report-4-19
BLACKPOOL & FYLDE CHESS LEAGUES
REPORT 4 - January 2020
In Division A, Morecambe edged closer to Preston Firsts with a 3 - 2 win over Preston Seconds. While Glen House, John Lyth, Richard Collins and Michael Farthing earned draws against Peter Jowett, Conor Reaney, Philip Taylor and Cliff Rutlidge, Morecambe's board 4, Alan Giles, secured the vital victory over Peter Thompson. In the only other Division A match - the battle of the wooden-spoon-teams fixture - Poulton Firsts scored their first win of the season against Lytham Firsts, who thus remain without a victory. Poulton's David Phillips and young Ben Fearnhead defeated Kit Hopkins and Peter Wilson respectively but Lytham's David “Gambit-man” Aspinall snatched a point back against Paul Fearnhead. John Cooper v Oleg Cukovs and Phil Raynor v Peter Garrett were draws thus leaving Poulton as the 2 - 3 winners.
Division B saw a change of fortune for the Lytham Chess Club when their strong Seconds team beat Poulton Seconds by 0.5 - 3.5, to head the table. On board 1, Phil Raynor's exchange sacrifice paid off in the end-game against Simon Rogers. David Aspinall and Peter Wilson also won beating H Grundy and Liam Bromley while Ken Gorman fought hard to avert a whitewash by drawing with Ray Pomeroy. In the other game in this division, Bispham defeated Preston Thirds to climb off the foot of the table. Their board 2 Jakub Sosinski and board 3 Keith Wilcox overcame Paul O'Mara and Joss Daune and even though Andy De Santos beat Bispham's Peter Wallace on board 4, the top board draw between Blaine McGrady and Geoffrey Pennington sealed the victory for Bispham.
The Lytham chess club Thirds also shot up to top the table in Division C with two victories in the month. The first win was against their own Fourth team in a very close contest. The Fourths board 1 Keith Sansom earned a very creditable draw against the higher graded Bob Tinton and their Board 3 Marvin Carbin scored a fine rook and pawn ending victory over Pat Coleman. Colin Wilks beat John Cox to level the score and, in the very last seconds before his flag fell, John Regan found a mate to defeat Simon Dale resulting in a 2.5 - 1.5 final score. Lytham Thirds then beat Poulton Thirds by 0.5-3.5 with wins for Colin Wilks, Pat Coleman and John Regan against Dave Hartley, David McCormick and Peter Ayling respectively. Poulton's board 2, Boris Garanins saved the whitewash by drawing with Ray Pomeroy. Lytham Thirds and Fourths both have 6 points but the Thirds win difference is 6 as opposed to the 2 for the Fourths. Leyland have 2 points but have only played 2 games thus far.
Last Update: 1/2/20 - JBC