Sandwich Juniors Victorious!

December 2nd was a very cold day, with a yellow weather warning for ice having only just expired in the hours before the match. Sandwich sent its top six to Folkestone (sadly minus George, our top board back in June) to avenge a narrow defeat at the first time of asking, the team consisting of Ethan, Daniel, Samson, Nico, Aayush and Conor. Once again the time control was 10|5 and the contest a six-round all-play-all in which each player took on all six members of the opposing team.

The players before the start of the match

Perhaps the chilly temperature (mitigated by plenty of warm drinks and snacks, courtesy of Folkestone’s coach Matthew Cussens) focused our players’ minds. They started as they meant to go on with an impressive 5-1 scoreline in Round 1, albeit with the white pieces, to answer the 5½-1½ deficit Sandwich took on at the same stage back in June. However, with the black pieces they fared less well, and a couple of careless errors late in the game gave Folkestone 3-3 in Round 2 and hopes of a resurgence.

However, this was to be Folkestone’s only draw (or win) in the six rounds, as Sandwich ramped up the pressure. Middlegames were well controlled, with small positional concessions being won and built upon. Endgames were well executed, sometimes with hesitation but often with impressive confidence. In the Round 4 clash of the teams’ top-performing stars, Samson withstood a fierce attack from Folkestone’s top seed Tom with the white pieces, absorbing immense pressure to fend off the attack and hold on to the extra material for an excellent win. Daniel also did well to hold Tom to a draw in the following round.

The players in action

The final standings are testament to the hard work being done and significant progress being made by Sandwich’s junior squad at the moment. Samson, who is our first junior to hold a full ECF standardplay rating above 1500 and is top of the table in Group B of the (adult) Club Championship (equal with Daniel), won all six of his games. Aayush, whose rapidplay rating has already bounced back above 1000 thanks to his commitment to regular tournament play, won an impressive 5 out of 6. Ethan and Daniel weren’t far behind with 4½ points out of 6, and the third member of this Manwood’s trio, Conor, had a good day too with 4 out of 6. Nico scored a solid 3 out of 6, having let a couple of better positions slip through his fingers. For Folkestone Tom finished on 4½ (and will probably be disappointed not to have scored more), Louis scored 3, and rising star Siah impressed both coaches with his thoughtful play on his way to a creditable 1½ points against tough opposition.

The final score at the end of the six rounds was 27–9 in favour of Sandwich Juniors, which is a comprehensive victory against a club which, it has be to said, has a membership more than twice the size of ours. However, we shouldn’t be complacent, as undoubtedly Folkestone has a number of strong players who didn’t put themselves forward for this match. Perhaps the result will spur them on to throw their hats into the ring for the next one! Meanwhile, discussions are already under way for a B-team encounter against Folkestone later in the season. Click here to view the full match results on the ECF League Management System.

