Best of the Rest?

Having already slipped up once against Warwick University B, our chances of retaining our Coventry League title now seem to depend on us beating the University A team twice, which I very much doubt is going to happen, given the strength in depth they have at their disposal. So we are, realistically, probably playing for a best of the rest finish and second place - although you can never be sure that the perennial student aversion to administrative matters might just leave the door open for us. But I'm not banking on it!

Which is a long winded way of saying that a second successive convincing victory has elevated us to a second place Division 1 standing that is unlikely to be transformed into first place any time soon. 

But as we even improved upon last week's 3-1 win over Nuneaton A this time around, by seeing off Coventry A 3.5-0.5, there's still plenty to be pleased about.

Despite the wide margin, this was a well fought match. Javi was first to strike, beating Francis Sagyaman after an interesting battle in a Spanish opening. Well, the name says it all really - clearly that is one opening where Javi has to be favourite! Harry, on his Coventry League debut, had a tough task on Board 4 against our very own Katia (it is customary for us to have to face at least one of our own members in these matches!) but successfully navigated lots of complications - bishops and rooks were raging across the board! - to win. Though Katia was rather kind in resigning when Harry only had a couple of minutes left and - crucially - no increment!

Mike's win over Ed Goodwin - a match up that has been going for over 40 years by Mike's reckoning - yielded our third full point, so you'll now be able to work out that yet again it was the Club Organiser who failed to complete the clean sweep of victories. I only drew against Jonathan Fowler despite being two pawns up in a knight v bishop ending, as the pressure of the clock, and the realisation that if he had even one pawn left on the board at flag fall I would lose on time, meant I failed to convert a very tricky position. But 3.5-0.5 is still a pretty good score. I'd certainly settle for it every week!

And there has been more good news for the club this week, as the C team - newly invigorated by Keatan's elevation to Board 1 - chalked up a 4-0 win over Rugby A on Monday, and the D team - still just about hanging onto Keatan for a match or two! -  then beat Olton B 2.5-1.5 on Tuesday, with Solomon the hero of the hour. So double Division 2 success which consolidates our two teams in the top half of the table.

Such positive news demands that we have some truly excellent music to round off this report. I just discovered this today, and it seems mean not to share it. Former Allman Brothers guitarist Dicky Betts on stage with the Tedeschi-Trucks Band, playing an old Allman's classic. Its truly epic!