Coulsdon 3 v Kingston 5, Surrey League division 5 match played at Coulsdon Chess Fellowship, 84/90 Chipstead Valley Rd, Coulsdon CR5 3BA on 2 November 2026

This was, given the rating disparity between the two teams, a remarkable result – a 3.5-2.5 win achieved by a youthful team with rating deficits on the lower boards of around 300 points each. At Kingston we like to celebrate the triumphs of our all-conquering first team, but the successes by our other teams need to be marked too. The club is now making progress, if you will forgive the pun, right across the board.

Acting captain Seth Warren (pictured above, analysing his game after the match) got the ball rolling with a win on board 1 against his opponent’s French Defence.

Ethan Fox was up against an experienced opponent on board 5 and succumbed after a tough struggle, making the match score 1-1. Miles O’Brien, with Black on board 4, got into early difficulty in a Caro-Kann, but extricated himself with the help of some over-excitable play by his opponent and went on to gain another vital win. Kingston were 2-1 up, but the likely outcome of the remaining games was far from clear.

Eoin Fox, the junior in the Fox pack, secured an important draw on board 3 against another much higher-rated opponent to make it 2.5-1.5 to Kingston. Victory was tantalisingly close. Could Adam Nakar, with Black on board 2, put the ball in the back of the net against Coulsdon stalwart Paul Jackson? It was nip and tuck until Adam found a killer blow to finish off his opponent – and guarantee victory in the match – in great style.

Adam’s win made it 3.5-1.5 to Kingston, but the game on board 6 was far from finished. Harry Roberts, with Black, had defended well against his opponent’s English Opening, and their game continued for another half an hour after the result of the match had been decided. “Harry battled on admirably,” Seth reported later, “eventually faltering under time pressure. His opponent was remarkably accurate in the conversion after a moderate error.”

That late success was, however, no more than a consolation goal for Coulsdon. Well done to Adam, Seth and all the players on a memorable victory against the odds, and to Ed Mospan, who picked the team and was nervously chewing his fingernails while overseeing umpteen rated friendlies back at base.

Stephen Moss is captain of Kingston Chess Club