Newly-formed seconds quick to secure first online win

Spectacular 18-move wins for Tony Purser and David Edwards helped the newly-formed Shrewsbury 2 team to victory in their opening Shropshire Online Chess League division two match of the season.

The Shrewsbury team – playing just days after being admitted as a late entry to the league – defeated Shropshire & Friends 3 2.5-0.5, with the destination of the points swiftly decided, writes Peter Kitchen.

Firstly, Purser defeated the experienced Peter Crean on top board, trapping his opponent’s queen after just 11 moves and then forcing resignation on move 18 with checkmate unavoidable. A truly fantastic start!

That was followed up by Edwards on bottom board. Playing the white side of his favoured Rapport-Jobava System against Cameron Fisher, Edwards took a dubiously sacrificed pawn early on and continued to press. His opponent resigned on move 18 faced with the unavoidable loss of a piece.

The final game of the night was a much longer drawn out affair – and ebbed and flowed. Shrewsbury’s Tom Maiden enjoyed the far the better of the opening exchanges with the black pieces, and was a rook up by move 21. But he blundered it back seven moves later and a complicated knight ending ensued.

Eventually, Maiden and opponent Michael Clifford Smith repeated the position after 48 moves, which ensured Shrewsbury’s players ended the night undefeated.

Full scores (Shrewsbury colours in brackets):

Shropshire & Friends 3 0.5-2.5 Shrewsbury 2

1. Peter Crean 0-1 Tony Purser (w)

2. Michael Clifford Smith 0.5-0.5 Tom Maiden (b)

3. Cameron Fisher 0-1 David Edwards (w)

Shrewsbury 2 are next due to be in action on Thursday (November 7) against Newport.