Author: Borehamwood Chess Club

Essex Chess League Division 2 22.Jan.2018  Redbridge Social Centre

ILFORD 4.5 – 3.5 WANSTEAD & WOODFORD III

Ilford White on odd boards

 1.  NEVILLE TWITCHELL  168    1-0   PETER NICKALS  144 (black)

2.  TOM BARTON  168                    1-0   ANDY LUI  144 (white)

3. ANTHONY KENT  150                1-0  DAVID SMITH 146

4. SYD KALINSKY  148                   0-1  KYAN BUI  127

5. JASON KLIMACH  146                 ½  CHARLTON SIDDO  129

6. JEF PAGE  144                              1-0  KEVIN SWEENEY  130

7. GRANT GERICKE  139                0-1  BEN HARTE  125

8. LAVANAN AINKARAN  134      0-1  VIC FULLER 116

(From Jef’s notes) Ilford had to rally strongly from being 0-3 down.

The match started badly for us. Grant Gericke had a strong attack, putting good pressure on his opponents exposed King. However, he neglected to guard his h2 pawn well enough,  misplayed his defence and was quickly defeated. Ainkaran entered Rook and Pawn  ending with 2 strong central connected passed  pawns. But, it was not to be, and he lost to Wanstead captain Fuller. Syd got his King stuck in the centre with his kingside opened up. Thereafter, we recorded 4 straight wins,  and nearly got another. Having new digital clocks for all boards, and playing 80 minutes plus 10 seconds a move, possibly won us the match in the end.

Jef’s opening was a disaster, and he had to cede Rook for Bishop. But, he caught Sweeney with a skewer that won the exchange back and was THEN able to free his pieces. Anthony Kent castled queen side to open up lines for a kingside attack. But, this led to an double-edged game with attacks on both flanks. Kent won material, and later won the game with a powerful threat of checkmate or loss of further material. Both Twitchell and Barton played carefully to win pieces and were never threatened. The final game to finish was Jason Klimach’s. He had a terrific kingside attack which looked unstoppable. But, an error as time got short allowed Siddo to not only halt the mating threats but win a piece in the ending. A time scramble of repeated queen checks by black ensued. Then, an illegal move was made by Siddo ,costing him 2 minutes. Jason held on to secure a half and win us the match.

2 wins and 2 defeats. With this win we go bouncing up to the giddy heights of 3^rd– at least for the moment.

 

North Circular Chess League, Division A Redbridge Social Centre, 15.January.2018

ILFORD 2½-3½ BARKING I

NEVILLE TWITCHELL 168 0-1 JEFF GOLDBERG 188 w

TOM BARTON 168                 ½ E FIGUEROA 168 b

ANTHONY KENT 150            ½ JOHN WHITE 169

JASON KLIMACH 147           0-1 COLIN RAMAGE 159

SYD KALINSKY 148               ½ KEN CLOW 156

JEF PAGE  144                        1-0 VLADIMIR CHTYM 125

(Edited from Jef’s notes) Ramage played a Latvian gambit and Jason went into a very sharp line. Unfortunately,  he misjuded his Queen attack and lost a piece to Colin. From here on we were always playing catch-up and although we came close to leveling, it was never enough. Jef outplayed Chtym, crippling his Sicilian opening and then trapping his misplaced Queen.

 

Kalinsky & Clow played into a level, minor piece & pawn draw.

Anthony Kent and John White had another closed Sicilian contest, probing for an opening against each other, and both settled for a half (computer agreed).

Tom had a tough game against Figueroa. He held off Edison’s Rooks and Queen, and was able to launch a counter-attack that looked good enough to queen a pawn first down the a-file and square the match. But likewise Figueroa ran his pawn down the h-file and it still remained level. On board 1 Goldberg’s strong central attack with Q,R&N proved decisive.

So yet again Ilford went down to a narrow defeat and we have yet to score our first match win in this league and top division. Tough times, we must beat someone!

