Three Battersea teams pulled off wins on Tuesday night as the club fielded a total of 22 players in one evening.
Battersea 1 smashed a very experienced Wimbledon side 7-2 at home, with one game adjourned, in division 1 of the London Chess League – despite being heavily outgraded.
Wimbledon wobble
Stand-in skipper Chris Beckett said: “Great wins by Stuart, Aldo, Tommaso, Kazi and Denis were well backed up by solid draws on the other boards.
“Particular hat-tips should go to super-subs Conor and Denis who more than held their own on boards 9 and 10, with Conor making all the running in his game against John Foley and Denis – standing in at a moment’s notice – playing an absolute blinder to beat the 171-graded Tony Hughes.”
Results here (Battersea were White on odds):
- 1) Viktor 0.5-0.5 IM A Suarez-Real (225)
- 2) Chris 0-5-0.5 FM A Harley (206)
- 3) Stuart 1-0 M Osborne (197)
- 4) Aldo 1-0 I Chavannes (198)
- 5) Tommaso 1-0 R Granat (203)
- 6) Rafa ADJ G Haridas (180)
- 7) Kazi 1-0 D Rosen (194)
- 8) Tim S 0.5-0.5 I Heppell (183)
- 9) Conor 0.5-0.5 J Foley (180)
- 10) Denis 1-0 T Hughes (171)
Arnie’s back
In the London League division 4, Arnold Hunt‘s Battersea 3 team were also on the rampage, catapulting themselves to second in the table and within sight of promotion.
It was the fifth win on the trot for Arnold’s team this season.
Arnold said: “We won the toss and Duncan on board 1 faced the rising star Nadhmi Auchi of Hammersmith.
“It can be unnerving playing against a young person, a child, their speed of thought and sudden, unexpected manoeuvres combine to create head-spinning complications. However, Duncan held firm and his attack with
the heavy pieces down the central files proved irresistible.
“It was beginning to look ominous for the team with Vic and Malcolm on 2 and 3 both succombing to the wiles of their slightly lower-rated Hammersmith opponents but to save the day the middle boards came good with Alan, Bill and Gary pulling off wins on 4,5 and 6.
“Derek on 7 could not contain his modestly-rated opponent and was one of the first to shake hands while on the last board Alex had a tougher game than he had a right to expect.
“The Hammersmith player never let up in his fight back but Alex got his way in the end and stole the whole point. Thanks to everyone for this fifth scintillating win in a row. We did it! Again!
Hacknee-capped
Finally, while Battersea 3 were taking on Hammersmith at home, Gregg Hutchence‘s team were over in Hammersmith taking on Hackney in the Hammersmith Rapid-play League.
This match ended 7-1 to Battersea with two wins for Gregg and Tim Valentine while Darius Zutautas secured a win and a draw and Leon Watson a draw and a defaulted win.
