Thursday 16/03/2023. Anstey 1 made the first of two consecutive visits to the Wigston Liberal Club for this LRCA Division 2 fixture against Wigston 3. They were full of confidence having won the reverse fixture 4-0 (to date, still the only whitewash result in the division). The was despite star-player Julian crying off at the last minute with an eye condition (he could have played blindfolded surely? – Ed). Super-sub Boris once again stepped up to the plate (or sat down at the board, whatever).

After being warmly greeted and getting the mingling out of the way, the captains exchanged team sheets. Anstey had a significant rating advantage on paper (6,358 vs 6,796) but as we’ve seen before this often counts for nowt. The players shook hands and battle commenced.

John Robinson was first to finish, playing white on board 1 versus Les Corlett. John was no doubt hoping to do the double over Les having defeated him in the reverse fixture but it was not to be. Les equalised easily out of the opening, a few pieces were exchanged off and with neither player making any mistakes the position was dead-level. A draw was agreed after 21 moves. Wigston ½ – Anstey ½.

The other games pretty much went down to the wire but Mick Sandham’s game against Phil Watkinson on board 3 was the next to finish. Mick, with white, had a small advantage after the very sharp opening but was slow developing his queenside pieces. After an exchange of a white bishop for a black knight Phil equalised then moved into the ascendency with his dangerous looking bishop pair. Mick continued with a rook lift and kingside attack and the game descended into chaos with both sides making errors as the clocks ticked down. As so often happens a final blunder decided the game with Mick moving his rook where it could just be taken (albeit backwards) by black’s (now sole remaining) bishop. An outburst of “blast deary me!” gave the game away, Phil took the rook and the win. Wigston 1½ – Anstey ½.

Matt Connor was black on board 2 versus our good friend Paul Mottram. In a cagey game, Matt equalised fairly easily out of the opening. After pushing pawns and jamming up the queenside, Paul stood well in the centre of the board with a commanding e4 square for a knight whilst Matt built up pressure down the half open f-file. Matt mobilised his queen and both rooks and started probing for weakness against white’s castled king. As the clocks ticked down Paul defended well and the position was dynamically equal. Realising a draw would not be enough for the team Matt set a sneaky trap with a discovered attack on white’s rook on a1. Paul missed the threat (had he seen it he would have stood better), Matt gobbled up the rook with his bishop and a few moves later Paul resigned. Wigston 1½ – Anstey 1½.

So it all came down to Boris, also with black, against Peter Collings on board 4. Peter made an of inaccuracy in the opening allowing Boris to fork pawns on d4 and b2 with 10. … Qb6. Boris followed up winning another pawn then another and had a healthy advantage. Peter won a pawn back then followed a long spell in the game where various pieces came off and we were left with rook and 5 pawns vs rook and 3 pawns. Even though white’s rook (and king) were active and black’s rook slightly passive, this was still winning easily. Until Boris had a rush of blood to the head:

Boris inexplicably played 48. … e5+? and after 49. Kxd5 f4 50. exf4 exf4 51. gxf4 g3 52. Rb2 the position is completely drawn. Boris carried on for another 30-odd moves, the rooks coming off and ending up with king and rook’s pawn vs king before the draw was finally agreed. Wigston 2 – Anstey 2.

A great result for Wigston but not so much for Anstey, another dropped point against lower teams. They do move up one place in the league but remain 4 points off the lead.

Anstey return to Wigston on the 23^rd March for the “6-pointer” against Wigston 2.

Anstey captain Matt Connor told Chess.com:
Wow, what a shocker, another disappointing result. Too many dropped points against lower sides and the highest number of draws in the division, I fear this is going to be the story of our season.