Anstey 1 began life in LRCA Division 2 with a hard-fought draw away at Braunstone on Wednesday night. On paper it looked like the teams were evenly matched (7,090 vs 7,031) and so it proved.

We did get off to a flyer though. After only about 15 minutes or so there was a commotion and the sound of pieces being reset coming from board 1. Julian Tarwid, playing white the first time for ages, had faced off against Graham Booley his opponent from only the week before in the county championships. Both players blitzed out their opening moves, Julian expanding on the kingside with g4 and h4 before opening the h file and infiltrating black’s position with Rh8 and Qh7:

Graham tried to pinch the free looking g-pawn but after 17. … Qxg5 18. Rxf8+ Kxf8 19. Qh8+ Ke7 20. Qxa8 he had to resign. Already a candidate for the quickest win of the season timewise! Braunstone 0 – 1 Anstey.

Captain Matt Connor was next to finish on board 3 with white against Gavin Hart, the same pairing as in the Chapman Cup game a few weeks back, Gavin no doubt looking for revenge. Matt gambited a pawn in the opening for a lead in development, followed it up with a nice tactic in the middle of the board and just when he was eyeing up another nice tactic and a possible mate in 5 he made an inexplicable move order error and lost the chance. Luckily for Matt, Gavin then blundered his pawn advantage straight back and the position came out dead even and a draw was agreed. Braunstone ½ – 1½ Anstey.

Mick Sandham was black against Braunstone’s captain Jim Bingham on board 4. After a cagey start, a couple of minor pieces were swapped off and Mick looked to start his kingside attack first with f5 and later h5, g5 and g4. Jim meanwhile had closed up the centre allowing Mick to swing his knight over to join the attack. The critical position came after 29. Bf4:

Mick went for it with 29. … Nf3+ taking advantage of the latent pin on the g pawn. Jim here missed the (extremely) calm 30. Kf2 with a better position instead going the exchange for a pawn down with 30. Rxf3. Shortly after the queens came off and with the closed position and his bad light-squared bishop Mick couldn’t make any headway and a draw was agreed. Braunstone 1 – 2 Anstey.

John Robinson played black against Daniel Wilkinson on board 2 and was the last game to finish. Well, we say game, it was more like a war of attrition with over 80 moves. John had gambited a pawn in the opening but never quite had enough compensation for it. Daniel calmly went about his business gradually manoeuvring his pieces to better squares, keeping a space advantage and reducing material. John was in full defensive mode and when the position came down to the rook, knight and pawn endgame he was still a pawn down and under the cosh. And very low on time! At one point Daniel very gentlemanly pointed out that John had forgotten to press his clock, thanks Daniel. In the end he sacrificed his rook for a knight and pawn leaving king, knight and 2 advanced connected passed pawns against king and rook, John momentarily activated his rook and gave a few checks but the king and knight marshalled the pawns home to queen and the game was over. Braunstone 2 – 2 Anstey.

So, honours even on the night.

Anstey captain Matt Connor told The Leicester Mercury:
Yeh, that was a tough one. I thought that we were winning first half until I completely messed up my game, not exactly a captain’s innings. But another great win for Julian and a good half point for Mick, it’s a shame John couldn’t hold on. Still, we’re off the mark, there’s a long way to go in this division.