C TEAM FROZEN OUT

Macclesfield C entertain Macclesfield B in the reverse fixture of this all Silktown clash. It’s a freezing cold night and the only people missing from the packed out room in the Queens Hotel are Torvill and Dean. I may have been a bit harsh on Nick the Hurricane after his shock reversal in the first fixture but he was back to his brilliant best with a truly awesome display that dispatched his opponent after 14 moves when most of us still had our coats on. Boards 4 – 6 all ended with Rook and Pawns and no real surprise that the more experienced B team players secured 2½ out of 3 on these boards. Joachim had doubled up f pawns but Dave M always seemed to be a tempo or 2 behind with a Rook that became defensive, inactive and then trapped prompting the second resignation of the night. Ant seems to be getting better and better at these endgames and he was able yet again to turn a small advantage into the full point this time against David S. It was left to Phil Co to register the only score of the night for the C team after a sharp, double edged game ended with Rook and 2 V Rook and 1 and Phil using good skill to secure the draw with Denzil. Marc had probed and pressed all night with his opponent reduced to occupying the back 3 ranks but Marc then overstretched allowing the Kool Kat to mop up. Finally the baying mob moved on to the last game on the top table where Man with the Hat had high hopes of a famous victory with 15 minutes left. However, pinning the Secretary’s Queen and Rook wasn’t as potent as I had hoped and the resulting pawn that I did win was snatched back almost immediately. Then a couple of neat Combos from the Sec and it was the Hat that entered the endgame a pawn down. A lack of steely nerve coupled with an inferior endgame technique and, as Willie Nelson would say `Ain’t it funny how time just slips away’.

Thanks to all who turned up on this bitterly cold night and well played to the B team.

STOKE LEAGUE SUCCESS

With a disappointing loss in the Open cup and a draw from their only league fixture to date, the Stoke League team travelled to Newcastle eager to kickstart their season. Once Phil Colville had managed to find the drinks counter and both he and the secretary had managed to assuage their thirst, the match got underway. Before too long, Phil reaped the benefit as his opponent announced his resignation. Second to finish, the captain admitted to his opponent that he had been let off the hook – but 2-0 looked good and encouraged the secretary to offer a draw having seen that Ant on board 4 was very well placed. Martyn refused, clearly playing for his team, but shortly after Ant secured the point and the match. Having engaged the services of the captain to record the moves in his final 5 minutes, the secretary capitalised on a good bishop v bad bishop ending, 4-0. On top board the club champion was conceding many grading points to Alex, top rated Newcastle player, but reached a rook and pawn ending which theory shows is drawn with best play. After lots of accurate moves, the champion made his solitary mistake and Alex capitalised. 4-1 is an excellent result from this away fixture, but much annoyed with himself, the champion looked as if he just wanted to be miles away from a chessboard...

ALL SQUARE IN CHESHIRE DERBY

On a cold and freezing November night, newly promoted Macclesfield C entertain their neighbours from East Cheshire in search of their first point(s) of the season. Board 1 was first to finish in bizarre circumstances. Tudor and Denzil were slugging it out when Denzil thought that he had a winning move and played it with such confidence that Tudor resigned. Denzil had already realised his miscalculation and helpfully showed Tudor what he could have played to allow for a continuation. Next was Board 2 where I watched Marc play a4. c4, e4, f4 and g4. Never a dull moment with Marc but the wily Mr Taylor remained unfazed and got behind his opponent's defences and all of a sudden Marc's position collapsed 1-1. Next door to me on Board 4, Ant was cruising a piece up but his opponent put up an amazing defence before finally succumbing. Man with the Hat nicked a vital pawn and then a second one before trapping his opponent's knight in the middle of the board. 3-1 to Macc and just a half point required for the match. Unfortunately it wasn't to be and the experienced pair of Dave Broadbent and Bill Tait secured the last two points to level up the match.

With Macclesfield being outgraded on every board (Macclesfield average 121.0 - East Cheshire average 133.0) this was a creditable result and one that gives hope for what will undoubtedly be a hard season for us. Thanks to East Cheshire for 6 closely contested games played in an excellent spirit (with no draws).