We have played 4 matches in the 2025/2026 season before the Christmas Break. Division 2 is always going to be tough with a small squad and limited availability of our top players.
Herts CA : Herts League – Division 2
Monday 29th September 2025
Letchworth & Hitchin 2 Borehamwood
1 Mutton, Ian 1774 0-1 Rubeck, Jonathan 1917
2 Wright, Nigel 1761 1/2 Kent, Anthony R 1793
3 Woodhouse, Tom 1757 1-0 Sear, Kevin 1630
4 Stringer, Joseph 1732 1-0 O’Sullivan, Terry J 1488
5 Barnes, Jon P 1711 1/2 Garfield, Harvey 1485
[1747.0] [1662.6]
3-2
As shown above, we lost our first match of the season. Terry misjudged which rook to move, lost a pawn and had no counter play in a closed position
Draw for Harvey in equal position. Kevin had a fairly level position but got caught with a back rank pin. Jonathan had a strong game but lost material late on. He pushed a central pawn and his opponent misplayed blocking it, being short of time. Anthony had drawn first as black, but instead of 17…..Bxc and a drawn ending, 17….Qb5 was winning (attached position)
We had to default the fist match away to Bishops Stortford due to it being a Thursday and only one player available!
Herts CA : Herts League – Division 2
Tuesday 18th November 2025
Borehamwood Welwyn Hatfield 1
1 Rubeck, Jonathan 1917 1-0 Jones, Tibor T 1900
2 Kent, Anthony R 1793 1/2 Roderick, Andrew 1837
3 Sear, Kevin 1630 0-1 Gordonsmith, Roger H 1809
4 O’Sullivan, Terry J 1488 0-1 Faulkner, David J 1818
5 Cowan, Anthony 1000 0-1 Bombal, Paul 1000
[1565.6] [1672.8]
1.5-3.5
Another defeat as our lower boards were outgraded.
The battle on board 1
Herts CA : Herts League – Division 2
Monday 8th December 2025
Watford 1 Borehamwood
1 Liu, Jacob 1936 1-0 Simmons, Matthew 2097
2 Turnbull, Peter J 1592 1-0 Rubeck, Jonathan 1917
3 Davids, Ewan 1542 0-1 Kent, Anthony R 1793
4 Patel, Ananya 1502 0-1 Garfield, Harvey 1485
5 Kunz, Leandro 1354 0-1 O’Sullivan, Terry J 1488
[1585.2] [1756.0]
2-3
A win! They were weaker than usual, but it was pleasing to get off the mark.
We started by losing boards 1 and 2, with Jonathan’s opponent playing a double rook sacrifice. Harvey and Terry both won against good Juniors, with Harvey completing his attack with minimal time left.
Now 2-2, Anthony had managed to gain a pawn, and swapped off the queens and rooks to develop a pawn ending with 2 threats so his king could not stop them both.
Board 3 final position. White has just played c4 which will create 2 passed pawn threats which black cannot block.
Borehamwood Chess club 