13/07/26 - MATCH REPORT: ANOTHER DIFFICULT EVENING FOR THE CLUB
4 min read
Warndon Chess Club's pre-season campaign continued with a home fixture against a strong Under-1750 Longbridge side, ending in a 6½–3½ defeat. While the scoreline looks one-sided, several games could easily have swung in our favour, and there were plenty of encouraging performances against experienced opposition. The result leaves Warndon with two defeats and one draw from our opening three fixtures, but there are clear signs that the team is continuing to develop.
Board One
Phillip N Austin 1748 K v Marvin Wallace 1748 K
Phil Austin underlined exactly why his transfer from Worcester City has been such an important addition to the club. Facing the experienced Marvin Wallace, Phil produced a convincing display with the black pieces, never appearing under serious pressure before converting his advantage with typical composure. It was a thoroughly professional performance from our new board one and an important point against a player of equal strength.
Board Two
Alex P Nicholls 1719 A v Phil Maddocks 1739 K
Alex Nicholls faced Phil Maddocks and opened with his signature Trompowsky Attack. Queens were exchanged early, leading to an equal middlegame where neither player could find a decisive breakthrough. Alex missed a tactical combination that would have produced a winning advantage, but after that the game remained remarkably balanced. An equal pawn ending followed, accompanied by several draw offers and plenty of shuffling as both players searched for any small edge. With both clocks running low, Black eventually offered a draw, a fair result after a hard-fought contest.
Board Three
Ric Griffith-Read 1564 P v Matt Clarke 1658 K
Ric Griffith-Read, another valuable recruit transferred from Worcester City, produced one of the most encouraging performances of the evening. rated almost 100 points lower than Longbridge captain Matt Clarke, Ric navigated a theory-heavy English Opening confidently and matched his opponent throughout. At one stage he even missed a winning opportunity before the game simplified into a level pawn ending, similar to that seen on Board Two. Unfortunately, a small inaccuracy in the ending proved costly, allowing Clarke to escape with what was undoubtedly a relieved victory after being pushed all the way.
Board Four
Ceylan Ozvatan 1531 P v Craig Bessant 1544 A
Ceylan Ozvatan faced seasoned campaigner Craig Bessant. Although the ratings suggested an evenly matched encounter, the difference in practical over-the-board experience gradually became apparent. Ceylan reached move 20 just a pawn down and was beginning to look for opportunities to offer a draw. However, after spending time weighing up her options, one unfortunate decision resulted in a blunder that left her rook vulnerable. Although she fought on, the material deficit proved too much to overcome, and Bessant steadily converted the position into a full point.
Board Five
Pedro De Sousa Pereira 1459 P v Paul Bignall 1529 K
Pedro De Sousa Pereira was unfortunately the first Warndon player to finish. On Board Five, unfamiliarity with the opening left him under pressure from an early stage, and despite his efforts to recover, Longbridge's Paul Bignall converted the advantage cleanly.
Board Six
Colin G Vernon 1430 K v Tom Sherwood 1527 A
The underrated Colin Vernon took on the also underrated Tom Sherwood. Colin found himself a piece down with just pawn for compensation early in the middlegame, but refused to throw in the towel, battling on with characteristic determination and making Tom earn the full point. Despite the material deficit, Colin continued to ask questions until the very end, ensuring there was nothing straightforward about the win.
Board Seven
Doug Nicholls 1425 K v Nam Anh Nguyen 1425 K
On Board Seven, Doug Nicholls faced the talented young Nam Anh Nguyen. Doug's trademark fast play contrasted sharply with Nguyen's measured approach at the board. While Nguyen invested time to find the strongest continuations, Doug's rapid decision-making eventually resulted in mistakes that allowed his opponent to seize control and convert the game.
Board Eight
Viktor Gorbunov 1414 K v Rohan Kartick Deepak Krishnan 1288 K
Warndon's second victory of the evening came on Board Eight, where Viktor Gorbunov continued his impressive development as one of the club's most improved adult players. Viktor patiently built a healthy extra pawn advantage and maintained control for much of the game. As one of the final games still in progress, he then demonstrated excellent judgement by sacrificing that pawn to create an unstoppable passed pawn, forcing promotion and securing a well-deserved victory.
Board Nine
Steve Nicholls 1403 P v Kevin Scott 1174 K
Steve Nicholls endured a difficult evening on Board Nine. Problems from the opening left him defending an inferior position from an early stage, and although he continued searching for tactical resources, it came at the cost of valuable time on the clock. Despite his persistence, the position ultimately proved beyond saving, with Kevin Scott converting his advantage.
Board Ten
Default
On Board Ten, Don James was awarded a full point by default after his opponent was unable to play.
Although the final score of 6½–3½ favoured Longbridge, the margin perhaps flatters the visitors. Both Alex Nicholls and Ric Griffith-Read had genuine winning opportunities before ultimately drawing and losing their games, while several other boards were closely contested for long periods.
Results have yet to go our way, but the quality of the opposition and the competitiveness shown across the boards suggest that Warndon's first victory is not far away. As a brand-new club continuing to gain experience together, every match provides valuable lessons - and this team continues to show the resilience and determination needed to turn narrow opportunities into future match wins.
Contact
Alex Nicholls, Club President
Sarah Burgess, Club Secretary
Phone
info@warndonchessclub.co.uk
alex@warndonchessclub.co.uk
sarah@warndonchessclub.co.uk
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