Harrod Cup Loss

The Harrod is a rapidplay team competition where players play the same opponent twice - once with the white pieces and once with the black. There is a grade limit for the side of 500 points. This was the fourth round and, so far, we were undefeated.

We played with the white pieces in the first round. There was a win fo me, John came back from a two pawn deficit, Ray lost and Graham B drew. With 2.5 points at the half way stage we looked alright.

After the break, things went awry. I had been in a dominant position and then left my queen en pris - disaster; then John won again. Things were now down to Graham and Ray with us needing a draw from one of the two games to draw the match. It didn't work out, however, as both were ground down.

21 Aug	Heathcote Arms 1		W - B	B - W	Ashby 1
			3½ - 4½
1	141	Booley, Graham	½ - ½	0 - 1	Tipper, Christopher	149
2	130	Manger, John	1 - 0	1 - 0	Evans, Roy	145
3	105	Beach, Ray	0 - 1	0 - 1	Jones, Peter	114
4	94	Ross, Colin	1 - 0	0 - 1	Roberts, Neil	79

There are no matches next week, although there is a chance of a club night. That said, Dave, Ray and John might be a bit chessed out following their exertions at the e2e4 Hinckley Congress.

http://www.e2e4.org.uk/entrants_hinckley.htm

Well done Ashby,

Colin.

County Championships

Major Section

Bob had a walkover when Howard did not arrive.

John played with the white pieces against me. A Nimzo Indian with Qc2 and Bg5. Things did not go well for me and a mischievous white queen on my kingside caused me all sorts of problems. I thought for a very long time at one point and then made the worst possible move - dropping a rook. I played on for far longer than i should have before knocking my king over.

David versus Guy went down to rooks and pawns. I am pretty sure that Guy could have drawn by forcing a swap off of the rooks leaving his king in front of David's last pawn. Fritz's opinion would  been interesting. Instead, Guy blundered the rook.

A draw here would have led to a play off between David and John, but David's win gave him 4 points out of 5 and the title for the second year running.

David Reynolds 4.0
John Manger 3.5
Bob Collins 3
Howard Phillips 2
Colin Ross 2
Guy Closs 0.5


Minor Section

In the early rounds, last year's champion, Roy Lathwood, looked as if he might win again. In the fourth round, however, Roy was defeated by Mick Slater leaving things wide open.

This time, Ray played white against Mick and won convincingly with a knight and three pawns against King.

Roy could only manage a draw against Ben Vaughan.

Result: Ray wins the title for the second time.

Further down the field, Hacker Dave won against Amber.


Ray Beach 4.0
Mick Slater 3.5
Roy Lathwood 3.0
Ben Vaughan 3.0
Dave Ricketts 2.5
Amber Carter 1.5

There were others in the field, but i do not know how they got on.

Congratulations to David and Ray.

Next Week

On Tuesday 21st, we are at home in the Harrod Cup to Ashby.

Then, all over the Bank Holiday weekend, there is the e2e4 Hinckley Chess Congress. There are lot of entrants from Leicestershire and Hacker, The Grinder, and Raymondov will be playing seven games of chess from Friday night until Monday night.

Well done everyone.

Colin.

BTW we have just passed 20 000 hits.
When i said at the AGM that we were currently having around 1000 hits a month, Graham B reckoned that was 10 of us checking it 100 times each.

Leicester Chess Congress 2012

Registration has opened for this year's Atkins. Details at http://www.leicesterchess.co.uk/

Colin.

Week of Tuesday 14th August.

There will not be a club night on Tuesday 14th August as most of the die hards will be locked in combat at the Counties on Thursday:

Minor

Russian Ray Vs Mick Slater
Amber Vs Hacker Dave

Ray is still in with a shot at the title.

Rank	Name	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Score
1	Slater, Mick	93 *	x	1			½	1					1	3.5
2	Lathwood, Roy	118 *	0	x	1		1		1					3.0
3	Beach, Ray	87 *		0	x				1	1				3.0
4	Vaughan, Ben	83 *				x			0	1			+	2.5
5	Parsons, Stan	82 *	½	0			x				1			2.5
6	Reid, Conor	0 *	0					x			0	1		2.0
7	Reid, Patrick	0 *		0	0	1			x			1		2.0
8	Carter, Andy	111 *			0	0				x	1			1.5
9	Ricketts, Dave	93 *					0	1		0	x			1.5
10	Carter, Amber	92 *						0	0			x		1.5
11	Tangney, Vince	77 *	0			-							x	1.0

 The minor has some other interesting clashes.

Table	White	Flags	Score	Rating	Black	Flags	Score	Rating	Result
19	Beach, Ray	Heathcote Arms	3.0	87 *	Slater, Mick	Red Admiral	3.5	93 *
20	Lathwood, Roy	Braunstone	3.0	118 *	Vaughan, Ben	Wigston	2.5	83 *
21	Reid, Conor	Braunstone	2.0	0 *	Parsons, Stan	Red Admiral	2.5	82 *
22	Reid, Patrick	Braunstone	2.0	0 *	Carter, Andy	Red Admiral	1.5	111 *
23	Carter, Amber	Red Admiral	1.5	92 *	Ricketts, Dave	Heathcote Arms	1.5	93 *

 Major

The Grinder Vs Yours Truly.

With Howard Vs Bob, and David Vs Guy.

Rank	Name	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	Score
1	Reynolds, Dave	134 *	x	½	1	1	½		3.0
2	Manger, John	133 *	½	x	½	½		1	2.5
3	Phillips, Howard	136 *	0	½	x		½	1	2.0
4	Collins, Bob	135 *	0	½		x	½	1	2.0
5	Ross, Colin	120 *	½		½	½	x	½	2.0
6	Closs, Guy	109 *		0	0	0	½	x	0.5

Harrod Cup
 

Pos	Team	Pl	W	D	L	GPD	Pts
1	Heathcote Arms 1	3	3	0	0	5	6
2	Ashby 1	3	2	1	0	9	5
3	Latimer 1	3	2	1	0	4	5
4	Braunstone 1	3	2	0	1	1	4
5	Wigston 1	3	1	1	1	5	3
6	Kirby Muxloe 1	4	1	1	2	1	3
7	Ashby 2	3	1	1	1	0	3
8	Willowbrook 1	3	1	1	1	-1	3
9	Braunstone 2	3	1	0	2	1	2
10	Melton Mowbray 1	3	1	0	2	1	2
11	Syston 1	3	1	0	2	-6	2

The following week sees our Harrod Cup team at home to Ashby, on the 21st, where we have started well, but still have plenty of work to do.

Colin.



Tables from Sean's excellent website at:

http://www.e2e4.org.uk/countychamps/2012/major.htm

http://www.e2e4.org.uk/countychamps/2012/minor.htm and the LRCA website at

http://www.michaelfraser.me/summer_cup_tables.php?year=2012&cup=harrod