Match J – QF

Played 18 July 2019, at Barking

Another close QF with the visitors overturning a grading disadvantage with some sterling results.

WANSTEAD B now have a Semi-Final appointment with Loughton. Both teams are due for a Home fixture, but Loughton, with one Away match and a venue-neutral Bye have the prior claim.

Semi-Final, Match L will therefore be Loughton at Home to WANSTEAD B.

Match Commentary by John White

Round 1
Barking edged ahead with wins on boards 1 and 3 being offset by a loss on board 2. Barking had won the exchange on board 4 but the position was too blocked for the Wanstead player to be in any trouble.

Round 2
Early on, board 4 had been another draw from a blocked position and Wanstead were the exchange ahead on board 3 (andwould eventually win).
Barking were a pawn ahead on board 5 and also had pressure on board 2 and board 1 looked equal so Barking would win on board count if things stayed the same.

However, disaster struck as the Barking board 5 blundered the exchange when a pawn ahead and with board 3 also being lost, this left Barking one down with only two games still in play.

In the previous round in the same situation, Jeff Goldberg had managed to pull off a win but there was to be no miracle this time. The winning margin might have been more as the Wanstead Board 1, having turned down a draw, was unlucky later on to let his opponent escape with a draw by giving perpetual check.

After the previous match, I made the point that Barking’s lower boards needed to do better and this didn’t happen.

Match Commentary by Mark Murrell

A classic knockout match with an unusual twist. Wanstead B were unchanged from the team that entertained Thurrock. Barking A were back to pretty much full strength with Colin Ramage claiming the bottom berth this time out after their opening round fright.

Once again Barking A took the first round by a single point. With Philip testing the waters with an exchange sac in a closed position and Alin not getting a sniff out of Colin, two draws on the bottom two piled the pressure on Wanstead’s top order. An advanced pawn was enough for Peter to defeat Larry whilst Kyan gained the scalp of Jeff to add to this season’s collection. Vladimir meanwhile was holding his own against David Sands but David managed to create too many sustained threats as time pressure played its part, to give Barking their slender lead.

It looked like being an uphill task for Wanstead, with Barking having good board count wins in the bag. The only saving grace was three whites in the second leg.
Philip with black and skipper John agreed terms relatively early, with Barking looking to exploit their grading advantage on the top three boards. Wins in close succession from Alin and Larry suddenly gave Wanstead the lead making full use of the white pieces. Tables turned with the top two boards to play.

Vladimir, suitably warmed up from the first leg, also with white, was playing a blinder against David on top board, positionally ahead as well as on the clock. Jeff meanwhile was trying to exploit some air arround Kyan’s king caused by slightly advanced pawns, with each advance being rebuffed. Both players came down to increments, with Kyan holding his nerve to secure the draw leaving David needing to win to take the match on board count.

Meanwhile Vladimir had penetrated Black’s defences creating a passed pawn. Whilst David set about creating a perpetual check opportunity for his queen in a Q and N and pawns ending, Vladimir was creating a mating net with accurate precision. A move away from checkmate, Vladimir’s pawn reached the 8th. In the melee of pieces to chose from Vladimir picked up a knight by mistake and completed the promotion, giving David the critical tempo to enter behind enemy lines with his queen and check to boot.  Promotion to queen or bishop would have been mate, both were in reach. With nowhere to hide for his King a draw was agreed as Vlad’s time advantage ran out. So close… the only consulation being that the draw was enough. Over the board Vlad deserved so much more than his half-point. Tables turned indeed in an all round team effort. It’s been quite a year for Wanstead’s second string.