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NEWS & UPDATES

  • ECF Sussex League - Knockout Cup : Match Report Crowborough 2 vs. Worthing

by Peter Larwood

Date: Friday 25 October 2024
Event: Crowborough 2 vs. Worthing ;  ECF LMS - Sussex League Knockout Cup Match
Result: 3.5 - 1

Worthing were drawn away to Crowborough 2 - their second cup team. 

The event is grading handicapped and we found ourselves needing to win with 2.5 or more to go through to the next round.

Ben Glyn-Jones on Board 4 started badly. He had a junior opponent who played well above his grade and who played a complicated position very well.

Graham Davie on Board 3 came to a late Middlegame with a pawn down which led to a second junior win.

Keith Guiness on Board 2 was outgraded and outplayed.

I was on Top Board and outgraded my opponent.  He played the Opening better than me giving me no counterplay. Fortunately however, he drifted allowing an exchange of my Rook for a Bishop and a Knight soon followed by me picking up another pawn. I made heavy work but eventually I won.

So we lost 3.5 - 1 including a 0.5 point handicap adjustment.

So just like last year, there's always next year.

Official ECF Result Summary can be found HERE. 

  • Chairman vs. Secretary Friendly Tournament Report

by Chris Jones

After a long break, the Chairman v. Secretary season opener returned. 

This was an ungraded friendly, with 45 minutes each on the clock and players were selected in approximate strength.

It was encouraging to see such a good turnout and we also welcomed potential new members Ross, Henry, Chris and Ben.

The Secretary won the toss with "Heads" and elected to have Board 1 start with White colours.

The match tipped one way, then another. But it came down to the very last game, with Jon turning around a worse position to snatch victory and secure a tied match.

Board
Chairman Team
Chairman-Colour
Result
Secretary-Colour
Secretary Team
1
Max Benett
Black
0-1
White
Russell Granat
2
Nick Skinner
White
1-0
Black
Dave Wallis
3
Paul O'Brien
Black
0-1
White
Peter Larwood
4
Ros
White
1-0
Black
Ben
5
Phil Crompton
Black
1-0
White
Jackson Hunter
6
Amit Talreja
White
0-1
Black
Chris Jones
7
Mark Cox
Black
0-1
White
Dave Bradley
8
John Young
White
1-0
Black
Keith Guiness
9
Mike Barrow
Black
0-1
White
Henry Heath
10
Eric Nepal
White
1-0
Black
McMillan

Final Score : 5-5 (Draw)

  • Battle on Board One

After the AGM at the beginning of September the first main event of the new season was a friendly match between the Chairman's team and the Secretary's team; contrasted with the cricketing tradition of Gentlemen versus Players.

The individual and overall results are reported on later by Chris Jones. Here, we look at the complex fight on the top board between Russell Granat (for the Secretary) and Max Bennett (for the Chairman).

White: Russell Granat
Black: Max Bennett
Event: Chairman's Team v Secretary's Team, 16 September, 2024
Opening: C00: French Defence - Steiner variation



1.e4        e6
2.c4        d5
3.cxd5    exd5
4.e5         ....
Russell's preferred line against the French Defence, getting off the beaten track as soon as possible, which he also played successfully in his Sussex Individual Championship game against Luke Rutherford earlier in the year.
Here, Luke had played 4...Bf5. Another idea would be the prophylactic 4...d4, preventing White from occupying that square with a pawn. In the present game Max sought control of the Centre in another way.

4. ....        c5
5.f4?!       ....
A more conventional way of proceeding would be 5.Bb5+ Nc6, 6.Ne2 Ne7 (or 6....Bd7), 7.d4.  Instead, the text move concedes a greater control of the Centre to Black while also weakening White's kingside.

5. ....        Nh6
6.Nf3       Qa5?!
Temporarily preventing White playing d4, and also Bb5+, but at the cost of delaying proper development. At this stage Russell regarded his position as poor, and foresaw difficulty in activating his pieces.

7.Nc3        d4
Energetic, but losing control of the central white squares.

8.Ne4       Nc6
9.Bc4        ....
Russell is developing his pieces effectively and has re-established equality, but there are some tactics ahead.

9. ....         Nb4!?

image.png

Position after 9. ....    Nb4!?

Tempting, with its threats of ...b5, or ...d3, or ...Bf5, with the idea of a knight fork at c2, and when White's d2-pawn cannot move without allowing a powerful double check.

10.a3
Strong, and virtually forced.

