CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP GOES TO FINAL GAME
The winner of this year’s Shrewsbury Chess Club Championship will be decided on the final game.
Tournament leader Olusegun Ilesanmi saw his 100 per cent record bite the dust as he was beaten with white by fellow A team player Peter Kitchen.
He now faces a nervous wait for the outcome of the final game between Stephen Priestley and Dan Lockett. Lockett must win with black to catch Ilesanmi, while a win for Priestley would give him a share of second place with Kitchen.
The Priestley v Lockett game was one of six final round games scheduled for last Wednesday night – but had to be postponed on the day of the game.
The other five games were all hard fought affairs. Nick Holmes and Mark Smith agreed a draw in a very level-looking rook ending on move 24 – but Smith had been a pawn up and may have had chances to make more of his earlier material edge.
Fred Bennett put in one of the performances of the night to give the experienced Ian Davies a real fright. Playing with black, Bennett reached an ending an exchange up – but Davies quickly advanced his connected queenside passed pawns and generated enough counterplay to secure a draw. But Fred is certainly one to watch!
Ivor Salter put on a professional display, taking advantage of an error on the opening by Richard Vernon to win a piece and ultimately the game. Later chess.com analysis showed Ivor played a pretty accurate game!
Kitchen then saw off Ilesanmi in the top board clash. Despite slightly misplaying his attack (perhaps caught off guard by being uncharacteristically ahead in the clock 
), Kitchen’s constant pressure eventually paid off. Ilesanmi resigned on move 30 in a list position with just seconds of thinking time left.
Shane Greenwood played a game of roulette with his allotted time, forcing resignation from David Edwards with just 20 seconds left on his clock. At one point Shane was down to his final second – thank goodness for modern-day increments…
Tournament standings (not including half-point bonuses for completing games on time):
1. Olusegun Ilesanmi (4/5)
2. Peter Kitchen (3.5/5)
3= Dan Lockett (3/4), Mark Smith & Shane Greenwood (both 3/5)
6= Stephen Priestley (2.5/4), Ivor Salter, Nick Holmes, Ian Davies & Fred Bennett (all 2.5/5)
11= David Edwards & Richard Vernon (both 1.5/5)
13= Tony Purser & Tom Maiden (both 1/5)
If Ilesanmi and Lockett finish level, tournament controller Priestley must decide whether to enforce a tiebreak (Ilesanmi beat Lockett in an earlier round), play a playoff or allow the players to share the trophy (as Priestley and Kitchen did last season).