Southbourne Seagulls V Ringwood Gambits

Well done to both teams!

A Bacchus landmark here with both clubs making their first time entry to the competition. Ringwood Gambits Organiser and Captain, Andy Gambit, who graciously stood down to give others a chance to play, fielded 4 junior players including 10 year old Jack Baskett. It was apparently a very close match - and as always with Bacchus, it gave 10 players the chance to play against another club with clocks, scoresheets etc. And that, combined with friendly and competitive play is everything Bacchus stands for. With Southbourne having all 4 matches at home, and Highcliffe and Ringwood each 3 away, it has been seen as fairest that white on odd boards is alternated for the 2 matches between each club.

Mike Jay

Gambit’s captain’s report

Ringwood Chess Club's inaugural Bacchus league team the Ringwood Gambits, played and won their first match against Southbourne's Seagulls on Friday night. The Bacchus league is inteneded to encourage new league players with an aim to support players graded under 100. Merlin took board 1 with white. After an engaging battle of wills and very delayed castling by both players the long transition from middle to endgame kept the observers on the edge of their seats. Going beyond the 1 hour threshold having passed the 30 move mark, the final moments of the game involved a merry dance of black's king around a pawn, but eventually the decisive blow was struck. A relieving climax to an honourable struggle. On board 2 with black, Vaughan lined up his Queen behind his Bishop on the D-file ready for a decisive attack. White fought hard and with a slightly cramped board for both players, eventually white saw a break-through after "extra time" and the game was eventually lost. Jack played board 3 with white (disapointingly for him, after spending the day preparing his "modern defence"). With the London to start he took his time to get the queen out and delayed castling. That gave the opportunity for black to set up a disovery on his queen and win a knight. A valiant effort of will-power to fight dispair eventually saw his rooks separated and taken resulting in a hard-fought loss. Board 4 with Ben as black was initially a very open game with the centre kept clear for some considerable time, evetually allowing him to castle kingside and cover the centre. White succumed to Ben's rook on the 7th with his queen attacking black's misplaced king on a8. Despite white's efforts, Ben eventually cornered the king for a win. Our 5th board with David as white was great spectator game after black initiated an aggressive early attack. Calm play saw white applying firm pressure to black's king and spectacular discovery between bishop and knight allowed white to secure the enemy queen and ultimately the game. A great effort and turnout. Thanks to the Seagull's for their hospitality and support of a 5th board and to Angela for the gluten-free oat biscuits which kept our most junior player alive until we made it home!

Andrew Baskett