10. ....         Bf5

image.png

Position after 10....Bf5

The logical follow-up, which wins material but eases White's position.

11.axb4!
The only other feasible response was 11.Nfg5, with a likely continuation of 11....d3, 12.0-0 0-0-0, 13.Rb1, with a double-edged position where White's central pieces are not too stable, and Black's pawn at d3 may prove to be troublesome. But not 11.d3?? Nxd3+, 12.Kf1 Nxc1, 13.Ng3 b5!, when Black is clearly winning.

11. ....       Qxa1    
12.d3        ....
At last the d-pawn moves.

12. ....       Bd7?
Aimed at freeing the Black Queen, which is at present trapped on the first rank; but it does not turn out well. An alternative, and apparently somewhat better method, would be 12. ....cxb4, 13.0-0 (preferable to capturing the d4-pawn) 13. ....Qa5, 14.h3 Be6, 15.g4 Bxc4, 16.dxc4 0-0-0, 17.Qd3 when White maintains an edge despite being the exchange and a pawn down.

13.0-0      ....
Also good was 13.bxc5 Be7, 14.0-0 0-0, 15.Nxd4.

13. ....        a5?!

More consistent was 13. ....Qa4, 14.Qe2 Be6, allowing the Black Queen to at least see the battlefield.

14.bxc5      Bc6

image.png

Position after 14....Bc6

15.Qe2      ....
A sharp alternative was 15.e6 0-0-0 (worse would be 15. ....Qa4, 16.exf7+ Nxf7, 17.b3 Qb4, 18.Bd2 Qa3, 19.Bxf7+! Kxf7, 20.Ne5+ Ke7, 21.Nc4 Qa2, 22.Qh5 with an overwhelming position for White) 16.Ne5 Qa4, 17.Bb3 Qb5, 18.Bc4 Qa4, 19.b3 Qb4, 20.Bd2 Qa3, 21.Nxc6 bxc6, 22.exf7 when White has better development, more mobility, a safer king, with which the bishop pair and extra pawns combine to more than compensate for loss of the exchange.

15. ....       Bxc5
A bold and drastic measure in a difficult position. Another way of preventing Nd6+ would be to capture the knight, but after 15...Bxe4, 16.Qxe4 the white queen will prove to be too powerful. And if 15.... 0-0-0, then 16.Nd6+ Bxd6, 17.cxd6 Nf5, 18.g4 when Black is in an equally bad situation.

16.Nxc5    Nf5
17.g4         b6
18.Ne4      ....
White was spoilt for choice. 18.e6 and 18.Nb3 were also excellent options.

18....         Nh6
19.Nxd4    ....
Also good was 19.Nd6+ Kd8, 20.Nxd4.

19....         Bxe4
20.Bb5+!  ....
A Zwischenzug, which prevents castling.

20....        Kf8
21.Qxe4   
Here, Black resigned.
1-0

image.png

Final position, after 21.Qxe4

By now Max had understandably had enough. His pieces are scattered around the edge of the Board and are totally ineffective - a drastic consequence of the Black Queen's early excursion, material hunting, and confinement in the corner. The Queen, being powerful, and the Knight, complementing her movement and being an agile and tricky warrior, can combine in devastating attacks. But when they are deployed at the expense of activation of the rest of the army, and they do not achieve rapid success, then they are likely to be beaten back with loss of time or otherwise neutralised, as in this game.

JK / 18.09.24  

  • Budapest Chess Olympiad(2024)

Baadur Jobava vs. Luke McShane

In this one to watch game versus Baadur Jobava; Luke McShane is beaten.

For anyone interested, the game originally can be sourced here : https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2771796

White: Baadur Jobava
Black: Luke McShane
Event: Budapest Olympiad - Hungary, 14 September, 2024
Opening: A45: Indian Defence - Richter-Veresov Attack



1. d4 Nf6 
2. Nc3 d5 
3. Bf4 e6 
White elects to play the 3. Bf4. variation of the Indian Defence, Richter-Veresov Attack instead of the more traditional 3. Bg5. mainline.

4. Nb5 Na6 
5. e3 Be7 
6. Nf3 O-O 
7. h4 c6 
8. Nc3 Nc7 
9. Ne2 c5 
10. c3 b5 
11. dxc5 Bxc5 
12. Ned4 Bd7 
13. Ne5 b4 
14. Nd3 ...
The White Knight forks Black's pawn on b4 & its only protection, the undefended Bishop on c5.

14. ... Bb6 
The Black Bishop is chased away, leaving the b4 pawn undefended.

