Kingston v South Norwood, Alexander Cup, Willoughby Arms, Kingston, 3 October 2022

This game was played in Kingston’s first competitive match of the new season, in the first round of the Alexander Cup, which Kingston are defending. The game was a board 2 clash between two players who have had some hard-fought battles in the past. But on this occasion Black’s over-ambitious foray into enemy territory with his queen left it stranded, and the ever creative Lalić was able to trap it. This surprisingly straightforward win, analysed here with characteristic energy and wit, underpinned a powerful performance by Kingston, who ran out 8-2 winners against an outrated but spirited South Norwood team.

Kingston v Richmond, friendly ‘Megamatch’, Willoughby Arms, Kingston, 5 September 2022

This game was played in a pre-season 16-board curtain-raiser between traditional local rivals Kingston and Richmond. Rowson was much the more experienced of the two players and in the end prevailed with an overwhelming attack, but he was struck by the quality of the play of an opponent who was just getting used to the rigours of over-the-board chess at long time controls. “Although his early move choices gave me the opportunity to launch my attack, I think he showed remarkable potential,” said Rowson with characteristic generosity.

Kingston v Wimbledon, Alexander Cup final, Adelaide pub, Teddington, 16 June 2022

This was the board 2 clash in the Alexander Cup Final between Wimbledon stalwart Russell Granat, a noted attacking player with an ECF rating of 2260, and 18-year-old Kingston star David Maycock, whose ECF is close to 2300 and which will no doubt soon enter the stratosphere. Maycock first rebuffs Granat’s Worrall Attack in the Ruy Lopez and then occupies the centre with a phalanx of pawns. It is a wonderfully controlled display by a young player of enormous promise who has helped to transform Kingston’s fortunes this season.

Kingston v CCF (Coulsdon), Alexander Cup semi-final, Willoughby Arms, Kingston, 30 May 2022

Kingston’s latest star player, Vladimir Li, won this crucial game playing on board 5 in the recent Alexander Cup semi-final against CCF (Coulsdon), but you might not think it reading his annotations to this game in which he thwarted David Ian Calvert’s Scandinavian. “Poor opening preparation, shallow reasoning, irrational time budgeting, wishful thinking, poor calculation discipline” … Li is extremely hard on himself. But he is a perfectionist who detests weak moves, and his annotations can teach us a huge amount about the potential depth of chess thinking.

Kingston v CCF (Coulsdon), Alexander Cup semi-final, Willoughby Arms, Kingston, 30 May 2022

This was the board 3 game in the semi-final of the Alexander Cup, Surrey’s premier knockout competition, which pitted a strong Kingston side against a Coulsdon team that was slightly weaker on paper but had a good blend of experience and youth and fought very hard on the night. Kingston won 7-3, but the scoreline masked some tense individual battles, including this one, which was level for most of the evening. This was the game which took Kingston past the magical five-point mark, and Peter Lalić shows both his endgame skill and customary steeliness in a time scramble. His exploitation of his opponents’ hanging pawns is particularly instructive. As ever, his annotations capture the excitement and uncertainty of the moment. Peter never pretends omniscience; he tells you what it is really like to be there at the chessboard with all its boundless possibility … and potential for pain.

Cavendish 2 v Wood Green, London League division 1 east, Millman Street Community Centre, London WC1, 7 April 2022

In a recent blog, Kingston stalwart Alan Scrimgour recounted his lifelong love affair with the Sicilian Defence. In this game, played for his London League team Cavendish, he demonstrated its potency by downing IM Graeme Buckley, who was playing for perennial London League champions Wood Green.

Southend Easter Congress (Open), Round 5, 17 April 2022

David Maycock, whose arrival this season has been a big factor in the revival of the Kingston club, made the early running in the Southend Easter Congress, winning his first four (yes, four!) games, with a 2800+ Elo rating performance. This was his fifth game at the congress – as Black against the tactically ambitious, 2219 Fide-rated Tom Villiers – and was played on Easter Sunday as the four-day, seven-round tournament reached its critical final stages. Maycock played with great control against Villiers, who, looking to blast open Black’s kingside, lashed out with a piece sac. The Kingston star had to play more than a dozen moves on the 30-second increment, but kept his cool, traded pieces – each trade increasing his advantage – and, with a passed pawn motoring, forced White’s resignation. A terrific victory for Maycock, which took him to 5/5 and maintained his clear lead in the tournament. Not that any chickens – or indeed Easter eggs – were being counted yet.

Kingston 1 v Hounslow 1, Thames Valley League division 2, Willoughby Arms, Kingston, 11 April 2022

This match against Hounslow was Vladimir’s first outing representing Kingston. We had no doubts that he would justify our faith in him. During our introductory chess sessions, he had beaten Kingston’s finest, so now it was time for some real competition.

South Norwood 1 v Kingston 1, Surrey League division 2, West Thornton Community Centre, 17 March 2022

This was the decisive game in the crucial match between Kingston and South Norwood that effectively determined who would win the second division title in the Surrey League. As ever Peter Lalić, playing black against the very capable Tariq Oozerally, proved nerveless, first building a small advantage, then losing it with an error, but finally outplaying his opponent in a time scramble after boldly turning down a draw to claim the vital point. Peter’s detailed annotations capture the ebb and flow of that critical game, and the visceral excitement of its final passage of play.

South Norwood 1 v Kingston 1, Surrey League division 2, West Thornton Community Centre, 17 March 2022

This was the board 1 showdown for a crucial South Norwood – Kingston encounter, to see who goes up from a trio of ridiculously strong teams in Surrey’s division two (Epsom being the third). Mike is a former South Norwood player, and says it was good to see them fielding such a strong team.