Crowborough R V East Grinstead Bookshop

Report from John Pye (EG Bookshop)

This return fixture saw the Bookshop take two teams to the Crowborough Community Centre. The weather was just as foul as when the Crowborough team came to us a couple of weeks ago, but the young chess players of the East Grinstead Bookshop team travelled expectantly through torrential rain. As in the first match, Risha and Niamh's game finished first, but this time the result was reversed. Niamh's ferocious, sacrificial attack was going well, but she failed to see Risha`s counter-attack, and fell to a well constructed checkmate. Anne and Lucy both played their normal attacking chess, and their game finished shortly after, with Anne winning this time. With the match one all, attention turned to the other two games. All four players were taking their time and thinking deeply, and producing some really good chess. In a close hard fought battle against Raina, Toby on board one found a way to gain the advantage, and press it home with an unstoppable checkmate, with only thirty four seconds left on the clock ! I'm not sure who was the most pleased with this, his first victory of the season, him or me. Playing board one always carries the most pressure, well done Toby. Meanwhile Cillian played outstandingly well against Suriya, meeting every chess challenge thrown at him, and giving as good as he got. In the end game Cillian excelled, I'm sure some of Dave Simpkin's advice these past few months was at play, and there was just no way for Surriya to counter Cillian`s two connected advancing pawns and the checkmate that they forced. Elliott was playing George, and this game provided my highlight of the night, with Elliott demonstrating great sportmanship towards his much younger opponent,diffusing what might have been a very tricky situation in a most mature way. In so doing, he did himself and Crowborough proud, and what is more he won the game. Rafe proved too strong for Luke in their game, whilst perhaps the luckiest player on the night was Zac. In his game against the most promising Emily, he found himself a couple of pawns down going into the end game, but in an oversight, her only one of the game, Emily gifted him her unguarded queen, and the game was over. Finally Isabella and George played out a very long game, that ebbed and flowed in terms of advantage, but in the end George won out, In so doing The Bookshop secured a victory, and overturned the defeat of two weeks ago against a very strong Crowborough team. The evening was a great success, played out in a great spirit, sixteen young chess players reminding us all what a great game chess is. All that remains is to thank Crowborough for their wonderful hospitality, on behalf of The East Grinstead Bookshop Chess Club and all of the players' parents. May we all look forward to many more such occasions.

David Fryer