Having beaten Letchworth 3-2 at Home, we lost 3-2 away.

Herts CA : Herts League – Division 3 Monday 29-January-2018
Letchworth & Hitchin 2   v    Borehamwood

Board 1 : Thurstan, Tim  164 1/2 Raoof, Adam  176
Board 2 : Nelson, Ian 160       1-0 Kent, Anthony 151
Board 3 : Mutton, Ian 150      0-1 Gesthuysen, Malcolm 132
Board 4 : Barnes, Jon  140      1-0 Sear, Kevin 124
Board 5 : Coates, Tom 118     1/2 O’Sullivan, Terry  118
Match Score :                           3 – 2

Let’s start with our only winner, Malcolm. Nice rooks on the 8th rank. Gotta feel sorry for the black bishops.

Next, our board 1, Adam, with a remarkable 6 draws from 6 games this season.

Terry willing took a draw with 2 knights against 2 Bishops (see below)

Now the 2 defeats. Board 4 saw Kevin getting a bit overrun.  Board 2 went from an English to a Dutch, where black definately needs to polish his Warsaw Variation.

Herts CA : Herts League – Division 3             Tuesday 02-January-2018
Borehamwood                                                            St Albans 3
Board  1 : Raoof, Adam N               183   1/2   Lawrence, Paul             150 (white)
Board  2 : Marcos, Dan                   152   1/2   Cross, Ian K                    143 (black)
Board  3 : Kent, Anthony R            149   1/2   Narbeth, Simon             128
Board  4 : Gesthuysen, Malcolm   131   1-0   Fothergill, Craig S         135
Board  5 : O’Sullivan, Terry J         126   1/2   Flatt, Michael                 128
Match Score :                                            3 – 2

2nd day of the year, and a home match against St Albans 3rd team.  Adam got his 5th draw in the 5 matches we have played this season.  Good win (our only one) for Malcolm who won the exchange, then went a rook up, gave back some material and obtained a won pawn ending.Dan tried his best to win a rook and pawn ending.

Anthony played against a Closed Sicilian and reached a drawn opposite colour Bishop ending. Terry’s game was adjourned on the night, but a draw was agreed a few days later. Position below (Terry black) shows why.