Walker Shield v Herne Bay (a)

Broadstairs  2½       Herne Bay  1½

1. Bob Cronin   (112) 1-0      Ronnie Melhuish (103)
2. Andy Flood   (111) 0-1      Brian Humble (98)
3. Reg Pidduck  (106) ½-½      Jamie Dawson (76)
4. Michael Doyle (89)  1-0      John Heath  (e70)

Reg Pidduck writes:

With the grades to our advantage, it should have been easier than it was but the Herne Bay team gave us a fright.

BOARD 4 . STILL OUR SUPERSUB. Michael’s was a fairly early finish. After winning a rook for nothing, he was always in control.  1-0 to us.

BOARD 3 . DOUBLE CRAMP. This was unusual as after fifteen minutes Jamie got leg cramp and had to get up from the board for five minutes. Blow me down, after about an hour I got the same but mine lasted about ten minutes – so strange. Anyway back to the game. I got the better of Jamie’s French Defence and won a pawn, he got it back but left an isolated pawn in the middle. He stoutly defended it and twice offered a draw which I declined as boards 1 and 2 were unclear at this time. After 20 minutes of trying unsuccessfully to get an advantage I looked again at boards 1 and 2. Bob was two pawns up with rooks left on the board and was looking good, while Andy was fending off an attack. I then took a draw with Jamie. 1½-½ to us

BOARD 2 . BRIAN’S KING SIDE ATTACK. Andy’s fending off Brian’s attack lasted a good dozen moves but in the end Andy resigned. 1½-1½ – a cliffhanger.

BOARD 1 . THE PASSED PAWN. With his two pawn advantage Bob finally got a passed one, but it wasn’t easy as Ronnie used his two rooks cleverly, but Bob came up with his own scheme to get one home, and won us the match.

A  2½-1½ victory – well done team!

Walker Shield v Bridge (a)

Broadstairs  3½       Bridge ½

1. Andy Flood   (113) 1-0      Stuart Honey (e110)
2. Reg Pidduck    (104) ½-½      Shahid Sahi (107)
3. Bob Cronin  (101) 1-0      Graeme Boxall (98)
4. Michael Doyle (80)  1-0      Ray Rennells (82)

 

Reg Pidduck writes:

This win gave us 6/6 in the Walker Shield and with the grades being very even we expected a close match.

BOARD 4. SUPER SUB STRIKES AGAIN. Michael Doyle has a secret weapon, the Birmingham Defence (so named by Tony Miles). It suits his attacking nature as he came out all guns blazing to claim an early finish against Ray Rennells: 1-0

BOARD 2. A PHONE INCIDENT. I played my favourite defence (the Dutch) against Shahid. We ended up with a blocked pawn position with same coloured bishops and I offered a draw but he wanted to play on to see what would transpire. A very quiet phone ring then went off and it wasn’t until Graeme and Shahid both looked at me that I realised it was Shahid’s . I did not claim the game and we agreed the draw: 1½-½

BOARD 3. BOB ON TOP. Bob Cronin’s good form continued against Graeme Boxall as each time I looked he was always comfortable. He ended up in the endgame three pawns to the good and Graeme resigned: 2½-½. (Bob was unbeaten in all his five games played in the Walker Shield this season.)

BOARD 1. SOLID ANDY. Slowly and surely Andy wears his opponents down. Always looking assured, he never looked in trouble and, like Bob, ended three pawns up so Stuart Honey resigned: 3½-½ (Andy was unbeaten in all six games this season.)

Final score 3½-½  and the Walker Shield returns to Broadstairs.

In the six matches there have been 24 games in which we have scored 18½  points and dropped only 5½.   Well done team! (Congratulations, Reg – Ed)

 

Walker Shield v Margate (h)

Broadstairs  2½      Margate  1½

1. Andy Flood   (113) 1-0      Leon Garfield  (101)
2. Reg Pidduck    (104)  1-0      John Clarke (86)
3. Bob Cronin  (101)  ½-½      Roy McAloney (73)
4. Michael Doyle (80)  0-1      Ashley Cordery (41)

Reg Pidduck writes:

Margate needed to beat us to remain in contention for the Walker Shield so it was a hard fought match in this local derby.

