Limit League: Marple 3 Wilmslow 1

Maxim and Anderson bring home the bacon

1 Neil Dee drew with Gordon Lloyd
2 Phil Macneill drew with Robin Warhurst
3 Paul Maxim 1-0 Mike Craven
4 Joseph Anderson 1-0 David Broadbridge 

It was early doors, early draws as boards 1 and 2 took a half point each, leaving our destiny in the hands of Paul and Joseph. On board 3, Paul with black scrapped hard to gain a material advantage. With his opponent's three passed pawns clustered defensively around the back-rank king, Paul brought his heavy artillery to good squares. A rook check on the bank rank forced the white king to h2, enabling Paul to pin the g3 rook against the king with his bishop to end the game. On board 4, Joseph got into some good positions but found a breakthrough difficult. 'Passed pawns must be pushed' is received wisdom and Joseph duly rolled forward his connected pair of central unopposed pawns. Another adage is that on an emptying board the king must be mobilised. When it finally joined the fray here, Joseph's extra knight and two pawns received the help they needed and he took the full point.

Don't forget: Thurs 19 March – come and enjoy an evening of Chess960, the exuberant chesslike game invented by Bobby Fischer. 

Limit League: Marple 1 Denton 3 on 13 Feb 2020

Denton unworried by tropical tactics

We welcomed the icemen of Denton with the Navi's finest central heating but they ran out comfortable winners. However, we were outgraded by an average of about 20 points so this was a decent performance. The main aim of Limit League is to give our rising players opportunities to shine against sometimes moderate opposition. Neil Dee and Phil Macneill earned good draws.

1 Neil Dee v M Murphy draw

2 Phil Macneill v S Bradley draw

3 Paul Maxim 0 D Cook 1

4 J Anderson 0 A Williamson 1

Limit League, 3 Feb 2020: Macclesfield 1.5 v Marple 2.5

Doust does for Macc in trademark endgame

After last week's experiment with cryogenics at Denton's venue, we were well prepared for the chilly but above-freezing-point Queen's Head at Macc. Indeed, El Capitano took and used a large woollen blanket for the first time ever but still played like a plank and had to fight to salvage a draw with white.

On board 2 with black against Mick Renshaw, Tony won a rook-and-pawns endgame after being at least one pawn adrift and with his opponent having a passed pawn on the d-file. In time trouble, Mick made a minor slip, Tony pounced in devastating style, and the passed pawn passed away along with the game.

Then it was all down to board 3, where, with two rooks and a few pawns each, Neil - with an extra bishop - looked to be coasting to victory against Tom Robson. But when Neil lost a rook for nothing, Tom offered a draw and the overall victory was ours.

Astley J v Cutts M  draw

Renshaw M v Doust T 0-1

Robson T v Dainty N draw

Woodhall B v Macneill P draw

Limit League v Denton, away

Denton 3 Marple 1

1.  Martin Murphy       1-0       Tony Doust

2.  Stan Bradley     0.5-0.5     Neil Dainty

3.  Peter Shaw          0.5-0.5  Phil Macneil

4.  Stewart McIlvenna 1-0       Joseph Anderson

Apparently it was perishingly cold at the Ashton Masonic Hall, where a room was used that was not the usual chess room. This is not good. At the Navi, I'm glad to say, we're being well looked after with decent heating and lighting.

MC

THE BISHOP THAT DIDN'T MOVE...until

Just as last week the room was full, a very welcome sight.  Ten in the match, six playing on other boards and your reporter.  The team selection was very different to last week simply to give everyone game time.

On top board Chris and Jim both employed a kingside fianchetto and the position quickly became locked with all the pieces still on the board for some time.  Jim retreated a knight to f1 and I wondered where it was heading; half an hour later it was still there.  This of course was exactly what Chris wanted as he had the black pieces.

On board two though Tony Kay quickly went a pawn down allowing Steve Tatlock to play Qh4+ followed by Qxe4+.  Tony's king was stuck at home with a horrible gap in front and the g1-a7 diagonal wide open.  It looked even worse to me when Tony played f4 and I could not see what stopped Steve putting his bishop and or queen on that diagonal, but it did not happen. Eventually Tony castled kingside and gradually got back to a much more solid position.

Things looked better on three with Tony Doust a piece up but next time I looked Steve McCall had a very strong attack;  white pawn on e3 with black Be2 and black Qe1; white rook on d2 with black .   Rd1.  Steve's pawn and rook were supported by the other rook and his queen.  Eventually Tony lost  queen for rook and bishop but he was also two pawns down which eventually proved decisive.
0-1.

Next door Paul was doing much better.  A passed pawn on e5, with rook support behind, was about to cause Steve Kelly (note to East Cheshire; too many Steves!) distress which duly arrived with Nd6+, forking king and an unprotected bishop on b7.  Rather than take the bishop though Paul tried to increase the pressure by pushing a pawn to attack a knight; unfortunately this allowed Steve to exchange his mortal bishop for a knight on f3.

Meanwhile Joseph, whose chess has improved noticeably in the last year or so, was playing his usual solid game on board 5.  Things were not looking good on two though.  Steve now had passed pawns advanced on c and d files even though his f1 bishop was still in bed after ten o'clock (and, I think, keeping the h1 rook with it).  The black king's exposure was looking dire and when said bishop was eventually awakened Tony resigned immediately.  0-2.  A spectacular way to win though.

Meanwhile Paul's strong attacking play was proving too strong and he won comfortably. 1-2.

Joseph's game was still tight but Dave eventually got on top and Joseph had to resign.  1-3.  At this point Chris and Jim agreed their position had been drawn for some time and let us all say our goodbyes until we meet again next Wednesday.

So we lost, but the lasting memory was that the room was alive and buzzing for the second week running.

	Marple B	1.5-3.5	East Cheshire B
1	Chris Baker	0.5-0.5	Jim McKie
2	Tony Kay	0-1	Steve Tatlock
3	Tony Doust	0-1	Steve McCall
4	Paul Horrocks	1-0	Steve Kelly
5	Joseph Anderson	0-1	Dave Harris