LONDON CHESS LEAGUE Division 4 10.2.26 London League current grades. Ilford win the toss, White on odd boards. 75 minutes + 15 seconds move.
HAMMERSMITH 4ths 1-7 ILFORD
1684 JAKE STONES 0-1 RAHUL GHOSE 1965
1543 JOHN RYAN 0-1 TOM BARTON 1841
1542 JOE FRANCIS 0-1 TONY KENT 1779
Default 0-1 JEF PAGE 1639
1625 A AHMED 1-0 VINCENZO NICOSIA 1638
1337 NADIM OSSEIRAN 0-1 HARVEY GARFIELD 1503
1305j Miss C OUDET 0-1 NOAH AFUANG 1491 j
1175 T VAN DULLEMEN 0-1 GIORGIO NICOSIA 1366 j
(Edited from Jef Page’s notes) A full Ilford team for once in the London League including 2 juniors making their London debuts- and winning! For a change our opponent had the default (against Jef). Although we outgraded them, at least for the 1st time this season we won in London. Noah led off with a quick win and although it looked like Christine might be able to generate a good K-side attack Noah calmly fended that off and then pinned a Knight to win the 1st of her major pieces & the game. Giorgio soon followed, wiping out Van Dullemen’s Q-side pawns and then as the tried to break he lost 1st a B and then a Rook. From here it was slow but steady progression of wins for us to tie up the match. Anthony on board 3 eventually won control of the centre and with his Q,R & B, held off Francis’ Sicilian opening cramping his development and then crashed into the Q-side and surrounded Joe’s King.
Board 3 above – white just played Rd1 to e1 and black is completely lost and resigned.
Rahul won a pawn, and in a R&p endgame he always had the upper hand as Stones’ Caro-Kann opening could never seem to get his R’s into the attack.
Our only loser was Vincenzo whose usual Kings Indian Defence went awry costing him his Q-side pawns and as he struggled to equalize he lost the endgame. Last to finish was Tom whose Dutch Defence completely stopped Ryian from attacking and Tom finally found a way to win a pawn. Very short of time he lost the exchange but his Bishop & p were so strong, Ryan had to give up a R as Tom neatly advanced a 2nd pawn to victory.
With this match win we finally climb off the bottom and jump above Hammersmith: same number of match points, 2, but with a 3-game points advantage. Thanks very much to those who played, particularly the 2 juniors and their father’s who brought them along to play and gained us a full, winning team and match.
Ilford Chess Club 