 

North Circular League    Division A

                     At Barking,   4th January 2018

               BARKING I  3½-2½   ILFORD

North Circular League Division A

At Barking, 4 January 2018

BARKING I 3½ – 2½ ILFORD

198 DAVID SANDS       ½ NEVILLE TWITCHELL 168 (black)

188 JEFF GOLDBERG 0-1 TOM BARTON 168 (white)

169 JOHN WHITE        ½ ANTHONY KENT 150

159 COLIN RAMAGE 1-0 SYD KALINSKY 148

156 KEN CLOW           ½ JEF PAGE 144

125 V CHTYM             1-0 GRANT GERICKE 139

(From Jef’s notes) Considering the grading advantage Barking had, this was only a narrow win for them over Ilford. We were not outclassed, particularly on the top boards. But on the bottom 3 boards it was a different story.

Gericke’s opening was good and he had an easy chance to win a piece but overlooked the correct way of capturing it. Worse,  he missed the best defence of his King and got mated. Syd Kalinsky likewise started well but then had a spot of  hari-kari by castling queenside straight into an attack from Ramage. Jef had to untangle his pieces to hold off Ken Clow who got confused as the best way to continue, and Anthony Kent did well to stop John White as both Tony and Jef were a pawn down. But on boards 1 and 2 we did very well. Twitchell played nicely to get a draw out of David Sands and Tom did even better against Jeff Goldberg who got lured into a rare mistake with Tom forcing the play down the queenside and c-file, coming up with final wining sacrifice.

We are playing well but struggling against 1st teams and still seek our first win.

Final position from J White v A Kent, board 3. Computer agrees position is even as White (to move) is weak on b3.

 

 

Essex Chess League   Division 2    At Loughton, 20th December 2017

 

LOUGHTON I 6-2 ILFORD

174 KEVIN BOWMER        1-0  NEVILLE TWITCHELL (b) 168

172 BILL STIRLING           1-0 TOM BARTON 168

158 DAVID FAULKNER     1-0 ANTHONY KENT 150

142 BRIAN SPEAR              0-1 SYD KALINSKY  148

137 GRAHAM KERSHAW 1/2 JEF PAGE 144

134 MARTIN VAN TOL     1-0 LAVANAN AINKARAN 134

130 SIMON MOTH            1/2 MALCOLM GESTHUYSEN 131

K GROCE                             1-0 default

 

 

Another poor night for Ilford at Loughton, one of our bogey clubs, with another default not helping.

With a new player making his debut for us it’s always good when they do well and Malcolm Gesthuysen, driving from Borehamwood, easily held for a draw as Moth couldn’t make any headway as the game drifted into a level Rook and Pawn endgame. Jef wriggled out of a doomed and cramped Caro-Kann opening to sac’ his Queen for a R&B and force counter play by getting both my Rooks to the 7th rank to restrain Kershaw.

On the top boards we could do little as Bowmer beat Neville, Tom couldn’t defeat Stirling’s Sicilian. Anthony Kent set up set up a nice looking pawn wedge in the centre but it didn’t hold. Van Tol broke into Lavanan’s kingside defence with Queen and Knight. Our only bright spot was Syd Kalinsky demolishing Brian Spear’s kingside, never allowing him to develop his pieces properly. Syd is having a very good season for Ilford.

We are just one place off bottom spot in division 2. One win and 2 defeats. Pretty grim.

More players needed- anymore out there?

(From Jef’s notes)

North Circular Chess League  Division A

 Wanstead House, E11. 7th December  2017

WANSTEAD II 3-3 ILFORD
177 LARRY MARDEN 0-1 NEVILLE TWITCHELL 168 w
177 V PAROLS              1-0 TOM BARTON 168 b
172 IAN HUNNABLE   ½ ANTHONY KENT 150
171 STEVE RIX              1-0 SYD KALINSKY 148
158 MARK MURRELL 0-1 JEF PAGE 144
149 PAUL BARCLAY     ½ LAVANAN AINKARAN 134

