The only time we have won this trophy in the past was back in 2016/17, and we did so by the skin of our teeth when, in the final round, Bury's bottom board blundered to a much lower rated player, and our two bottom boards won completely drawn endings. Well tonight there no such issues, we won three of our matches and drew the fourth, giving us a clear lead at the top. Congratulations to the team who have given us our first trophy of the season.

In the twenty five years that this competition has been running, we have only won it once before, back in 2016/17 when it was the U145. And that was the year that we won nearly everything. Since then our record has not been so great, finishing last more times than anywhere else. So it was great to reclaim this trophy, and doing so without even needing to complete our fixtures. It's just a pity the entrants were so sparse, but that doesn't detract for the achievement for the opposition was still very tough.

We were not unhappy with the overall result, although we came away thinking we could have done better. Graeme got us off to a good start in a complicated but level looking game that led to a rook and minor piece ending in which a phalanx of three pawns were camped on the fourth rank outside his opponent's king's position. His opponent then made a catastrophic pawn advance to disturb that phalanx that offered Graeme a mate in one from the rear, and he was more than happy to take it.
  Bob finished next in a game that looked pretty much even throughout, and with neither side able to gain significant advantage a draw was eventually agreed. A little later Rod eventually lost a very complicated game that on the surface looked quite good for him. While material was level, Rod's pawn structure was far the better, and we were hopeful of at least another half a point. But as we entered the ending Rod gave up a bishop for two pawns, which proved unsuccessful and the match was levelled.
  John brought up the rear having survived an unexpectedly tricky position from his Nimzo-Larsen but came out of the middlegame with a definite plus. However he failed to convert it in a rook and pawn ending, and while he declined a draw offer on move 41 he accepted it on move 42 after careful consideration brought home to him the fact that he had blown any chance of winning with what was left.
 This result takes Bury out of the running and there remains just the home and away matches between us and Ipswich to decide who finishes top. If we win just one of those matches the trophy is ours regardless of the result of the other one. If we draw them both we also take the trophy. What we can't afford is to lose one and draw the other (or worse, lose them both) so our eyes will be focused on April 16th and 23rd, and with a bit of luck we'll have it in the bag before the Easter break.

It's always nice to start a competition with a win, and while we still remain bottom of the table, our games in hand put us in very good stead, especially as Bury and Ipswich drew both of their matches against each other.
  John finished first tonight, having rolled out his usual Nimzo-Larsen, but very nearly came unstuck when he didn't follow the line he was taking to its conclusion, and ended with a pawn hanging. And not just any pawn, a very dangerous, passed and connected d-pawn. He gave up two pieces for a rook to neutralise that pawn and after forcing off the queens he achieved relative equality with his rook keeping his opponent's knight and bishop playing a more defensive role.
  Rod kept things level after coming under considerable pressure on the king's side after castling queen's side. As the ending approached he dropped his h-pawn but managed to create enough problems to keep himself in the game with solid defence and active play. Without clear winning chances for either side a draw was eventually agreed.
  Jim then put us in front after a complicated game in which he always appeared in control. He had given up the exchange for a pair of powerful passed pawns and was preparing to advance them when his opponent made an illegal move, not realising that his king was in check. Unfortunately for him the only way he could get out of check was to interpose with the piece he had made the illegal move with, which happened to lose him the exchange back. After that his position was quite hopeless.
  Finally Graeme sealed the match after a most unusual variation of the Sicilian that is rarely seen, and no doubt rarely known - the anti-Sicilian wing gambit. It led to a very complicated position in which Graeme had to fathom his way through threats from several directions. But he kept his head and the gambitted pawn, and as the pieces came off he added another pawn to his collection. The knight and bishop ending was definitely in Graeme's favour, but he had to work hard to convert it, and there is perhaps some irony that it was Graeme's a-pawn that faced the one that was sacrificed that won him the game.
  Our next match in this competition is the return match against Bury, and if we can at least draw that one we would be in a good position to win this trophy for only the second time since it was first competed for back in back in 1998/99.