- Man with Hat
- Jul 9, 2017
Mr Hat knows how to spoil a woman and so it was on a scorching hot summer’s day that Mr + Mrs Hat decide to travel to the Eastside or Ashton by IKEA to be precise. Not one for being late, Mrs H insisted that we set off in the middle of the night which was just as well as we needed to circumnavigate road closures in Disley and Bredbury before a couple of laps of Ashton town centre and an unguided tour of a housing estate before arriving in good time to secure one of the remaining car parking spaces.
Round 1 and I am drawn against Rachel H, a dangerous opponent with an excellent chess pedigree. I showed too much of my kingside but escaped to counter Phew! Round 2 and I play the Grob against the eventual winner – I get battered!! At this juncture I spot a familiar face – PhilCo has arrived as I suspected that he might but more about him later. The story now is of Mrs H leading the way in her section with 2/2. Too much pressure and 2/2 becomes 2/3. I play an opponent who made the same mistake that he made 2 years ago. Unfortunately for me, I forget the winning continuation and get into a right old pickle before limping over the line with a checkmate and 2 seconds left on the clock!
Round 4 and I am pushing the wood around in a Ruy Lopez (having ditched the Grob)! when suddenly I remember a trrraaaapp! Too late! Somehow I manage to turn this around and redeem myself and it’s 3 out of 4 and back in the running. Round 5 and I’m absolutely battered by one of the section favourites having castled right into the eye of the storm. Having lost only to the two leaders a final round win wouldn’t have seemed too bad but it was a tired performance from Man with Hat. Well played to Phil from Urmston though for outplaying me in a Rook and Pawn endgame.
Macclesfield represented in all 3 sections and the plaudits go to PhilCo in the top section with 4/6. Man with Hat scored 3/6 with Mrs Hat a very creditable 3/6. An aggregate plus score for the Macc contingent and a reminder to MWH that PhilCo needs to play on a higher board next season!
A big up to Dave and Glen for organising this event. 3 sections all under 150, no landscaped gardens, no posh hotels, nothing for the 4NCL Taliban. Just Tameside grit and I loved it!
- The Webmaster
- May 12, 2017
The last game of the season was Denton V Altrincham in Division 2. Denton only needed to win 2 games ,not the match , to survive the drop .Home advantage as well meant this should have been straightforward.
Final score was Denton 0.5 Altrincham 5.5 and Macclesfield C survive the drop.
- Man with Hat
- May 10, 2017
The Final Judgement and the 2 captains are half way through their holiday with the sword of Damocles hanging over their teams. I invite readers to imagine the faces on Mrs Hat and Mrs Holt as the two boys set up a live link from the Guide Bridge Con Club to Sunny Spain.
Dot Dot Dot Can you hear me Spain?
Dash Dot Dash (Or something like) We hear you loud and clear
Dot Dot Dot Not looking good (for Denton)
Dot dash Dot Dash Bottom 3 boards lost top 3 boards struggling
Dot Dot Dot We (Denton) have lost ½ - 5 ½ Dave B drew
Dash (Or something like)
(Surely not - Ed)
Denton relegated, Macc C survive or is it? Onwards to the Fixtures meeting where anything can and usually does happen.