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- Written by Mr Klopp
- Category: Club News
CREWE CHESS CLUB v ATTICUS CHESS CLUB
ON-LINE (LICHESS) CHESS CHALLENGE MATCH
45MINS + 15 SECS INCREMENT
WEDNESDAY JULY 22nd 2020
MATCH REPORT
CREWE CHESS CLUB USER NAME (Lichess) ECF RESULT ATTICUS CHESS CLUB USER NAME (Lichess) ECF
1 Karl Lockett ZZCrewe 148 1-0 Tom Bimpson tombimpson 175
2 Rick Renegade DONT_WALK_OFF 137 1-0 Sanjoy Banerjee sanjoybanerjee 135
3 Harry Gardiner gingerninja2003 135 0-1 Steve Burge SteveJB 131
4 Neville Layhe Whitevanman 121 1-0 Mark Wadsworth AtticusChallenger 128
5 Dave Price baldrickprice 119 1-0 Tom Webb TomWebb 128
6 Lukasz Michalek Good-40-percent 113 1-0 Chris Wentworth chriswent 123
7 Martin Gill Beemerman318 108 1-0 Jim Wiseman (Capt) JimWiz20 121
8 Andrew Crosby Portlover 96 1-0 Lee Webster leebster *130
7 - 1
David Hulme (Non-playing Captain)
*130: LeeWebster Jan 2020 ECF Grade based on 5 games only played at Heywood
Congress in 2019. Most recent previous grade (2004) = 94; Between 1994 & 2003 (incl)
grades ranged between 84 & 102 . I have discussed this with Crewe Captain David Hulme
and estimated his current grade to be somewhere between 115-120.
Despite being clearly out-graded on paper, history will record that Crewe Chess Club delivered a sound thrashing to Atticus. Only Steve Burge of Atticus managed to get a result with the rest of us all getting beaten. There were times during the match when it looked like Atticus might do better, although to be fair, I think Crewe always looked like winning on the night.
I feel the match was played in a good spirit by both sides and well done to Crewe for their magnificent performance.
Thanks to all the players and to Dave Hulme (Crewe’s non-playing captain) for making this an easy and enjoyable event to organise.
Jim Wiseman
(Atticus Capt
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- Written by John Redmond
- Category: Club News
The 4NCL Online will be returning on a fortnightly basis from 25 August - 15 December for season 2. (A third season will start in the New Year.)
After our exploits in the first season Atticus should be entitled to enter at least 2 teams (of 4) - one in Division 2 and one in Division 4. It would be very useful to see how much interest there is to play. Please send your thoughts to me about availability etc so I can start to gauge how many teams we can enter.
Thanks,
John Redmond (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
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- Written by sjb
- Category: Club News
Atticus have been challenged to an online Lichess match on July 22nd at 19h30,
Time control will be 45mins plus 15 seconds.
So far we have a team of 7 players but would welcome any more players who might like to join in. Crewe have suggested they could field up to 17 players.
Please Contact Organiser Jim Wiseman ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for further details or if you would like to join the team.
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- Written by sjb
- Category: Club News
The Club has received the sad news that long time member Dave Healiss has recently passed away. An obituary will be posted shortly.
Dave last played for Atticus 2 in the Championship winning team of 2016/17. That season he turned out in every match and had an excellent record of 10/14.
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- Written by Mr Klopp
- Category: Club News
Good News The Cross Keys Pub is able to Re-Open this weekend.
https://www.crosskeysliverpool.co.uk/index
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- Written by blues brothers
- Category: Club News
Celebrate the Summer Solstice
with the
Atticus Blues Brothers
Encore from Atticus Blues Brothers
FAB1
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- Written by John Redmond
- Category: Club News
4NCL Online Rounds 9 and 10.
Both Atticus teams had a tough time in the 4NCL. For the individual player, the format requires considerable adjustment of mental and physical habits. After 10 rounds it was something of a relief that the whole thing was over. However, we enjoyed the challenge and we have not played our last match in the competition.
