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Atticus 2 lose out to Hoylake 14/1/20

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Written by iluveu

Category: Atticus 2

Published: 15 January 2020

A disappointing end to the 1st half of the season for Atticus 2 but credit to last years Champions Hoylake for putting in a great performance. The Atticus 2 Team remains on top of the league with a fine record of 11/14 points. Well done to Luke Boumphrey who won again and has a record of 5.5/7.

The team will now be flying out at the weekend to the wonderful AlphaZero Training Camp before the much awaited  Mega Derby Clash with Atticus 1 on January 27th.

Good Win for Atticus 4

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Written by jw

Category: Atticus 4

Published: 14 January 2020

Another excellent team performance which, at the half-way stage, takes us 2 pts clear and with a narrow board - difference advantage over our nearest rivals (Wallasey B) at the top of Division 3.

I had what I thought was a close game against the ever improving Luke Maher. However, I doubt if he’ll read it that way as he worked towards a pretty little combo that left me dead in the water!

Mike Williams felt that the other games were going our way and was content to take the draw against Dave Leeming as a consequence.

Tom Webb got a big advantage out of the opening only to see much of it evaporate before his eyes as Sean Robinson fought his way back into contention. However, Tom managed to maintain the edge and then use it to force his way home with a very satisfying finish.

Mark Wadsworth had what appeared to be a close game against Bashar Rovezi but had enough in the tank for the win.

Howard Sleeman, meanwhile, wrapped his game up after winning Peter Mellors Queen.

Steve Winstanely had a fine end game victory over Barbara Novak.

Getting the Band Back Together!

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Written by Sanjoy Banergee

Category: Wirral League

Published: 11 January 2020

“Who taught me to dive into a dewdrop –

To nestle in a nutshell –

To gambol upon gossamer?”

A contest between two evenly matched teams took what appears a one-sided scoreline due to some very close games, which just happened to go our way.  An exception was Jim’s win against Adam Hodgson.  Jim trapped Adam’s queen on move ten, and spent the rest of the game giving back material in order to simplify into a won rook and pawn endgame.  Yet the pace of this game was similar to a blitz contest.  As I cast an eye on their scoresheet, they had sailed past thirty-five moves, while Liam and I were still on move twelve!

Next to finish was John Lawton, who create a supported passed pawn which was the decisive factor in another game which went all the way down to the endgame, in this case with king and pawns only.

Natasha had essayed a Reti, which as attests to the flexibility of this opening, transposed to a QGD.  She held a pawn advantage for the lion’s share of the game, yet the initiative seemed to pass to and fro.  The final position was agreed as drawn, with some justice, but a subtly nuanced contest.

We secured the match when Liam and I halved, and the final scoreline was given added lustre as Steve Philp punished a critical oversight by the otherwise solid Dave Ashton.

It was great to have Steve back in our line-up, and back in town for a couple of weeks.  Those who have not had a chance to catch up with him yet are encouraged to join us for a night of jollification and jazz in Frederiks Bar on Hope Street next Tuesday night!  

We have now garnered nine out of the last ten points available, yet with only three more matches left this season, we may have to settle for kingmaker, since a sluggish start leaves promotion just out of grasp.  Yet the ethos of a ‘B’ team in the Wirral League is to provide opportunity for additional games for players in the ‘challenger’ bracket of the club, so if you feel you would like to take up the challenge, just drop me a line.

Wirral League Result 8/1/20

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Written by Mr Klopp

Category: Club News

Published: 09 January 2020

Hedgehogs Climbing Everest

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Written by Sanjoy Banergee

Category: Atticus 3

Published: 07 January 2020

“Is it weakness of intellect, birdie?" I cried

"Or a rather tough worm in your little inside"

With a shake of his poor little head, he replied

"Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!"

After a tough baptism this season, Atticus 3 are now able to approach games with some optimism and what is a rather more settled squad.  We were without Martin for this fixture, which enabled me to slip back into an otherwise unchanged team from our win against Skelmersdale, yet I have always found Prescot a tough venue to play at. 

The early signs were that the “Alder Road hoodoo” was in full grip as Dave blundered early and was compelled to resign on the spot.  Matters look bleak when Brian and John both succumbed to kingside attacks in what looked to be textbook like games from their opponent. 

Three to zip and I was beginning to wonder if we were about to begin the new decade with dark chapter, but resilience is the watchword for this team.  Steve has been unbeaten for us this season, yet recognised that only a full point would do, navigated his way through an ultra-tactical skirmish in the French Defence to emerge the exchange ahead and duly convert the endgame. 

L’arme secret seemed to be in a more subdued mood that I am accustomed to seeing, deploying his pieces in a quasi-hedgehog, with the familiar demilitarised zone of the fifth rank, and waiting for white to over-extend.  The last I witnessed of this game, Ben was wiggling his finger calculating an exchange that was winning, before playing the devasting Nxb4+ 

But by such a time, my own game was entering its final stages.  My opponent played the intriguingly named “Siesta Variation” of the Ruy Lopez Deferred Steinitz, which is essentially like the Schliemann with d6.  In any case, I was not caught napping (!) and gained a free pawn.  Enough is as good a feast, and helping myself to seconds on b7 was a mistake and led to a long period on the back-foot, but managing to trade dark-squared bishops and the queen for two rooks, resulting in a Q+Kt+5P v 2R+B+3P endgame, where I was always comfortable. 

It was only after my opponent resigned that I learnt Ben had also duly converted and we had climbed our Everest.  We are now unbeaten in four matches, and reach halfway comfortably mid-table, having played every fixture as underdogs.  A great team effort in the first half of the season, and leaving me with much optimism for the second half!