(From Jef Page’s notes) Wanstead II put out a strong team in this relegation dogfight, and outgraded us by more than 10 on every board.  But, we held on to secure a drawn match in the top division of the North Circular League. We have still to register a win – just 2 draws so far.
The match stated badly for us as Tom’s favourite Dutch Defence was quickly demolished by Parols Staunton Gambit. Syd faced the Scotch and had his queenside wrecked. He got through to the endgame but he could never develop his pieces properly. But from here on we fought back.
Jef caught Mark Murrell with a rare double-Knight sac’ to beat him with one of his favourite Queen & Bishop checkmating motifs. He sacrificed the first Knight which he took, but then his gluttony got the better of him as he quickly gobbled up the second one as well- too tempting to resist- and choked on it. Of the drawn games Kent and Hunnable played into a closed position from a Birds opening with hardly a pawn exchanged. Then,  Paul Barclay threw away his win as Lavanan hung on. Out of a good opening Lavanan blundered a way a piece but hung on into the endgame which came down to King, Rook & 2 pawns v King & Rook. As Paul pushed Ainkaran’s King into the corner he overlooked a series of perpetual Rook checks that if Paul captured it, it was a draw by stalemate. Everyone was smiling and even laughing – except Paul (see diagram).

The match saving point was finally clinched when Neville quickly won a piece against Larry Marden, and whilst it went into a long endgame, Neville’s accurate play yielded the win (picture below).

Two matches in a week- one win, one draw, and both Neville and Jef scored 2 out of 2. Rare, enjoyable triumphs.
Next match, last one of 2017: Essex League, Loughton v Ilford, 20.12.2017 (players still needed).

Essex League Division 2 4th December 2017

ILFORD 5½ – 2½ BARKING II
NEVILLE TWITCHELL 168   1-0 COLIN RAMAGE 159 (B)
ANTHONY KENT 150              ½  KEN CLOW 156
JASON KLIMACH 146            1-0 ROBIN OAKLEY 146
SYD M KALINSKY 148            ½  GHOLAMREZA ANSARI 139
JEF PAGE 144                          1-0 GEORGE MONK 133
LAVANAN AINKARAN 134   1-0 JOHN FIGGINS 133
HOWARD BERLIN 129            ½ NIKUNJ SINHA 126
Default                                       0-1 VLADIMIR CHTYM 125

(From notes by from Jef Page.) Ilford did very well against Barking. The match started badly when Tom Barton had to drop out because of a cold. Neville only just made it in time 40 minutes late because of traffic delays coming down the M11. But in the end,  Ilford played so well that we won the match and no one lost over the boards.
Syd Kalinsky got his usual quick draw and Howard Berlin, making a welcome and rare appearance, held Sinha to a level Knight and Pawn endgame. Anthony Kent accepted the draw in a classical Sicilian. But, from there on the wins kept coming for us. Lavanan held off Figgins attack and then counter-attacked strongly with Q&R to invade an exposed  King position and unguarded queenside pawns. Jef followed that up by tempting George Monk with a poisonous Knight sac he didn’t refuse, and quickly mated him with Queen and Bishop. Jason Klimach marched a pawn up the board defended by Queen to force the win. The final game point was clinched by Neville playing his usual irregular opening. He won pawns against Ramage,  and as Colin tried for counter-play, an error allowed Neville to finish the game with a Knight fork of both Rooks.

Our big problem now is defaults. In 2 Essex League matches we have now given away 3 defaults. Penalties loom if we aren’t careful. But with this match win and 2 points we move off the bottom of the division- and start our climb onwards and upwards!

 

North Circular Chess League  Division A

Monday 20.11.17, at East Barnet British Legion

                                    BARNET      4½-1½   ILFORD

203 TOM VILLIER    1-0  JULIAN HUDSON 169

192 A ETHELONTIS 1-0  NEVILLE TWITCHELL 168

193 ROY SAGALL      1-0  TOM BARTON 150

154 PHILIP MYERS   ½  ANTHONY KENT 150

163 J RUBECK             ½   SYD KALINSKY 148

136  MIKE JONES                            ½  JEF PAGE 144

A trip round the North Circular, and and expected tough match for Ilford, heavily outgraded on the top boards. Whilst we could hold the bottom ones we were overwhelmed on the top 3. But no one was disgraced and all the games were played out- no outright early blunders.

Tom’s favourite Leningrad Dutch held up well until pressure in the endgame paid off for Sagall. Neville played his usual open game. He had his queenside demolished and was unable to castle, with his King got stuck in the centre as Ethelontis’ Queen and Rooks dominated the open files. Julian Hudson made a rare and welcome appearance for us but found ViIliers just too strong.

