Essex League: 3 Defaults And A Heavy Defeat Against Barking

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…… it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair

Barking 7-1 Ilford. 2 draws, 3 losses and 3 defaults.

Essex Chess League Division 2 1st February 2018 (Fortunately Groundhog Day is tomorrow, not today)

BARKING II 7-1 ILFORD

COLIN RAMAGE 159 ½ TOM BARTON 165

KEN CLOW 156 ½ ANTHONY KENT 151

MIKE WICKHAM 144 1-0 SYD KALINSKY 148

GHOLAMREZA ANSARI 139 1-0 JEF PAGE 144

GEORGE MONK 133 1-0 MARSHALL TUTU 93

J FIGGINS 133 1-0 default

V CHTYM 125 1-0 default

A BOWHILL 1-0 default

(Edited from Jef’s match notes). A disaster. We are now really struggling now to find 8 players for Division 2 matches in Essex. SOS to anyone reading this.

On the top boards Tom & Anthony played well to get their draws but everyone else struggled. Tom faced Ramage’s favourite Latvian Gambit, and chose one of the quieter lines which gives white a small edge. Anthony emerged with a small plus from a Classical Dragon, but it never got to breath any fire, and a draw was agreed. Syd was in trouble right from the opening against Wickham’s Sicilian. He easily won white’s isolated d-pawn and then Syd failed to defend another and it was soon all over. Jef barely fought off Ansari’s strong kingside attack at the cost of a knight. Although he won it back, it took too long to work out all the lines and he lost on time. Marshall was doing well against George Monk, focusing his attack on blacks king, castled on the queenside. However, he was unable to find the best continuation, could not halt the advance of a winning d-pawn.

With defeat and mounting defaulted boards, Ilford will be penalised with the loss of penalty points (like a red card and a sending-off).

Board 3