Online Opener a Triumph for A Team

Shrewsbury A are the early frontrunners in Shropshire Online Chess League after getting their campaign off to the perfect start with victory over promoted Telford A.

Stephen Priestley, Dan Lockett and Richard Vernon all won their games to a seal a 3-1 triumph over last season’s online division two champions, writes Peter Kitchen.

Francis Best lost his game on top board against Mark Keady, but it proved no more than a consolation for Telford.

With the two Oswestry sides drawing their club derby, it puts Shrewsbury at the top of the four-team division ahead of their Halloween clash against defending champions Oswestry B.

Priestley continued his fine online form from last season by beating Roger Brown on board two. He had won a piece by move 10 on the white side of a Bird’s Opening, and confidently converted his advantage to victory on move 39.

Lockett, playing with the black pieces, grabbed the lion’s share of central space against Stefan Tennant on board three and had a clear advantage by move 18. But then both players started losing the thread and made a series of inaccuracies, and the error count grew as both players ran perilously short of time in a sharp position. But it was Lockett who held his nerve to deliver checkmate on move 43.

On bottom board, both Vernon and Richard Thompson got away with some tactical slip-ups unpunished until one final error from Thompson cost him a rook and the game, with resignation coming on move 37.

Best and Keady got immersed in a tense middlegame, and an error from the Telford man gave Best the advantage. He was unable to capitalise though, and ultimately went wrong in a king and pawn endgame as time started to run out, resigning on move 66.

Full scores:

Shrewsbury A 3-1 Telford A (Shrewsbury colours in brackets)

1. Francis Best (b) 0-1 Mark Keady

2. Stephen Priestley (w) 1-0 Roger Brown

3. Dan Lockett (b) 1-0 Stefan Tennant

4. Richard Vernon (w) 1-0 Richard Thompson

To view the games visit the Lichess profiles of the Shrewsbury players:

Francis: ephpeebee

Srephen: Casimir71

Dan: SilurianDan

Richard: Vernalobos

The club is expecting to field two teams in division two this season – and both Shrewsbury B and C are due to be in action on Wednesday (October 11). The Bs are the notional home team against Newport A, while th C team will also be “home” to Oswestry C.

Both divisions of the online league will have just four teams this season following the withdrawal of Telepost A. Despite the Abbey Foregate club’s booming membership, they appear to be prioritising over-the-board teams and have also entered a team in the Four Nations Online Chess League for the coming campaign.