B-Team Ensure Promotion with Victory at Belper C
The B team went to Belper chess club on Wednesday evening (9/4/25) to play a match against their C team. Owing to the way the fixtures were set it was the first time the teams had met this season. With games in hand Belper C were still challengers for second place in the division.
George Burdell took top board and opened in his usual “avian” style, won an exchange in a mid game melee but shed too many pawns in doing so and his opponent’s counter prevailed.
I played on the queen’s side and my attack won an overwhelming material advantage.
Stuart was as solid as ever and agreed to share the point with a bishop versus a knight and a few pawns on the same side of the board when no further progress could be made.
Carl Weighill guested for the team and won with an attack on his adversary’s king in the later middle game with opposite coloured bishops proving to work in his favour. An encouraging debut in this division.
Overall, then, a very satisfactory night which ensures the B team’s will finish at least second (and gain promotion) with three matches to play.
| Belper C | 1½ - 2½ | Derby B | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tilston, Jamie D | 1958 | 1 - 0 | Burdell, G | 1816 |
| 2 | Fursman, Rob | 1768 | 0 - 1 | Smith, David | 1834 |
| 3 | Shore, James R | 1653 | ½ - ½ | Marshall, Stuart | 1713 |
| 4 | Smith, Vaughan WG | 1588 | 0 - 1 | Weighill, Carl | 1640 |
David Smith 11/4/25