Cup Fixtures & Results 2007/8

 

John Ripley Trophy

Final:	Atticus  1½-4½  Widnes
Semi-final:	Liverpool  2-4  Atticus
2nd Round:	Atticus  3½-2½  Aigburth
1st Round:	Wallasey  2-4  Atticus

        

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Knotty Ash Cup (U130)

Final:	Atticus 2  1½-3½  Widnes
Semi-final draw:	Southport 2  2-3  Atticus 2
Quarter-final:	Atticus 2  3½-1½  Hoylake
2nd Round:	Atticus 2  4-1  Littlewoods
1st Round:	Prescot  0-5  Atticus 2

 

All other MCA 0708 Cup fixtures and results here.

 

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2007/8 John Ripley Match Reports by team captain John Carleton

 

JR Final: Monday 21st April 2008 - Atticus v Widnes - Result: 1½-4½.

 

Through the early stages of the evening the crowd, including a strong travelling support and a fair contingent of 'neutrals' grew steadily and there was a tangible frisson in the air. The Adelphi provided a splendid backdrop to the unfolding drama of the matches (talk of her fading glory is somewhat premature).

And so the match started, Widnes appearing to gain small edges, but nothing too disturbing for the home fans, on the top four boards. Board 5 looked murky and board 6 offered the home team encouragement.

The top two Widnes boards gave as befits their status a master class not only in chess terms but also in time management. In each game the Atticus player found themselves under nagging pressure from the opening and in each we fought hard to stay in the game. Crucial inaccuracies did hasten the end for each of us (but probably just saved us from further suffering!).

Jonathan on board 3 was at his impish best showing there was life in his apparently passive position. He launched a series of cunning and ultimately stunning counter attacks to net our only win of the evening. John on board 4 had appeared to the skipper's admittedly somewhat casual glance to have overcome his opening problems. Simon disabused the home supporters of any such notions to land the first impressive victory for Widnes. Robbo on board 5 landed a half in a game where Mark, wisely in view of the unfolding match situation, refused to be provoked into speculative tries for the initiative. The draw was agreed in the resulting flat endgame position. On board 6 Luke had a hallucination launching an unsound sacrificial attack. He turned a draw down in the middle of it and then fought resolutely before falling to the inevitable defeat.

Thus Widnes with their intense yet sporting approach were worthy victors. Nor did the home team find any solace in the result of the adjacent Knotty Ash final where Atticus succumbed after a tough struggle. Talk of fading glory is also premature with regards to Atticus and the John Ripley Cup. We will return this trophy, bearing the names of one of our favourite sons, to what we regard as its rightful place (on top of Carlo's bookcase) or suffer greatly in the process.

 

Finally after such bellicose talk spare a thought for the Atticus 1 players who had to gear themselves up for another big match as they sought to capture the Silver Rook after a gap of four seasons.

 

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Semi-final: Tuesday 19th February 2008 - Liverpool v Atticus - Result: 2-4.

 

‘Stunning’, ‘Incisive’, ‘Controlled’, ’Brilliant’ and ‘Smooth’ were just a few of the adjectives nobody dreamed of using with regards to the Atticus performance in this tough semi-final.

After an hour and a half the pattern of the match had been established: on board 1, John and I were engrossed in a trenchant battle: spectators observing that both players looked pretty worried. On board 2 Jonathan had decided to attack on both wings with his king in the centre: things were looking grim for us with Joe,s army lining up and Jonathan's king on the move. On board 3 Dave James and Nick were involved in a central skirmish which seemed likely to fizzle out at any moment. On board 4 David Lawson was already applying big pressure and on board 5 John Redmond was a piece for a pawn up but having some trouble getting at Dave Leeming's position because of the interlocking pawn chains. Robbo on board 6 had cast himself as the Scouse Morozevich for the evening but his innovative play did not match that of the great master and his opening left him in big trouble, glad to be able to give up his queen for rook, knight and pawn.

An hour later and the results started pouring in. Board 3 was agreed drawn, although it hadn't actually fizzled out: Nick had some annoying pressure so Dave was grateful to draw. Board 1 was next to be drawn, neither player confident in the messy complications. Boards 4 and 5 went our way. John opening the position up for a decisive attack and David converting his positional assets into a direct and crushing attack.