Jon Hunt v John Thorley

[Event "Club Friendly"] [Site "St Clement's Hall"] [Date "2023.10.31"] [Round "?"] [White "Jon Hunt"] [Black "John Thorley"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1586"] [BlackElo "1639"] [EventDate "2023.10.31"] [ECO "A04"] [PlyCount "87"] {In my second encounter against John, I quickly lost patience with his careful positional play and launched a violent kingside offensive. It didn't work, but it did lead to a wild and entertaining game, and an outrageous steal for me at the end!} 1.Nf3 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bf4 e6 4.Nbd2 Nf6 5.e3 d5 6.Ne5 Be7 7.Ndf3 $5 {Up to now, our meanderings were all within theory, but this move and the next from White really do stir things up.} 7...h6 8.g4 $5 Ne4 9.Bg2 $6 ( {Really, I should have pushed the second pawn at once:} 9.h4 $1 {and now e.g.} 9...c5 10.Bb5+ Kf8 {looks promising for White.} ) 9...g5 $1 {I agree with John. This thoroughly frustrates White's ambitions on the kingside, at least for now.} 10.Bg3 Nxg3 $2 {But this is a common mistake. Black does not want to let White open lines now.} 11.hxg3 $1 c5 12.Nxf7 $2 {This blows a nice position for White. It is of course thoroughly overly optimstic, when Black's defence is relatively easy to find.} 12...Kxf7 13.Ne5+ {This is a one-trick pony.} 13...Kg7 $1 14.Qd3 Qe8 {Once Black has covered g6 like this, the danger is over and White is a piece for a pawn down for nothing.} 15.c3 Nd7 16.f4 $1 {White goes all-in, and there's merit in the push of the f-pawn here.} 16...Nxe5 17.dxe5 $1 Qd7 $6 {I could tell that John was baffled and a bit lost. That was the point of all this, really. I wanted to unsettle him, and I had done so.} 18.c4 $1 {There is a useful pin against the Black queen.} 18...d4 ( {However, Black can offer this equally useful counterpin:} 18...Ba6 $1 ) 19.e4 Raf8 20.f5 $5 {Bold, at least. By putting a rook on the f-file Black has really covered off this initiative, but it's gutsy of White to try anyway.} 20...exf5 $2 ( 20...Bd8 $1 21.O-O-O Qc7 {ensures ...Qxe5.} ) 21.gxf5 Kg8 22.g4 ( 22.e6 $1 {shouts the engine, but after} 22...Qc7 23.O-O-O g4 $1 {I couldn't see a way for White to proceed.} ) 22...Qc7 {It's amazing how the two sides are so polarised - Black plays entirely on the dark squares, and White on the light.} 23.e6 Bd6 $2 {This awkward plan is arguably Black's downfall in the ensuing play, but it might just as easily have won him the game.} 24.Kf2 $6 ( 24.O-O-O $1 {was right, but the unorthodox Kf2 at least gave my opponent pause. He clearly did want ...Bg3.} ) 24...Bf4 $1 25.Qh3 $5 {White also has a plan - if he can get away with it...} 25...Qe5 $2 ( 25...h5 $1 {is the move that calls my bluff (and I kind of knew it), and now} 26.gxh5 Qe5 27.Rae1 Rh6 28.Rhf1 Kg7 29.Re2 Rfh8 {is a simple and direct way to bust White's game.} ) 26.Rae1 Be3+ {John decried this move as soon as he had played it, but in fact it was better than he knew.} 27.Ke2 $4 ( 27.Rxe3 dxe3+ 28.Qxe3 {is necessary, but thoroughly grovelling.} ) 27...Bxe4 $1 {The HIARCS engine reports -7 to Black. How did I ever come back from this?} 28.Bxe4 $2 Qxe4 {Make that -10...} 29.Qh5 $4 {It's too late for this now.} 29...Qc2+ $2 ( {In fact, it was mate in three:} 29...d3+ 30.Kd1 Qf3+ 31.Re2 Qxe2# ) 30.Kf3 Qf2+ 31.Ke4 Qf4+ $4 ( 31...Qc2+ 32.Kf3 Rh7 {wins for Black.} ) 32.Kd3 $1 {As suddenly as it began, the king hunt is over.} 32...Qe5 {Black must now cover against Qg6#.} 33.Ref1 $2 ( {I was analysing this line but just couldn't see it:} 33.Qg6+ $1 Qg7 34.e7 Qxg6 35.exf8=Q+ Kxf8 36.fxg6 Kg7 37.b4 $1 ) 33...Qf6 {My scoresheet runs out. The rest is from memory and was played in a blur. Neither player had much time left on the clock now.} 34.Qg6+ $2 {I just couldn't think of another move. Really, this is awful.} 34...Qxg6 35.fxg6 Bf4 {From here on, confusion reigns.} 36.Ke4 Bd6 37.Kd5 Be7 38.Kc6 Kg7 39.Rf7+ {The clock was preying on John's mind by now, and with Rf7+ he started to panic.} 39...Rxf7 40.gxf7 {Now White's pair of connected passed pawns has hypnotic power.} 40...d3 41.Kd7 Rd8+ $4 {A disastrous touch-move incident} 42.Kxe7 d2 43.Rd1 ( {I did briefly consider the superior} 43.Kxd8 $1 ) 43...Rd4 44.f8=Q+ {Black resigns. It's mate in four. Of course the truth is that John was robbed, but it goes to show that a game isn't over until it's over.} 1-0

