Club Venue: Ducklington Village Hall, OX29 7UX

Frank Wood Shield 2010/11

29 March 2011 - Semi Finals

Witney2 crashed out of the Frank Wood Shield semi-final last night to City1. The score was ½ - 5½ but it wasn't as easy for the high-flying Div1 side as the score suggests.

We were very much outgraded; Matt Rose on Board 1 is graded 220, Jon Manley on Board 2 is graded 202 and even their Board 6 player is graded 168. After 90 mins, the match was still looking very even, but Matt on Board 6 then lost a minor piece and Howard on Board 1 found his K under defended when attacked by Q and 2Ns.

Anco gained a very creditable draw on Board 3 (with Black) after his opponent was confused by an unusual line in the Sicillian. Derek had a solid position in the early middle game and at one stage had a 20min time advantage, but unfortunately his opponent eventually exploited Derek's inactive B and made a conclusive breakthrough. Otto and Richard both put up a strong fight but eventually lost out in the final stages. Well done to all who played - it's not easy when outgraded by so much!

- Derek

14 January 2011 - Round 3

The evening the wheels finally came off. I changed the board order to give a higher board to Mark as the man in form, but on reflection I may have done better to have left well alone.

Dave won quickly on board 6 when Sean Terry's queen came to an early and untimely end. City 1 equalised when Mark got into trouble and sacrificed a piece for what never really looked like enough compensation.

Tim could make no progress against Mike Marlow, I continued my run of bad form and so it was down to the top two boards to bail us out. Peter R did the business against Jon Manley in a highly complex game despite probably being lost at one point, so the match was all square but leaving us needing to win on board 1 as a draw would see us go out on board count. Unfortunately Peter W after being at least equal and probably a bit better for most of the game made a few inaccuracies in his and Matt's time trouble and that was that.

And that's that from me as well. I'm off to find a cat to kick.

- Mike

13 January 2011 - Round 3

All good things come to an end and so it proved on Monday night when Witney 3 finally lost their first match of the season. Out graded by an average of more than 50 points per board it was always going to be a difficult to get the 2 points required to beat Witney 2 in the quarter finals of the Frank Wood Shield.

It didn't start well with Joseph succumbing to Richards unusual style play in double quick time (0-1). I then struck a nugget of fortune as Howard decided to hand me a knight for a pawn, an exchange from which I didn't let go, and the shock of the night was completed (1-1).

Tim soon lost under pressure from Anco and Helen, after a good fight, was finally beaten by Patrick (1-3).

The final two games were all to play for, Ian was holding Derek and looking good for a draw but Bob had got John into time trouble. Could this be the point to provide the ultimate result for Witney 3? With over 30 minutes left on his clock and John's dropping below 2 all was looking good but Bob, in trying to blitz John to a loss, blundered his queen and the chance had gone (1-4). Ian continued playing well but under the pressure of having to win couldn't match Derek in the end game and eventually lost (1-5).

So even though we were soundly beaten by Witney 2, we were a whisker away from producing the result of the year.

Well played all - Roger

12 January 2011

	The Kidlington Tournament takes place 5th & 6th February 2011 in the Exeter Hall.

If you weren't at the club on Monday, Witney 2 beat Witney 3 by 5-1 to progress to the next round (which will be against either Oxford City 1 or Witney 1) of the Frank Wood Shield. With 2 divisions difference, the handicap system meant that Witney 2 had to gain at least 4½ pts to progress.

 

Rich, with his usual attacking style, beat young Joseph in 16 moves on Board 5. Anco was victorious against Tim on Board 3 but Howard lost on Board 1 to Roger after losing his N early in the middle game. With Patrick beating Helen on Board 6, the outcome of the match was very much in the balance. As the clocks ticked down on the remaining 2 boards, it was looking as if Witney 3 would progress as the Derek vs. Ian game on Board 2 looked as if it was heading for a draw, and John A looked as if he would lose on time to Bob on Board 4. Fortunately for Witney 2, Bob blundered just before John run out of time and Ian took a poisoned pawn which allowed Derek to pin his Knight against his Queen and win the end game. A closer match than the score suggests.

 

I would encourage people to play in the Kidlington Tournament - three competitions (U225, U165 & U145) based on grading - the first weekend in February.

 

Click to download an application form.

 

- Derek

23 November 2010

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