When Jonathan's king arrived on e7 (he was White and the route was circuitous) he had an opportunity to exchange queens which was generally felt to be at least equal for him. Once this opportunity was missed, Jonathan optimistically leaving his king at the vanguard, the Atticus player was doomed. This meant that Robbo had to draw to put us in the final and indeed by now we were feeling reasonably confident: Dave had sent his knight on a grand tour to aid exchanges and he had constructed a very secure looking position. As the knight arrived back in the centre however, Morozevich, sorry Dave, aided by Tony trying to ‘go for it’ (as he had to) was able to unleash a little bit of magic to force victory and put a slightly false glow on the final result.

 

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2nd Round: Monday 12th November 2007 - Atticus v Aigburth - Result: 3½-2½.

 

Christmas is the traditional time for thoughts to turn to the third round of the Cup (which is my way of apologising for being so late with this report).

As the reader is doubtless aware the name David means beloved/darling. To the list of Hasselhoff, Beckham, Bowie, Bellamy, Schwimmer and Dimbleby let us add the following beloved ones: James, Lawson, Robertson for it was they who carried us past the John Ripley Cup holders Aigburth and into another all first division clash against Liverpool.

The games themselves were full of interest. On Board 2 Jonathan's unorthodox approach was met adroitly by Andre who had a counter-blow for each of Jonathan's blows and duly landed an impressive win. Meanwhile on Board 3 Dave James had converted a pleasant opening advantage into what seemed a straightforward win. After a big "wobble" Dave did bring in the win. After a relatively quiet game of manoeuvre Board 1 exploded into life and the errors started to flow. Roger kept his nerve in the time scramble for one move longer than I did and the holders were into the lead. They arrived on the edge of victory when Steve Connor and Dave Piercey agreed a draw in a flat position. Steve had taken a small disadvantage from the opening and gradually equalised. When he tried to take the offensive Dave was able to force simplifications. Dave Robbo had meanwhile emerged a pawn up after a routine kingside attack followed by a switch to central play. However, Frank suddenly had enormous counterplay and Robbo had to run tremendous short-term risks because of the match situation but after a couple of heart-stopping moments brought home the bacon.

 

All of which left Ian Campbell against David Lawson as the last game in play. This had been the best game of the evening with a splendid series of thrusts and parries by each side. There had been several stages where we hoped David was emerging on top but each time Ian found an answer. Thus the players arrived at a tricky Queen and Bishop against Queen and Knight ending, which because of the tie break rules was a must-win situation for Atticus. Our hopes rose as Ian grabbed a pawn far from the main action and then to the surprise of everyone (except the very cool David but including Ian) our nerves were frayed no longer as Ian lost on time.

 

Bravo Atticus! 

 

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1st Round: Thursday 18th October 2007 - Wallasey v Atticus - Result: 2-4.

 

In our long winning streak in this competition, a few seasons back now, a couple of our biggest wobbles were against Wallasey. So although we were confident that our team was strong enough to prevail nothing was taken for granted.
 

Only two of the games could be described as straightforward from our point of view and in neither of those did the opposition succumb without a tough fight.

 

Jonathan on Board 2 gradually increased his advantage 'mixing it' well at critical moments before switching to a won ending. Steve on Board 5 applied the pressure and as his opponent tried to break out Steve threaded his way through the complications to emerge with a straightforward win.
 

Dave James on Board 3 had from a promising appearing opening suddenly found himself in reverse, never recovered and was unceremoniously crushed in an attack on his King.
 

There was quite a nice thread of logic running through my game up to the point where I had an extra pawn in a queen and pawn ending. Then there was an equally logical finish available; a return of the extra pawn to force a won king and pawn ending. This option remained 'on' but sadly from my point of view I missed it and even more sadly from Richie's point of view he walked into a swindle.
 

On Board 6 Nick nurtured a slight advantage, his prospects of victory gradually improving until they were irresistible. However there was some agitation from the watching Atticus players as Nick's time seemed to run down dramatically. Nick, though, is our top time pressure man and cool as cucumber completed the victory.
 

Meanwhile Robbo with king, rook, bishop and 2 pawns versus king and queen was trying to tease out a win. Time was running short for both players after earlier exciting play with attacks on opposite sides of the board featuring queen and knight against rook and two bishops. Dave was visibly shocked to lose on time perhaps having become too accustomed to 'playing digital'.
 

All of which earns our place in the plum tie of the second round: a home match against John Ripley Cup Holders, Aigburth

 

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