Sooraj and Julian win to secure Anstey the points at Loughborough in a close fought LRCA division 1 encounter.

Thursday 16/10/2024. Anstey 1 travelled to The Fennel Club in Loughborough for their first match in the new LRCA league division 1 season (after the home match against Shepshed had been postponed). Anstey welcomed Dave Bray & George Kolbusz to the team, both making their debuts following their summer signings (Alan Agnew and Bob Taylor the other new signings being unavailable). With Sooraj on top board, Julian and captain Matt made up the team.

Loughborough had started the season well beating Market Harbough 4 – 1 in their opening match but fielded a slightly stronger side this time out. Anstey had a slight edge on paper based on ratings but all boards were fairly closely matched so it promised to be close.

And so it turned out.

With the campanology practice in full flow at the church behind the venue that captains exchanged team sheets, the players shook hand and battle commenced.

Board three was first to finish, George facing Ben Carpenter-Friend in a carbon copy of their match up the previous week for the respective second teams. The game was close with George (as white) attacking on the kingside and Ben (as black) fighting back first on the queenside then in the centre. George attacked black’s rook on c8 with Bh3 but this turned out to be a mistake, Ben brilliantly sacrificing the exchange for fierce play in the centre. Black’s pieces swarmed in, the defenders were swapped off and white was left with a horribly exposed king. Black regained material equality but still had a crushing attack and George succumbed, there was nothing he could do. 1 – 0 Loughborough.

Dave faced Oliver Howell as black on board two and finished shortly after. In a tight game white built a tiny edge but gave it away by swapping his powerful bishop for black’s knight which admittedly had a fine outpost on e4. The black queen infiltrated and won a pawn with check, white’s queen defended and the queens came off. Dave came out up a pawn up but with doubled isolated e-pawns a draw was agreed even though Stockfish favours black’s position. 1½ – ½ Loughborough.

Matt also faced his same opponent from the second team match the week earlier but this time was white against Henderson Mullin on board 5. In a pretty boring game neither side made any great moves, inaccuracies, mistakes or blunders and a draw was agreed on move 21. Yawn. 2 – 1 Loughborough.

So it came down to the wire with Sooraj and Julian fighting for Anstey honour and their games going all the way.

Julian was black on board 4 again Lyndsey Pyun, their first League encounter (? – Ed). In an open and entertaining game Lyndsey built up a powerful looking attack throwing forward Freddy the f-pawn. Julian defended hard but was very cramped. Lyndsey then found a brilliant bishop sacrifice on h6 to open up black’s defence before misplaying the attack. But she still came out with a rook and two pawns for a knight and bishop. Julian made a further string of great defensive moves before his own brilliant knight sac on h3 (with check) turning the tables. Lyndsey correctly declined the material (as that would have led to a forced checkmate in 14 moves – Ed) but the momentum was now with Julian. He played another brilliant move getting a decisive advantage and made no mistakes as the clocks ticked down and he converted the win. 2 – 2.

Sooraj was white against wunderkind Kajus Mikalajunas on board one. In an intense, serious game Kajus castled short after he had pushed white g5 bishop back with h6 and g5 before Sooraj speculatively sacrificed a pawn for play in the centre. Sooraj castled later by which time his kingside pawns were a mess too (just pawns on g2 and g3 – Ed). Kajus maintained his pawn advantage but got very short on time before Sooraj also got short. Chaos ensued in the time scramble and luckily for us Sooraj emerged victorious for Anstey to snatch the win. 3- 2 Anstey.

Scorecard:

Early days yet in the division:

Post-match reaction

Anstey captain Matt Connor:
“A great start to the league campaign. It looked a bit dicey for a while – I have no idea what happened at the end of Sooraj’s game but Julian was so calm converting his win.”

On league ambitions: “I’m targeting third place in the division this season and aim to snap at the heels of Wigston 1 and Syston 1, you never know we might be able to nick an odd point off them.”

On George’s defeat: “He owes me £20 for that.”