shrewsbury C become the first team to pick up points against Oswestry C this season, and keeps them well in the hunt for a second-placed finish.