15. Nxb4 Ne4 
The White Knight captures Black's undefended b4 pawn and goes ahead in material by a pawn.

16. Bd3 f6 
17. Bxe4 dxe4 
18. Qb3 Qe8 
19. a4 Ba5 
20. O-O Rf7 
21. Bxc7 Bxc7 
22. Nb5 Be5 
23. Rfd1 f5 
24. Nd6 Bxd6 
25. Rxd6 f4 
26. exf4 Rxf4 
27. Qd1 Rf7 
28. Qd4 Bxa4 
29. Qxe4 Bb3 
30. c4 a5 
After a series of exchanges including more pawns and minor Pieces; Black kicks the White Knight on b4 with a Rook pawn thrust.

31. Nc6 Qf8
The White Knight escapes to c6, replying and adding to the attack on the Black pawn on a5. The Black Queen threatens the undefended Rook on d6 and doubles the Black Rook threat on the White pawn at f2 and onto White's 2nd Rank. Black believes this is sufficient defence for the under-defended pawns on a5 & e6 as the White pawn on c4 is en prise from the Black bishop on  b3. The potential loss of a pawn won't cost as much to Black as a free Rook from White.

32. Rxa5 Rxa5 
White sacrifices the Rook on the a File forcing Black to recapture and materially go into the lead by a minor Piece.
 
33. Rd8 ... 
However instead of re-taking the Rook with 33. Nxa5; White uses the weakened Back-Rank and partially pins the Black Queen on f8 against the Black King on g8.

33. ... Ra1+
Black desperately tries to protect his a-File Rook. Queen on f8 & pawn on e6 by going on the offensive.

34. Kh2 Rxf2 
35. Qxe6+ Kh8 
Another pawn exchange takes place via the aforementioned strike by the Black Rook onto f2 and the White Queen onto e6. However the Black Rook moving off f7 has exposed the Black King on the e6-g8 diagonal allowing the White Queen to both force the Black King into the corner with tempo & protect the White pawn on c4.

36. Qe3 Qxd8 
White breaks the pin of the Black Bishop on b3 on the pawn on c4 while using the Queen to threaten the Bishop back. The pinned Black Queen is forced to trade space & time with her life otherwise the Rook on f2 is lost. White now leads materially by 1 pawn.

37. Nxd8 Rf8 
In the exchange, the Black Rook is now free to threaten the recapturing White Knight back.

38. Ne6 Rb8
The White Knight re-threatens the Black Rook, however Black blunders & instead of playing 38... Re8, he plays 38...Rb8 allowing a Queen fork by 39. Nxg7 Kxg7 40. Qg3+ then 41. Qxb8.

39. Qg3 ...
Sets up the Checkmate against the g7 pawn & threatens the Black Rook on b8 however this allows the Black Bishop on b3 to keep the pin on the White pawn on c4 against the White Knight on e6. Black's Rook can still escape and defend g7 with 39,,, Rg8 however the alternative Rook destination square of b7 leads to problems.

39... Rb7

40. Nc5
The White pawn on c4 is no longer pinned but now the White Knight threatens a fork against the Black Rook on b7 and the Black Bishop on b3 which is also attacked by the White Queen on g3. Materially, White is ahead by a pawn and is about to lose at least another minor piece. Black has to keep the Rook on the b File otherwise White plays Qb8#.

Black Resigns : 1-0

  • Chairman vs. Secretary Friendly Tournament

Monday 16th September - Prompt 7:30pm Start

  • Presentation of Trophies for 2023/2024

  • Championship      Russell Granat
  • Knockout Cup       Russell Granat
  • Challengers      Not Contested.
  • Derrick Trophy      Marcus Whitin and Ben Glyn-Jones
  • Ladder      Ben Glyn-Jones
  • Rapidplay      Dave Wallis
  • Ron Saunders Trophy      Dave Wallis
  • Knockout Plate      Paul O'Brien
  • Ken Haworth Junior Trophy      Eric Nehal
  • David Armstrong and his link to Lasker, Pillsbury and Blackburne

by John Knott

From the 1960s until the 1980s one of the strongest members of the Club was David Armstrong, who is referred to in Brian Denman's History narrative elsewhere on this website. David's father, Jack Roy Armstrong, was the author of a book on the history of Sussex and was the founder of the open-air museum of timber-framed buildings at Singleton, now known as the Weald and Downland Living Museum. David's family lived on the outskirts of Storrington, by good fortune not far from where a noted English chess player moved to in 1950, when David was in his teens.