Atticus A 1½ - 2½ Sussex Social Isolators
| Redmond, John P. | 2327 e | ½ - ½ | Cumming, Rhys | 2299 | ||
| Kennaugh, Charles W | f | 2249 | ½ - ½ | Blake, J Morgan | 2147 e | |
| Kee, Steve | 2155 e | 0 - 1 | Bucher, Grant W | 2119 | ||
| James, David J | f | 2147 e | ½ - ½ | Lunn, Matthew | 2087 e | |
| 1½ - 2½ | ||||||
In Round 9 there was another narrow defeat for Atticus A. Meanwhile Atticus B did well to win what turned out to be their last match:
Atticus B 3-1 Harrow 3
| Boumphrey, Luke S | 2020 e | 1 - 0 | Manmay Chopra | 1855 e | ||
| Rothwell, James P | 1892 e | 1 - 0 | Stotz, Martin | 1780 u | ||
| Banerjee, Sanjoy K | 1720 e | 0 - 1 | O'Neill, Richard | 1645 u | ||
| Blasczyk, Martin | 1690 c | 1 - 0 | Stott, David A | 1510 c | ||
| 3 - 1 | ||||||
The opponents of Atticus B, Surbiton, defaulted in the final round after a controversy related to cheating. Atticus A incurred a narrow defeat:
Gonzaga B Sharps 2½ - 1½ Atticus A
| Kanyamarala, Trisha | wi | 2201 | 1 - 0 | Redmond, John P. | 2327 e | |
| Miller, Ioana | wf | 2185 | 0 - 1 | Kennaugh, Charles W | f | 2249 |
| Moran, Stephen | 2195 | 1 - 0 | Kee, Steve | 2155 e | ||
| Jackson, Carl | 2021 | ½ - ½ | James, David J | f | 2147 e | |
| 2½ - 1½ | ||||||
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- Written by John Redmond
- Category: Club News
You wait seven rounds for a victory, then two come along at once ...
Atticus A 3-1 West is Best 1
| 2327e | John Redmond | 1 | 0 | IM Jack Rudd | 2331 |
| 2249 | FM Charlie Kennaugh | 1 | 0 | FM Jon Blackburn | 2235 |
| 2155e | Steve Kee | 1 | 0 | CM Tim Kett | 2178 |
| 2147e | FM Dave James | 0 | 1 | CM Alex Bullen | 2116 |
| 3 | 1 |
Most of the players in this match knew each other well - the Atticus team contains past and present players for West is Best, as well as the team with they merged with some years ago, the South Wales Dragons. Meanwhile WIB fielded Jon Blackburn, a former Atticus player. Probably this shared history helped the Atticus players as, unlike in some other matches, we 'knew where we stood'. Dave James was a bit unlucky in his encounter with the WIB captain. He built up a nice classical advantage on the Q-side, targeting an isolated c-pawn, but then near the end of the session allowed a tragic fork. My own game say me depart unsuccesfully from theoretical paths and I could have been a good deal worse in the middlegame. Jack, who typically plays quickly and 'all-in', missed a strong continuation then turned down a repetition he should have taken. From that point on his attack on the K-side went rapidly backwards. Charlie and Steve had longer-lasting games which were good value for the spectators. Charlie seemed a bit worse out of the opening, but then Jon seemed to get carried away and, in time-pressue, appeared to sacrifice a Rook incorrectly. Charlie held his nerve to convert. Like me, Steve Kee had faced a perhaps overenthusiastic 'sacrifice' of Bishop and Knight for Rook and pawn and was always going to be better if he could securely anchor his minor pieces. Steve finished the game off with an elegant mating-attack. This confirmed our first match-win.
