Every year we seem to be paired against Surbiton in the Thames Valley League’s knock-out cup. This time we met in the first round, otherwise known as the quarter finals.

It was one of those matches. Sometimes everyone is available and we have too many players, but on other days we struggle to find anyone at all. With only half a dozen boards to fill we were expecting no problem, even with the D team also in action, but it looked until shortly before the start that we were going to be a player short.

Mike had to pick his mother up from hospital but she was unexpectedly released earlier than expected so he was able to make the match.

In a six board match with Gavin and Mike playing we always have a chance. At one point things were not looking good: Raghu and Maks both lost fairly quickly with White and I was in trouble as well. But we fought back, with wins on the top two boards. My opponent miscalculated and lost the exchange, but I in turn let the win slip, and a drawn ending was reached. In the last game to finish Chris was a pawn up in a bishops of opposite colours ending against his higher graded opponent. A draw was again agreed, leaving Richmond the winners on board count.

 

	Richmond		Surbiton
1	Gavin Wall 222	1:0	Mark Josse 201
2	Mike Healey 205	1:0	Jasper Tambini 200
3	Chris White 167	½:½	Oliver Gill 200
4	Raghu Kamath 168	0:1	Paul Shepherd 184
5	Richard James 170	½:½	Ian Henderson 183
6	Maks Gajowniczek –	0:1	Nick Faulks 169
		3:3