   That player was Thomas Francis Lawrence (1871-1953), a seven-times Champion of the City of London Chess Club, and who, although a chess amateur (he worked for the Prudential Assurance Company), had beaten leading players of that era including Pillsbury and Blackburne; had drawn against Chigorin and World Champion Emanuel Lasker; and had represented England in many of the Trans-Atlantic Cable Matches around the start of the 20th century. David was introduced to Lawrence and benefited greatly by playing a number of games with him.

   I first met David in the late 1960s and knew him for almost 50 years. He had been associated with the Club since its days at the Rivoli Cinema, and continued when the Club moved, first to the Connaught Theatre and then to a room at the Dome Cinema, and in the late 1970s to the Chatsworth Hotel.

   In 1975, when the Club still met in a room at the Dome Cinema, David and I competed over a period of several weeks in an unusual match of ten games, in which we both played blindfold at the rate of 25 minutes for all the moves in a game. The result was four wins each and two draws. A satisfying feature was that there was never any dispute as to where the pieces were, despite some of the games reaching 35 moves or more. Game scores were not kept at the time, but I recorded them on returning home, and a few have survived. This is one of David's wins.

White: John Knott
Black: David Armstrong
Event: Both players blindfold, Played at Worthing Chess Club, 13 June, 1975
Time Control: All moves in 25 minutes
Opening: B96: Sicilian Najdorf



1.e4         c5
2.Nf3       d6
3.d4         cxd4       
4.Nxd4    Nf6
5.Nc3       a6
6.Bg5       ...   
The sharpest line against the Najdorf.

6. ...           e6
7.f4            Qc7
8.Qf3         Nbd7
9.O-O-O   b5
10.a3          Bb7 
Later theory preferred 10...Rb8.

11.g4           Be7
12.Bxf6       gxf6
The more usual capture by the bishop, 12....Bxf6, would have allowed either 13.g5 or the ultra sharp 13.Bxb5+!? axb5, 14.Ndxb5 with the possible continuation ... Qb6, 15. Nxd6+ Kf8, 16.Nxb7 Bxc3. 17.Qxc3 Qxb7, 18.Qd4 with about equal chances, although Black would have some difficulty in completing his development.      

13.h4           ...
Preparing g4-g5. Sharper was 13.f5.

13....            O-O-O
14.Bh3         ...
This was the original idea, fighting against the e6-square; but that is more appropriate when Black castles on the kingside. Now, the bishop would probably be more useful on the long diagonal.

14....            Kb8
15.Rhe1       Nb6
16.Qf2         Nc4  
17.Na2          ...
Black was threatening ...Nxa3, but a better way of meeting this would have been 17.Rd3.

17. ...            d5
18.exd5       Bxd5
19.Kb1         ...
 

image.png

Position after 19.Kb1

19. ...          Bc5
Instead, a sharp try was 19..... Nxb2, 20.Kxb2 Bxa3+ 21.Kb1 (Not 21.Kxa3 Qa5+, 22.Kb2 Qa2+, 23.Kc1 Qa3+ 24.Kd2 Qxh3, 25.Re3 Qg2) ... Bc5, 22.c3 e5, 23.fxe5 fxe5, 24.Bg2 exd4, 25.cxd4 Bxg2, 26.Qxg2 Bd6, when Black emerges from the complications with an extra pawn and a bishop for a knight.

20.Nc1        Qb6
Stronger was exploiting the pin by 20....e5.    

21.Ncb3       Be7
22.g5            a5
23.Bg2         a4
24.Bxd5       Rxd5
White lost on time in a losing position.  0-1  

In another of the surviving games I was more successful.

White: John Knott
Black: David Armstrong
Event: Both players blindfold, Played at Worthing Chess Club, 16 May, 1975
Time Control: All moves in 25 minutes
Opening: A45: Blackmar-Diemer Gambit



1.d4         Nf6
2.f3          d5
3.e4         dxe4       
4.Nc3      Bf5
5.g4         Bg6
6.g5         Nfd7   
Alternatively, 6....Nd5, 7.Nxe4 e6, 8.h4 Be7, when White's advanced kingside pawns are vulnerable.

7.fxe4       e6
Instead, 7....e5! 8.h4 exd4, 9.Qxd4 Nc6, 10.Qf2 gave about equal chances.

8.Be3        ...
Better would have been 8.h4 when, e.g., Bb4, 9.Bg2 h5, 10.Ne2, with some advantage to White.

