Gauging new players grades is always a challenge at the state of the season, but the
handicap system ensures grades are changed to reflect performance. Simon Darwell is
starting to use his time advantage to good effect, becoming more of a contender for major
prizes.
There were 10 contestants to start, with Ben Imrye coming after the competition started,
making it 11 total contestants. Ben’s online grade is a lot higher than his old over the board
grade. I have given him a lower grade to start with and his performances will reflect his
adjusted grade going forward.
Newcomer Dan Barnes played well, winning his first 4 games and drawing the last versus
Joachim, to clinch the competition with 4 points.
Joachim started badly with a loss to Tony Brough but stormed back, remaining unbeaten
and taking on Dan in the final round. He need to win this for joint first place but the pressure
got the better of him and the game was drawn.
Geoff Laurance played Tony Brough in the final round and won to secure joint third place with Tony.
Marcus, Ben and Simon also won their final games to also secure joint third places, a five
way tie!
The tournament went well, without any hiccups and everybody (almost) enjoyed the evening.
Another busy night at the club this week, as Dan Barnes set about finishing the remaining fixtures for the Secretary's quickplay. With Jake Darlington unable to complete his fixtures, Dan's two matches against Denzil and one match against Geoff were crucial to crown the eventual champion, with just one point in the favour of the secretary over Denzil.
The first game went the distance, after a rapid start from Denzil, Dan methodically whittled away and found himself with a rook, bishop & pawn vs rook & pawn endgame which, with only increment on the clock, he patiently converted. The second game was much clearer, with Dan finding a decisive advantage relatively early on. These two games cemented Geoff's victory in the tournament, but that didn't dampen his competitive spirit, and he took a victory lap, confidently beating Dan in the final game of the tournament.
And so completes the 2022-23 season of club chess. Fittingly the Secretary's Quickplay has been won by the secretary himself! Congratulations Geoff, and thank you for organising.
Three club members headed down to Alsager on Tuesday night, to participate in a simultaneous exhibition against one of NSDCA's top players FM Jonathan Blackburn, in aid of the British Red Cross. Whilst confident at the beginning, as the room began to fill with more and more players Jonathan began to realise the mountain of the task ahead of him. Nether-the-less, he set about putting as many different openings for white around the 18 boards as he could muster, and the players settled in to see if anyone could best the talented Welsh pro.
Over on Joachim's table, Jonathan spent the game fighting a strong attack on the Kingside, but with precise strategic positioning was eventually able to overwhelm black by ensuring his opponent's two rooks could never connect without abandoning the attack.
Meanwhile, around the rest of the room, players were dropping left, right and centre, but understandably Jonathan was beginning to tire. Whilst taking three scalps from the Macclesfield contingent, he finally made a mistake against departing member John Ewens who took a well deserved victory, after enduring two losses against Jonathan in the previous season's league matches. Jonathan finished the evening with just two losses and two draws, a valiant effort.
Macclesfield Chess Club would like to extend a warm thank you to Jonathan Blackburn and the Alsager Chess Club for arranging this charity event, a wonderful gathering of community chess, and we look forward to more events like it.