Atticus B 3½-½ War & Piece
| 2020e | Luke Boumphrey | ½ | ½ | James Ward | 1742 |
| 1892e | James Rothwell | 1 | 0 | Munroe Morrison | 1717 |
| 1720e | Sanjoy Banerjee | 1 | 0 | Stephen O'Neill | 1457c |
| 1660c | Mark Wadsworth | 1 | 0 | Jimmy Blair | 1375c |
| 3½ | ½ |
The second team also won. Luke had an interesting opposite-coloured Bishop ending where his opponent found the resource of going into a 'Bishop-plus-wrong-rook-pawn' ending. Sanjoy acquired a terrible pair of passed c- and d-pawns which ended up steamrollering his opponent. Mark went a few pawns up and converted in the ending. James was successful against the Scotch game, winning a miniature. So a successful night for the club in what has been a tough competition.
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- Written by John Redmond
- Category: Club News
Although there were some bright spots, Round 7 was a tough experience for the Atticus teams again..
Atticus A 1½-2½ Wood Green Monarchs
| 2327e | John Redmond | 1 | 0 | IM Joseph McPhillips | 2425 |
| 2249 | FM Charlie Kennaugh | 0 | 1 | IM David FItzsimons | 2334 |
| 2155e | Steve Kee | 0 | 1 | IM Jovanka Houska | 2381 |
| 2147e | FM David James | ½ | ½ | FM Michael De Verdier | 2302 |
| 1½ | 2½ |
In this match we were out-rated on every board, and facing a team of three IMs and one FM. Steve had a tough time in his favoured Bird's Opening - he managed to make progress on both wings but IM Houska - who is quite a classical player - made a more decisive breakthrough in the centre. Charlie had good chances to draw a Rook ending. According to him, he had "eight different moves" which drew, but instead played a ninth - which lost. Dave James had more success on the Black side of a Queen's Indian. White emerged from the opening with the two Bishops but Dave had a strong Knight on d4 and always looked actively-placed. In the end White decided to sac an exchange in order to force a draw. In my own game, my opponent went straight down a line where I have had a lot of success - the Delayed Exchange Variation of the King's Indian (I think I am 5-0 with this in 'serious' games.) This is a harmless line if Black is happy to draw, but if Black wants to win (and why else play the King's Indian?) it can be surprisingly harmful. Black went wrong early (arguably, after move 9, he was lost) and the game was over in 22 moves.
Bon Accord B 3½-½ Atticus B
| 1872 | Richard Jennings | 1 | 0 | Luke Boumphrey | 2020e |
| 1820 | Theodoros Vasilidias | 1 | 0 | Steve Burge | 1675c |
| 1757c | Ross Brennan | 1 | 0 | Mark Wadsworth | 1660c |
| 1757e | Alisdair McLeod | ½ | ½ | Jim Wiseman | 1622e |
| 3½ | ½ |
I also did not see anything of the games in our Division 4 match. We had no success on Boards 1-3. Jim Wiseman felt he should have won his game and was a bit disappointed with his draw.
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- Category: Club News
Round 4:
Atticus A 2-2 Shropshire 1
Although we should probably have done better, in this match we did collect our first point of the competition. The format seems to induce odd opening-decisions and for no good reason I left my repertoire around move 7 - I ended up thinking for ages and then blundering in the tactical-exchanges. Steve and Charlie had nice voctories while Dave James's good run in the competition came to an end.
Atticus B 1-3 Battersea Howitzers.
Atticus B were outgunned by the Howitzers.
Round 5:
Atticus A 1-3 Oxford
On paper, we were reasonably matched but got soundly beaten.
To Be Decided 4-0 Atticus B
Again, on paper, this should have been an even contest. However, we got steamrollered.
Round 6:
Anglian Avengers 3-1 Atticus A
We were a little out-rated in this match but could have hoped to do better.
Atticus B 2-2 Phone Pals
Atticus B finally got themselves a match-point. This was mainly thanks to Jim Wiseman's timely debut and Mark's return. Luke had a challenging assignment on Board 1 and came off second-best. James Rothwell appeared well-placed in a closed position but then fell victim to a tricky Queen-trap. Mark had a fairly wild-looking game where he held his nerve to bring home the victory. Jim won a piece relatively early and duly converted.