Turan starts Lichfield career with exciting win

Cannock Division 1

Turan Asgarova, Lichfield’s new top player with a 2070 rating started her career with an exciting victory as Rugeley were hammered 3.5 -0.5. Both Turan and her opponent were running desperately short of time with the game heading for a possible agreed draw when Turan’s Knight forked two Rooks, Her opponent ran out of time a move or two later.

Maurice Staples defeated Matthew Carr on board 2 and, Gary Monks drew on board 3 and Albert Chacko overcame a near 200 point rating deficit to beat Luke Sullivan on board 4.

Big defeat follows big win

Cannock Division 3

Lichfield’s 3B swept to victory in their first match of the season but found the going much harder in their second match against Lichfield 3A, losing 3-1.

Albert Chacko is now up against stronger opponents following his superb 24-25 season and he was involved in a tricky endgame and lost against the B team’s Brian Homewood on board 1. That was as good as it got for the A squad however with John Fryer losing to Phil Sykes on board 2, Stephen Shields losing to Rob Frost and Elliot Ward losing to Maurizio Barravalle on board 4.

Phil Sykes won a Queen race and was also a Bishop up, securing a solid victory. Rob managed his time well and when Stephen began to lose his grip on the position he prouced a mating sequence. (Match played 11th Sept).

Second newcomer also starts with a win

Birmingham League Division 3

John Staniforth of Rushall who has opted to join Lichfield as a second club to get games in the Birmingham League, showed a resolute defence and his opponent eventually lost on time as John stepped up the pressure. On top board it was a similar story with Tony Green’s opponent blundering under pressure. So, wins on boards one and three but Warley Quinborne did better on the lower boards and the match was drawn 3-3.

With Mike Hoare forgetting he had a match Marc Carter stepped in and put up gallant losing resistance against an opponent rated 500 more. His son Bowie Carter gained a slight advantage which ultimately led to a draw and captain Adam Routledge drew his game after geting into a Rook and pawn finish. Yuriy Slobodyuk lost a piece and the game. (Match played 11th September)

Off the mark with a crunching win

Cannock League

Lichfield Cannock 3B skipper John Fryer picked his strongest possible team for the match with Rugeley and although there was not much in it grading wise Lichfield romped to a 3.5 – 0.5 win.

In an English opening John’s opponent conceded a Knight but despite that a dangerous two edged position developed in which John could win the exchange at the cost of potential mating threats.Instead he gave the piece back to secure a safer position. Opponent Oliver Johnson then blundered a Bishop and after that it was a mopping up operation.

Stephen Shields won on board three and Elliot Ward continued his impressive form of last season to win on board four. Gary Monks drew on board one.