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.