BOARD 4. A NASTY FORK. Although Ashley is only graded 41 he is quite a banana skin. Michael set out with a good attacking game and got to a strong position when he fell into a nasty fork from Ashley and resigned. 0-1 down.

BOARD 3. TACTICAL DRAW. Bob faced the decision of gaining a piece for three dangerous pawns. After looking at the positions on boards 1 and 2 He took a tactical draw. Well done Bob: a team-wise decision.  0.5 – 1.5 down.

BOARD 2. THE TRAP. With John choosing a French Defence against my e4, I was happy to set up an early trap which won me a knight for a pawn. With his usual back to the wall defending John lasted well but I finally wore him down. 1.5- 1.5

BOARD 1. TO THE WIRE. After  getting the better of a rook and knight exchange early on, Andy was always looking good. Leon had other ideas and fought back to equalise but in doing so lost valuable time on his clock. Andy kept the pressure on and finally Leon ran out of time. 2.5  –  1.5

This victory means that with five wins out of five with one more match to play in the Walker we cannot be caught.

WELL DONE, TEAM!

 

Walker Shield v Woodnesborough (a)

Broadstairs  2½      Woodnesborough  1½

1. Andy Flood   (113) ½-½      Bryan Rodwell  (100)
2. Reg Pidduck    (104)  0-1      Robin Bellion (e95)
3. Bob Cronin  (101)  1-0      Roy Dawson (75)
4. Michael Doyle (80)  1-0      Rens Bossers  (e60)

Reg Pidduck writes:

With high hopes of winning four out of four in our quest for the Walker Shield, Woodnesborough gave us a fright.

Board 1 EBB AND FLOW.  At first Andy looked all over Brian with  an attack on the castled king side and looking likely to win by 8.30. But Brian kept finding the correct moves to thwart Andy’s mating intentions. After looking at the progress of the other games, Andy took the draw in the blocked position. ½-½

Board 2. NEW MAN. Robin is a new player for the Woody team and has only mainly been playing online but he is a worthy opponent and a great find. After getting the better of me in a French Defence opening, he started a pawn storm on my castled king. I countered with an attack of my own in a very complex position and got caught with a knight fork. After the skirmish had ended, I was a knight down which was enough to finish me in a pawn ending.  ½-1½ down

Board 4. SUPER SUB.  Michael Doyle set out straight away to attack down the A file and was never in any trouble. Rens defended stoutly  but Michael eventually found the right combination to finish him off. A great win for our substitute.  1½-1½

Board 3. NO PRESSURE. Bob C. looked at me as if to say ‘no pressure then’ when I told him the score so far but he came up trumps after an exchange which left him a whole rook up and he then finished off Roy fairly easily.  So a win 2½-1½.  Two more games to go in the Walker Shield.

Walker Shield v Woodnesborough (h)

Broadstairs  4       Woodnesborough  0

1. Andy Flood   (113) 1-0       Mark Towlson (101)
2. David Wheatley (106) 1-0      Bryan Rodwell  (100)
3. Reg Pidduck    (104) 1-0       Rens Bossers  (e 60)
4. Bob Cronin  (101) 1-0        Susan Green  (47)

Reg Pidduck writes:

Although we outgraded this Woody team on every board,  it was hard work.

BOARD 2.  David was first to wear down Brian Rodwell to set us into a lead. Although I was sitting next to them, my game was taking all my attention:  1 -0 to us.

BOARD 1.  Following a shaky start with a French Defence, Andy gradually got back to an even position. After swapping off pieces, he was able to get a passed pawn. With more pieces coming off, the pawn was out of Mark’s reach and he resigned: 2-0 to us.

BOARD 4.  Bob’s game against Sue Green looked likely for a long time to be the first to finish as she had lost her queen for a bishop. But a tenacious Sue kept Bob at bay, ducking and diving in the hope Bob would mess up. Eventually her luck ran out and Bob secured our third win: 3-0 to us

BOARD 3 .  Young Rens Bossers,  at an estimated grade of 60, could prove to be a vital asset to the Woody team as his concentration on the game and his time taken on every move took all my attention in our three-hour game. Finally I was able to win a bishop and wear him down.

So, a hard fought 4-0 win to us.   That is now played three won three in our quest for the Walker Cup.