Malcolm Clarke reports on the Chandler’s Ford D vs Winchester D match 29th January and other news

Having beaten Winchester D twice this season, once in the league and once in the cup Chandlers Ford D were beaten 3-1 against the same opponents.  However the one consolation for them was Ian Parker playing a game counting for grading purposes only winning his game.

They went 2-0 down with Peter Stewart beating Nobby George and Brian White beating D Team captain Steve Dunleavy.  Only eight days earlier George had comfortably beaten Stewart in another Southampton League match.

This left the games between James Lesniak (Chandlers Ford) v David Green (Winchester) and Rob Strachan (Chandlers Ford) v Alan Weaver (Winchester).  In both matches fortunes fluctuated, but in both cases rooks were exchanged leaving the Winchester player with rook pawn and king against king.  Both matches were drawn, although Green managed to his king in front of the pawn and had clear winning chances when he agreed a draw.

Winchester B were beaten 4-1 in division 3 by top of the table Ringwood B with Robin Atkins on board 3 and Steve Kitley on board 5 both of whom drew their games being the contributors to their score. On Tuesday Chandlers Ford C are away to Southampton D.

January 2019 ECF Grades published

The English Chess Federation publishes its Grading List twice a year, in January and July, and the January 2019 grades are now out. See the ECF Grading Database. Has your Grade gone up – or down? Team captains should use theses latest Grades when deciding board order for matches.

Chandler’s Ford Central Club subs due

The social club we are based at has a membership subscription year January to December. See the Chandler’s Ford Central Club website for membership information.

Top two Ladder players change places

Peter Przybycin took the top rung of Chandler’s Ford Chess Club Ladder this week, from Rob Bird. The Ladder currently has 22 players.

Malcolm Clarke’s SCL reports

Malcolm Clarke writes a weekly chess update on the Southampton Chess League matches and news. His reports are published in the print edition of the Hampshire Chronicle as well as this website.

Malcolm Clarke’s Southampton Chess League weekly reports

15th December 2018: Chandler’s Ford B vs Winchester C; Winchester D vs Fareham B

A happy Christmas to all readers.  Members of Chandlers Ford chess club will be going out for a Christmas curry on Thursday 20th December.

Chandlers Ford B team ended 2018 with a 3.5-0.5 win against Winchester C which ended Winchester’s unbeaten record and ended Winchester’s unbeaten record and was a welcome return to for them having lost their last two games.  Chandlers Ford though were able to field a strong team for this match and after former Eastleigh Rail and Winchester team mates Peter Przybycin (Chandlers Ford) and Graham Payne (Winchester) had drawn their game victories by Dick Meredith nnd the in form Simon Kay clinched the match.

The one remaining game was between Sam Murphy (Chandlers Ford) and David Green (Winchester) and Murphy’s one pawn advantage eventually won him the game, although at one stage if Green was able to find the very best move he had a chance of forcing a draw by perpetual check.

Winchester D drew 2-2 with Fareham B, with Winchester’s points coming from a win from Brian Jack on top board and draws for Michael Bianco and Andrew Habbitts.  Associated with the same match Alan Weaver played a match counting for grading purposes only.

30th November 2018 – Chandlers Ford chess teams played three matches this week and were beaten in all three.

The B team lost 3-1 to University with Simon Kay being their only winner.  The following day they lost to Fareham A in the Robertson Cup in a match which was reduced to four boards and again it was Kay who was the only one not to lose his game as he achieved a creditable draw against a much higher rated player.  The Fareham team’s top boards were Keith Gregory and Roger Marsh were playing against a club they used to play for.

The Chandlers Ford D surrendered their unbeaten record when they lost 4-0 to a Ringwood team whose players were much higher graded then their own, although the Ringwood players acknowledged that the match was closer than the scoreline indicated.

Despite Bob Cleave and Robin Atkins winning their games on the top two boards Winchester B were beaten 3-2 by Salisbury B.

