After promotion in Season 10 with seven wins from seven games, “A” are finding Division One tough going with four successive losses; the last three by the same margin of 2½-1½. Board One was drawn with plenty of material left on the board, whilst the next two boards were also halved in classic endgames where neither side could make any progress. Unfortunately the final board ended with a lost king and pawn ending so both the game and the match were lost.
The “B” team lost ground losing to Oxford 2. In both games with the White pieces, the Oxford players made progress on the Kings side with the Ashfield black pieces stuck on the opposite wing. There was no hope to be gained from the other two games which were both halved giving Oxford a comfortable win.
Board One started with a very peculiar position; Chess base gives it as a 73% winning chance for Black and so it proved as White was penned in by two rooks. Some injudicious pawn grabbing resulted in White leaving his uncastled King exposed with his Queen elsewhere. The king was forced out and checkmated. Black converted with a routine win on Board Three whilst Board Four was totally equal and the point was shared. Team “C” move into 2nd .
Games can be viewed online here.