The final fixture of the 2024/25 season of Bedfordshire Chess League division 1, was the decider of whether Luton A or Leighton Buzzard B would be relegated. The visitors were without their captain Adrian Matthews, but still fielded a strong side spearheaded by Kevin Williamson (1834), Peter Taylor (1807), Ian Woodward (1749), Fred Dorn (1759) & Sean Gallagher (1607). As befitting the top team from Luton, the 5 top players from the club were waiting to meet them: Faisal Rashad (2032); Julian Hudson (1993); Thomas O'Brien (1909); Samir Vora (1815) & Michael Joseph (1718).
Board 3: Ian Woodward v Thomas O'Brien. In this game, Ian playing White must have felt comfortable with his game, having gained control of the semi-open d-file by applying pressure with his Queen backed up by both Rooks, hitting Tommy's d6-Pawn. But in the calm and calculating style we have come to associate with Tommy, he adjusted and tidied up his position such that he was able nullify the threat from White on the d-file by gaining control of the centre. Then in an ironic twist, Tommy was the one applying pressure on the semi-open e-file and Black's e-Pawn. White tried an exchange of peices but the simplfication trapped his Bishop and when Tommy had connected passed pawns on d3 & e3, Ian resigned. 0-1
Board 5: Sean Gallagher v Michael Joseph. In this game, after both sides castled Kingside, Michael, playing Black, launched an aggressive Kingside pawn storm towards his opponent's King. White responded by attempting to lock the pawn structure, but in so doing, Michael had a roving light squared Bishop that had free reign across the board. It was this Bishop that caused so much havoc for White, that he sacrificed a Rook just to get rid of it. After the exhange, Michael had even more free range for his heavy pieces against White's exposed King and Sean resigned. 0-1
Board 2: Julian Hudson v Peter Taylor. Julian gained the initiative in the opening with the White pieces. The middle game was a model of how to take advantage of an opponent's backward pawn. Peter had a pawn on d6 and e5 creating a hole on the d5-square and a target on the d6-pawn that Julian ruthlessly exploited. When Black got rid of the White Knight on d5, Julian switched the attack to Black's backward d6-pawn. Black could do little but shuffle his pieces on the back ranks to hold on. Julian lined up his Rooks and Queens on the semi-open d-file ratcheting up the pressure on Ian's d6-pawn and prophylactically holding the d5-square with pawns on c4 & e4. Then Julian maneouvered his Bishops into open diagonals with total control of the board and with no counterplay left, Black resigned. 1-0
Board 4. Samir Vora v Fred Dorn. Luton's club gambiteer Samir eschewed his usual pawn gambit opening, or so it appeared until he went all in for a risky Fried Liver style attack with Bxf7+. The computer evaluation suggests this was over the top but it at least prevented Black from castling, and Fred spent time trying bring his King to safety on the Queenside. Into the middle game, and despite Samir gaining a pawn in the centre the position remained equal. Then Black played an innocuous trade of minor pieces that in fact gave White the winning advantage, and even a mate in 10 according to Fritz. Perhaps understandably, the mate was missed, but in the ensuing Rooks and Pawns endgame, Samir created an unstoppable passed pawn and Fred resigned. 1-0
Board 5. Kevin Williamson v Faisal Rashad. This was the last game to finish and by this time, both players had used most of the time on their clocks in the opening and middle game. White and Black castled on opposite wings, and both launched pawn attacks on against their opponents Kings. Kevin tried for a draw by repetition in a dead even position, but on the third cycle, Faisal didn't repeat and the game continued. White had an intimidating phalanx of pawns on the fourth rank. Black countered with a wing attack, a Knight for Bishop exchange that prised open the a-file adjacent to White's King. The game was imbalanced. The e-file was opened and contested by Rooks on both sides. Black locked the pawn structure and White forced an exchange of Queens on the open e-file but now Black had backward pawns and overworked pieces. In the end, White's Knight was stronger than Black's Bishop and after White Queened a pawn, the game was over. 1-0
Match Result: Luton A 4-1 Leighton Buzzard B.
Congratulations to Luton A-team on their most comprehensive win of the season. The result meant that for the first time in decades, Luton Chess Club will have two teams in the first division.