On the lower boards Mike Jones handled his Sicilian opening well enough again to hold for a draw andgainstJef, and Syd did well against Rubeck. He won the exchange but couldn’t hold the advantage. Tony Kent had a fairly even Kings pawn game, and offered a draw when white played Qd6b8. As It happended, that was not so good for black as he has weak a, e and g pawns. Isn’t 20/20 hindsight a wonderful thing?

At least our longest away journey is out for the way

 

Beckenham And Charlton 1 v Ilford. Wednesday 8 November 2017

Ilford won 6.5 – 3.5

one IM Philip J Morris 219         1-0     Chris Fegan 176     +43
two FM Alan E Hanreck 209     1-0      Gary Thurston 173      +36
three John H Lewin 164          1/2-1/2   Paolo Casaschi 174D   -10
four Jim Everson 147               1/2-1/2   Julian Hudson 169      -22
five Andrew H Heard 145       1/2-1/2   David Millward 167    -22
six Andrew Dovey 141                0-1        Tom A Barton 168      -27
seven Shreyas Royal 150            0-1        Leslie J Crane 164       -14
eight Robert J Stebbings 121      0-1       Anthony R Kent 150    -29
nine James Jackson 119              0-1        Aidan T Corish 148     -29
ten Ian Mills 114                          0-1        Stephen J Abbott 141   -27

Apart from being well outgraded on top boards, Ilford had stronger team on the remaining boards and finished comfortable winners.  Great start to the 2017/season so far,

 

 

 

NCCL Division A
Redbridge Social Club 6.11.17
ILFORD                           2-4     WANSTEAD & WOODFORD I
NEVILLE TWITCHELL  ½      D SPEARMAN 190 w
TOM BARTON                1-0     M PEREZ-CABALLO 187 b
ANTHONY KENT           0-1    LARRY MARDEN 173
SID KALINSKY                ½     IAN HUNNABLE 173
JEF PAGE                         0-1    STEVE RIX 171
LAVANAN AINKARAN  0-1    PHIL STANILAND 160

Edited from Jef’s notes. A strong Wanstead 1^st team outgradied us on every board, but games were played out to a tough finish.

Syd Kalinsky easily held Hunnable’s French Defence but Neville on top board had to work hard to draw with Spearman. Jef misplayed the opening in a cramped position and in spite of seeking counter-play, could not old off Steve Rix, whilst Wanstead captain Staniland proved too strong for Lavanan. Similarly Anthony Kent could not prevent Marden gaining control of the centre and opening up his defence. Our only winner was Tom, who is having a good season, breaking out of the middle game to win the ending.

Essex Chess League  Division 2   31.10.17

            UPMINSTER II 5½ – 2½  ILFORD

Board 1 169 NOOR KHODA     0-1 NEVILLE H TWITCHELL 168 w
Board 2  148 AIDAN CORISH    ½  TOM BARTON 168 b
Board 3 147 ROB IANNETTA    ½ ANTHONY  KENT 150
Board 4 137 J HANNAFORD     ½  SYD M KALINSKY 148
Board 5 131 P ROSENFELD     1-0 JEF PAGE 144
Board 6 122 SATNAM JOHAL 1-0 LAVANAN AINKARAN 134
Board 7 S ABBOTT                   1-0 default
Board 8 M RAHAMAN             1-0 default

(Fom Jef’s notes) Not the best way to start the Essex League season. Decent results on the first 4 boards, but with 2 defaults we were badly hampered. Train problems did not help either.

On top board Neville was our only winner as Khoda went for a win in an advantageous rook ,knight and pawn endgame. However, he over-pressed, which allowed Nev to queen a pawn and the game then quickly ended. Both Tom and Anthony,  who were affected by the  train delays to Upminster, both drew in long endgames, as did Syd.

Lavanan pushed a pawn up the board supported by a Bishop but unable to force it home. Johal was able to line up his Q, B and R to break into his defence. Jef  was 2 pieces up (!), with his very exposed king sitting behind his opponents pawn on h2. He was winning comfortably, but fell into a Halloween horror checkmate.