24th November 2018: Chandler’s Ford ‘A’ win, ‘C’ lose, ‘D’ draws

Chandlers Ford A non-playing captain Malcolm Clarke originally selected the same team as had played the previous week for their trip to Andover, although on the day of the match Dick Meredith was replaced by B team captain Nobby George.

A quick win for Graham Stuart, a quick draw for Sam Murphy and the fact that Phil Overton’s game always looked likely to be drawn meant that the match hinged on the games on boards 1 and 5.  It was unclear as to how much compensation Dave Holmes had for the pawn he sacrificed, while Nobby George’s game saw fortunes fluctuate throughout.  However David got on top in his game and eventually won, and when Nobby’s game was eventually drawn leaving Chandlers Ford 3.5-1.5 winners.

Chandlers Ford C travelled to Salisbury without Manoj Chandar, Rob Sims, Maha Chandar and Keven Lamb who had formed the team for their first match of the season, but Steve Saunders obtained an excellent win in a 3-1 defeat in which Salisbury’s team included two players who three weeks earlier had won their games while playing against the Chandlers Ford A team.

Chandlers Ford D drew 2-2 with Fareham B with Maha Chandar and Ian Parker being their winners.

14th November 2018 – Chandler’s Ford D progress to Division 5 Cup semi-final

The Chandlers Ford A team were beaten 4.5-0.5 by a Ringwood B team who lead Southampton League Division 3.  Graham Stuart on board 3 obtained the only half point for Chandlers Ford A who have now lost their last two league matches having won all of the previous five.  On Wednesday the Chandlers Ford A team travel to play Andover in another league game.

The Chandlers Ford D team progressed to the semi finals of the Division 5 cup with a 2.5-1. win against Winchester D.  They were assisted by board 4 being won by default as well as Nobby George winning on board 1 and they play Fareham B in the next stage. The Winchester A team were comfortably beaten 4-1 by Hamble B, but the Winchester C team finished all square at 2-2 with University C with Brian Jack being their sole winner in a match containing two draws.

Malcolm Clarke’s League report

The Chandlers Ford A team lost 3-2 to Salisbury B with Dick Meredith being their sole winner and Graham Stuart and Dave Culliford drawing their games, but they were missing their regular board 1 David Holmes.  However there was better news for the D team who reached the final of the Division 5 Cup with a 3-1 win over Fareham B with Nobby George, James Lesniak and Rob Strachan being their winners. 

Manoj Chandar and Sam Murphy have agreed to be joint winners of the Chandler’s Ford club’s summer tournament, while next Monday the B team are away to Winchester C.

 Winchester A beat Southampton C 4-1 with wins from Lukasz Piecha, Alan Dyos and Pankaj Tomar playing on the bottom three boards all winning their games, with draws on the top two boards.

Chandlers Ford C obtained their first win of the season when they beat Chandlers Ford B 2.5-1.5, but they fielded probably their strongest team of the season and on the three boards where both players had actual rather than estimated gradings it was the C team player who had the higher grade.

However as pleasing as the victory was the sight of C team captain Keven Lamb being present at the match having been absent for several weeks as a result of undergoing hospital treatment which he has dealt with great fortitude and positivity, but it has meant that while absent he has had to leave selection of the team to Don Creasey, but hopefully Keven can resume his normal duties for the next match.

Maha Chandar beat the in form Simon Kay to put the C team 1-0 ahead, but Sam Murphy’s second win of the season against Rob Sims levelled the scores.  Maha’s son Manoj built up a good attack against Dick Meredith, but although he missed a winning combination the threat of the move he missed was still there and it could not be defended against.  This left just the board 1 game between Peter Przybycin and Rob Bird which produced an enthralling end game which was eventually drawn leaving the C team 2.5-1,5 winners.

A match between the two captains for the night Don Creasey and Nobby George played for grading purposes only resulted in a win  for Creasey.

Manoj Chandar and Sam Murphy have agreed to be joint winners of the club’s summer tournament, while next week the A team are at home to Salisbury B and the D team away to Fareham B, the latter being a cup game.