Slim Pickings at Bangor
Groomsport draw with Civil Service, Templar fall to Fisherwick
Division 1
Thursday Club Night: Groomsport scored draws on all boards against Civil Service doing no favours for either themselves or Carnegie; no change at the bottom of the league.
After Carnegie's match this week against Clifton House, both Groomsport and Carnegie will have only one match left to complete the season. These final matches are due to be a Division event held in Civil Service with all teams participating in a massive 15 board play-off. Scheduled for the week of St. Patrick's Day, the fate of league winners and losers will be decided on the night.
Fisherwick are making a late, strong challenge on Clifton House as the season draws to a close. Division winners may well hinge on the play-off final; Clifton House meet Bangor Groomsport and Fisherwick take on RVH. As well as deciding league winners, the same matches will likely determine the order at the bottom of the league too. Barring changes in the league structure, Bangor are confident of at least one team remaining in Division 1 for next year.
Division 2
Winston had to postpone their match against RVH with 2 players absent.
Templar fell heavily to Fisherwick with 2 draws from Philip Todd (3) and Kevin Agnew (4). Martin Moorcroft (1), David Grzymek (2) ad Drew Ferguson (5) all lost.
This was the first defeat of the season for Martin Moorcroft. A sharp Birds opening was parried by Martin who used his Knights well to ward off the King side attack. Martin found several threatening moves and finally won a pawn to put Ian Davis under some pressure. But now under time pressure himself, Martin missed a move to put his King safe and Ian pounced to win a Knight. With some good combinational play Martin won another pawn but as the pieces were exchanged Ian's extra Bishop proved decisive. Martin took great heart from the game as he had never faced an f4 opening before from such a strong opponent.
Drew Ferguson defended against an unusual b3 opening and succeeded in blocking Chris Millar's Bishop's control of the long diagonal from b2. Drew launched an intimidating attack down the King-side but mostly empty threats. Chris gained a 2 pawn advantage and when Drew forced himself into a material trade-off, not even the clock could save the game for Black.
Thursday Club Night: Groomsport scored draws on all boards against Civil Service doing no favours for either themselves or Carnegie; no change at the bottom of the league.
After Carnegie's match this week against Clifton House, both Groomsport and Carnegie will have only one match left to complete the season. These final matches are due to be a Division event held in Civil Service with all teams participating in a massive 15 board play-off. Scheduled for the week of St. Patrick's Day, the fate of league winners and losers will be decided on the night.
Fisherwick are making a late, strong challenge on Clifton House as the season draws to a close. Division winners may well hinge on the play-off final; Clifton House meet Bangor Groomsport and Fisherwick take on RVH. As well as deciding league winners, the same matches will likely determine the order at the bottom of the league too. Barring changes in the league structure, Bangor are confident of at least one team remaining in Division 1 for next year.
Division 2
Winston had to postpone their match against RVH with 2 players absent.
Templar fell heavily to Fisherwick with 2 draws from Philip Todd (3) and Kevin Agnew (4). Martin Moorcroft (1), David Grzymek (2) ad Drew Ferguson (5) all lost.
This was the first defeat of the season for Martin Moorcroft. A sharp Birds opening was parried by Martin who used his Knights well to ward off the King side attack. Martin found several threatening moves and finally won a pawn to put Ian Davis under some pressure. But now under time pressure himself, Martin missed a move to put his King safe and Ian pounced to win a Knight. With some good combinational play Martin won another pawn but as the pieces were exchanged Ian's extra Bishop proved decisive. Martin took great heart from the game as he had never faced an f4 opening before from such a strong opponent.
Drew Ferguson defended against an unusual b3 opening and succeeded in blocking Chris Millar's Bishop's control of the long diagonal from b2. Drew launched an intimidating attack down the King-side but mostly empty threats. Chris gained a 2 pawn advantage and when Drew forced himself into a material trade-off, not even the clock could save the game for Black.

