Two vital relegation matches this week, with mixed fortunes for our teams.

On Wednesday we faced Streatham 1 in the London League, hoping for at least a draw.

A great result against a higher rated team, with excellent wins from Mike, Caspar and John, the last two against much higher rated opponents. It could have been even better as well, with Iain and Alastair both erring in time trouble. Alastair also missed a win in the opening.

Here’s the current league table. We’re not mathematically safe yet, but Lewisham’s last two matches are against Cavendish and Wood Green.

The following evening our TVA team faced Kingston A, perhaps the strongest amateur club team in Britain, who, following their usual maximalist policy, fielded an exceptionally strong team with an IM down on board 4.

The whitewash wasn’t unexpected. We had chances in several games but didn’t take them. Alastair and Ian were both level until committing immediately fatal oversights.

Congratulations to Kingston, who may well be, at least by some measures, the best chess club in the country at the moment. They’re covering all bases, finishing 2nd (as CSC/Kingston) in the 4NCL, fielding very strong teams in local leagues, running internal competitions, doing a lot of community outreach, and they will be starting a junior club, which I’m sure will be very successful, later in the year.

Even a point in this match might have made a big difference, as you’ll see from the current league table.

We’re assuming only one team will be relegated. Wimbledon A, who won Division 2 will want to be promoted, but we understand that Maidenhead B, who have finished 2nd, will probably decline promotion.

Ealing A travel to Kingston B on Monday, needing a win to overtake both Surbiton and ourselves on game points. If they win, we’ll need to draw our last match against Hammersmith on 28 May to be certain of staying up. A 2½-3½ defeat will leave us level with Surbiton and facing a play-off for survival.

Thanks, as always, to all who played in this week’s matches, especially Caspar, John and Alastair who played in both of them.