Team Knock Out Final 2008 

Chartist  v Holme Valley 2nd April 2008 

Holme Valley had 3.5 points start, so needed to get 1.5 points or better to win the match, 

 

Chartist Captain Roger Tuddenham [near right] faced a new move in his pet line in the Giuoco Piano, and finished up in a slightly inferior position a pawn down, and short of time. But Holme Valley's Graham Hughes [left] unwisely dropped a couple of pawns and then lost a piece. However he still had chances in the ending. Roger had  Rook, Knight and only one pawn, versus Graham's  Rook and 2 pawns. However Graham blundered and resigned. 

1-0 Chartist 

 

Holme Valley captain Kevin Haigh [near left] went astray against Thomas Pitcher's King's Indian. Thomas sacrificed his Bishop to catch Kev's King in the centre, and won quickly. 

2-0 Chartist 

 

Holme Valley's Stewart Thompson [near right] had a strong position, a pawn up against Paddy Senior, but drifted into time trouble, played weakly and lost. 

3-0 Chartist. 

 

Holme Valley's Norman Battye [near right] played very strongly against Gerry Thickett, achieving an overwhelming advantage. 

In the position below Gerry [Black] played Bxf6. 

 

Now Norman had a 2 move mate Rxg7+ Bxg7, Rxg7 mate, but missed it, playing Rg6 instead. 

However he soon won. 

Chartist 3 -1  Holme Valley. Now Holme Valley needed half a point from the remaining two games. 

 

Chartist's Barry Marshall [near left] had brought Leo Keely's attack in the King's Indian to a stop, and was two pawns up in a superior position, but blundered away his Queen in the time pressure of the Quickplay finish. 

Chartist 3 -2 Holme Valley.  

This meant that Holme Valley had won the match. 

 

In the final game Chartist's Granville Boot [near] now agreed a draw against James Grist. He had Rook and 3 pawns v Rook and 2 pawns, but it was a difficult ending, and had only 2 minutes left on his clock in the Quickplay finish. 

 

The winning Team on the right !