John Thorley v Jon Hunt

[Event "Club Friendly"] [Site "St Clement's Hall"] [Date "2023.10.31"] [Round "?"] [White "John Thorley"] [Black "Jon Hunt"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1639"] [BlackElo "1586"] [EventDate "2023.10.31"] [ECO "A01"] [PlyCount "83"] {With our scheduled opponents indisposed, John and I settled down to a pair of friendlies on this year's new "Black-and-White" time control of 30|10. This is the first, a fine win for John based on his better understanding of an opposite-sides castled position.} 1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 e5 4.Bb5 Ne7 5.Nf3 e4 $1 6.Ne5 Bd7 7.Nxd7 Qxd7 8.O-O O-O-O $1 9.f3 a6 10.Be2 {So far, so good. Black has a nice pawn wedge in the centre and just needs to solve the problem of his f8-bishop.} 10...Qe6 $6 {Not an adequate antidote to 11.fxe4} ( 10...f5 $1 11.fxe4 dxe4 $1 12.c4 h5 $1 13.a3 Qe6 14.b4 Ne5 15.Qa4 g5 $5 ) 11.fxe4 $1 dxe4 $6 ( 11...Qxe4 12.Rxf7 Ng6 {Keep calm and carry on... A pawn is just a pawn.} ) 12.Bc4 $1 Nd5 13.Qh5 Qg6 14.Qe2 $2 {Cowardly, or overambitious? White would be better after the exchange, but perhaps not by much.} 14...b5 $6 {Simply forcing White to make a good trade} 15.Bxd5 Rxd5 16.c4 $6 ( 16.Nc3 $1 Rg5 17.d3 $1 exd3 18.cxd3 Qh5 19.Qf2 Ne5 20.Ne4 Nxd3 21.Qxf7 Qxf7 22.Rxf7 {White is better.} ) 16...bxc4 17.Qxc4 Ne7 $2 {Right idea, wrong way for the knight} ( {The near-impossible combination to find was} 17...Nb4 $1 18.a3 Rc5 $1 19.Qxf7 Nd3 $1 20.Qxg6 hxg6 21.Bd4 {when now} 21...Bd6 22.Bxc5 Bxh2+ 23.Kh1 Be5+ 24.Kg1 {leads to a draw, though Black can play on for the win with} 24...Bxa1 ) 18.Nc3 ( 18.Rf2 $1 {and e.g.} 18...Rf5 19.Rxf5 Nxf5 20.Be5 Bd6 21.Bxd6 Nxd6 22.Qxa6+ ) 18...Rg5 $2 ( 18...Rxd2 $1 19.Rf2 Rxf2 20.Kxf2 Qf5+ 21.Kg1 Qe6 22.Qxe6+ fxe6 23.Nxe4 Nd5 24.Kf2 {White stands better here too.} ) 19.Rf2 $1 f5 $1 {Black's only decent try now} 20.Nd5 $2 {This helps relieve Black's tension.} 20...Nxd5 $1 21.Qxd5 c6 $4 {Quickly regretted} ( {I rejected the best move, not understanding that after} 21...Bd6 $1 {the game is drawn after} 22.Qa8+ Kd7 23.Qxh8 Qh5 ) 22.Rc1 c5 $1 {Only try} 23.Qa8+ Kd7 24.Qb7+ Ke8 25.Qc8+ Kf7 26.Qd7+ Kg8 27.Kh1 $2 {A waste of a tempo} 27...h5 $1 {Black's king needs further space to retreat!} 28.Rcf1 {At this point I was down to fumes on the clock, and I grabbed at the moves.} 28...h4 $5 {Trying to find counterplay} 29.Rxf5 Rxg2 $2 {Nonsense, but without threats Black is plain lost anyway.} 30.Rxf8+ Kh7 31.Rxh8+ Kxh8 32.Qd8+ Kh7 33.Qxh4+ Kg8 34.Qh3 Rg4 35.Rc1 Qe6 {Looking for a desperate trick, which John was having none of.} 36.Qf1 ( {And not} 36.Rxc5 $4 Rg1+ 37.Kxg1 Qxh3 {which is good enough for a draw.} ) 36...Rh4 37.Qf2 Qh3 38.Rg1 Qf3+ 39.Qxf3 exf3 40.Rxg7+ Kf8 41.Rg3 f2 42.Rf3+ {Black resigns.} 1-0

Sandwich Goes International!

FIDE-rated chess comes to Sandwich this Christmas, courtesy of FIDE Arbiter Satish Gaekwad and his new enterprise Psyon Chess. Satish has hired the Guildhall for Saturday 16th December for a 3-section ECF- and FIDE-rated 25|10 rapidplay tournament. The event is called the Sandwich FIDE RapidPlay and the sections are Open, U1900 & U1500. The entry fee is £25, and 1st prize in each section is £100.

Further details and online entry are at: https://congress.org.uk/congress/342/home . The date does clash with the U14 and U10 London Junior Chess Championships (which are two-day standardplay tournaments), but otherwise this is a fantastic opportunity for adults and juniors alike to enjoy a last celebration of rapidplay chess before the Christmas festivities.

It’s remarkable to have an event like this pop up in our town without any direct involvement from our club. Lucky us, all we have to do is turn up and play!

Entries Open for The Sandwich “Black-and-White”

Entries have opened once again for The Sandwich “Black-and-White”, our open rapidplay tournament which is back for the 2023-24 season after a successful first run. Click below to view the information flyer:

The dates for the five rounds are: Tue 31 Oct, Tue 28 Nov, Tue 19 Dec, Tue 9 Jan, Tue 20 Feb. As last year, if you need to you can ask to vary the date and venue of a match by arrangement with your opponent.

Please use the contact details on the flyer to enter, or contact us via the website here. Non-members can pay the £10 entry fee (for 10 games!) by cash or cheque, or ask to receive an email link to pay via GoCardless. There are no additional board fees to pay when playing at Sandwich.

Tournament updates will be posted on this website and also on the ECF League Management System. The deadline for entries is Friday 20th October 2023. Come and join the fun!