Lightning doesn’t strike twice despite Ossie’s heroics
Tom Osenton’s first ever competitive victory was ultimately not enough for Shrewsbury C as they pushed Shropshire Chess League division three leaders all the way before falling to a 2.5-1.5 defeat.
Osenton won a fine game on board four against Erin Pichanick in just 23 moves to claim his first win for the C team at the third attempt. It followed Tom Maiden agreeing a quiet 14-move draw with Tim Skidmore on board two to put the hosts 1.5-0.5 up with just two boards still in play, writes Peter Kitchen.
But the leaders came roaring back on those final two boards. Dzhan Basriev won a very impressive game against Orlando Bell on top board to level the scores, and visiting captain Steve Szwajkun ultimately came out on top in a tense final game to finish on board three against Chris Warrilow.
Szwajkun was very gracious in his side’s victory, commenting on how much Shrewsbury C had improved over the course of the season and how this had been a match that could have gone either way, with his own game no exception.
As promised, captain Ben Howells made changes to his side following the creditable draw the previous time out, resting himself and Nick Nuthall and bringing in Maiden and Osenton, with Warrilow moving up one board.
Maiden was initially left wondering if he should have played on in his position, with some potentially promising middlegame plans available to him while his opponent appeared cramped. But later engine analysis had far more faith in black’s position.
Osenton was able to crash through the middle of the board in the middlegame, winning a key pawn establishing a strong rook on e6. Pichanick then blundered his knight on c5 to end the game instantly, but was already under substantial pressure.
Bell was outplayed on board one, eventually falling prey to a cunning checkmate in the middle of the board, and Warrilow had plenty of play in his game against Szwajkun but was eventually overwhelmed by an attack on the queenside.
The night still represented a fair improvement on the return fixture back in October, when Telford triumphed 3.5-0.5.
The matches against the top teams continue for the C team – they face second-placed Newport B at home on March 4, again looking to avenge a 3.5-0.5 loss in the reverse fixture before Christmas.
Full scores (Shrewsbury colours in brackets):
Shrewsbury C 1.5-2.5 Telford C
1.Orlando Bell (b) 0-1 Dzhan Basriev
2.Tom Maiden (w) 0.5-0.5 Tim Skidmore
3.Chris Warrilow (b) 0-1 Steve Szwajkun
4.Tom Osenton (w) 1-0 Erin Pichanick