Whether we would want a third team in Division One will be a matter for nearer the end of the season but our C team will certainly play a part in denying points to other contenders. So it was interesting to ponder if we could confound one of the front runners, Clifton B, for a second time this season.

We had an early setback when Tom was unwell on the day and I was drafted in. In fact I could make nothing of the so called advantage of the White pieces and agreed with Simon to call it a grandmaster draw.

The first blood to be spilt was on board three, where Dave was in his customary time trouble and doing his best not to succumb to serious pressure against his King, which had lost some of its pawn cover. But Chris tried to follow up with a check, only to realise a few moments later that his piece was undefended and resigned on the spot.

By then James was building a steady advantage against Oli’s weak Queenside pawns. His knights were both able to wade in and he started winning pawns and attacking in turn both the enemy Queen and King. By the time I left, he had seven pawns against three and the White King was denuded of cover, so I don’t suppose resignation was long coming.

I was pretty confident as I drove home that we would get at least two more draws from the last three games to clinch the match, although I won’t mention my predictions in each case because all three were wrong!

Martin reached an ending with just the bishops and an equal number of pawns remaining. His only slight problem was that Colin had more space and somewhat more active bishops but it looked pretty drawish.

Aleksei was attacking strongly against Mark’s castled King and succeeded in opening the h file. It looked promising but by no means clear cut how to force a win.

Grant was seemingly in a bit of a tangle with his King stuck in the centre but in fact Mathew could make nothing of it and Grant emerged with better piece play, attacking prospects of his own and White’s bishop was restrained by his pawn chain.

The order of events is immaterial but Aleksei was running lower on time and decided that Black had too many defensive opportunities, so agreed a draw. Grant had a fairly small plus but was delighted when his opponent captured a loose rook only to be mated in two moves. Martin’s endgame was reduced to one in which his remaining pawns were impossible to hold onto but by then the match was won.

So a 4-2 victory against one of the promotion contenders leaves us in a top two position for the moment. Who can we upset next?

Ian Pickup