Ashtead 1 v Kingston 2, Surrey League division 2 match played at Ashtead Peace Memorial Hall on 16 April 2024
We are safe! From relegation in division 2 of the Surrey League that is. In fact, we were already before this match because South Norwood 1 beat Coulsdon 2 on the previous evening to leave Coulsdon stranded in bottom place. But getting a 3.5-3.5 draw with Ashtead, runaway winners in the division and on course to take their place in division 1 next season, emphatically made the point that we deserved to stay up.
It was a very solid performance from a team of Kingston stalwarts. The president, John Foley, got an early draw with Black against the highly rated Dan Rosen on board 2, and the also outrated Jon Eckert drew with Bertie Barlow on board 5. Jon compromised his pawn structure to build a very promising attack, but Bertie neutralised it well and peace was eventually declared.
Peter Andrews had White against Phil Brooks on board 1 and, conscious of the disparity in ratings and the way the match might pan out, played a very solid English opening which led to a draw in the position below. He was ahead on the clock, which may have influenced his opponent’s decision, and on his part was conscious that he had two other important matches later in the week, so preserving energy was important. Peter called it a “cynical” draw, but let’s call it a canny and very useful one against a strong player.
John Bussmann was in early trouble against the experienced Jonathan Hinton on board 4. The Ashtead player sacrificed the exchange for a big attack, and it proved well-judged, with his pieces combining irresistibly to overwhelm John’s king. John is making his way back into competitive chess after a long layoff and this was a tough outing.
At this point Ashtead had the advantage, though Nick Grey on board 7 with White against Adrian Waldock had established a passed c-pawn and had good chances in what was shaping up to be a tricky endgame. I thought I was drawing against Tom Barton on board 6, but as so often my poor endgame technique was letting me down and a few imprecise moves, not helped by time trouble, left me struggling to hold the position.
The key game was the board 3 encounter between Kingston chair Alan Scrimgour and Seb Galer. The two are old adversaries, and Galer was determined to avenge a previous defeat – perhaps too determined because it may be that he overreached himself. Seb played a Pirc – and played it perkily. This key early position was reached:
Alan’s win made it 2.5-2.5 and left me and Nick struggling with our respective endgames. I lost mine rather miserably – back, for the umpteenth time, to the drawing board – but Nick was well ahead on the clock and playing confidently. Eventually his opponent cracked, and Nick had a memorable win to draw the match. As we left, the vanquished Adrian Waldock and his Ashtead team-mates were still poring over the final few moves of his game and looking for ways to save it. Too late, I’m afraid. We are on the way home, happy to share the spoils against the division two champions.
Stephen Moss, Kingston captain in Surrey League division 2