8. ...          Bb4
9.Bg2        c6
10.Ne2      Na6
11.a3          Be7
12.Qd2      Qc7
13.O-O-O O-O-O
14.h4          ...
White has now established a clear advantage.

14....            Bh5
15.Qe1         Bxe2??
16.Qxe2      Qa5  
17.Qf3          ...
Instead, 17.Qe1 would have protected the c3-knight in the event of ...Bxa3.

17. ...            Rhf8
Also missing the win of the a-pawn.

18.Bf4          b5
19.d5            ...
Objectively better was 19.Nd5 cxd5, 20.exd5 Nb6, 21.d6, but in view of the match conditions the text move was good enough.

19. ...            exd5
20.exd5
Black resigned.  1-0

image.png

Final Position after 20.exd5

One possible continuation would have been 20. ... Bxa3, 21.dxc6  Bxb2+, 22.Kxb2 Qb4+, 23.Ka1 Qa3+, 24.Na2 Qxf3, 25.cxd7+ Rxd7, 26.Bxf3, when White emerges with two extra pieces.

The following game from the match ended in a hair-raising draw, after both players made mistakes.

White: David Armstrong
Black: John Knott
Event: Both players blindfold, Played at Worthing Chess Club, 23 May, 1975
Time Control: All moves in 25 minutes
Opening: E76: King's Indian Defence, Four Pawns Attack



1.d4         Nf6
2.c4          g6
3.Nc3       Bg7    
4.e4         d6
5.f4          O-O
6.Nf3       c5
7.dxc5      Qa5
8.Bd3       Qxc5
9.Qe2       b6
10.Be3     Qc7
11.O-O    Na6
Another idea here would have been 11...Nbd7, for better control of the e5-square.

12.a3         Bb7
13.Bd2      Nc5
14.Bc2       a5
15.b4         axb4
16.axb4     Rxa1  
17.Rxa1      Ra8??
Black has taken his eye off the c5-knight!

18.Rxa8     Bxa8
19.bxc5      Qxc5+
20.Be3       Qa5
21.Bd4        e5
22.fxe5       Nd7
23.Qd2       dxe5
24.Be3        Nc5
25.Bxc5       Qxc5+
26.Qf2        Qxc4
27.Qd2        Bh6??
Black has the bishop pair and two pawns against three minor pieces, so he needs to take desperate measures. The move played allows White a theoretical mate in four moves, but meanwhile the Black queen will have a clear field.

28.Qxh6      ...
The alternative was 28.Qd3, encouraging an exchange of queens.
28. ...           Qxc3
 

image.png

Position after 28...Qxc3

29.h4?          ...
White realises that if he plays 29.Ng5 immediately, he will be mated by ...Qe1#, so he creates some room for his king.  But this gives Black chances. Instead, 29.Qd2 preserved White's advantage.

29. ...           Qxc2
30.Ng5        ...
Now threatening mate in two moves.

30. ...           Qc1+
After an uphill fight from losing his knight at move 19, Black aims purely for perpetual check as he now controls the dark squares around White's king. However, in doing so he misses an unexpected winning opportunity involving the exchange of queens, e.g. 30.... Qd1+!, 31.Kf2 Qh5!, 32.Qxh5 gxh5, 33.Ke3 f6, 34.Nf3 Kf7, 35.Nd2 Ke6, 36.Kd3 f5, 37.exf5+ Kxf5, 38.g3 b5 with a winning endgame.

31.Kh2          Qf4+
32.Kg1          Qc1+
Again there were winning prospects after 32...Bxe4, 33.Qxh7+ Kf8, 34.Qh8+ Ke7, 35,Qb8 Qe3+, 36.Kh2 Bc6, 37.Qa7+ Bd7, 38.Qa2 Qf4+, 39.g3 Qf5, 40.Kg1 Kf8 when the Black king will obtain shelter, allowing the bishop and two extra pawns to make progress.


33.Kh2          Qf4+
34.Kg1          Qe3+
35.Kh2

 

Draw agreed.  ½ : ½  

Some years later, when the Club had moved to a basement room at the Chatsworth Hotel, David sportingly agreed to take the black side in a game to test the Morra Gambit, in which I had become interested. For this game, which turned out to be the most violent of our encounters, we used a board and pieces and we both had our eyes very wide open.

White: John Knott
Black: David Armstrong
Event: Played at Worthing Chess Club, 1983
Opening: B21: Sicilian Defence, Morra Gambit - The first three moves agreed in advance.



1.e4          c5
2.d4         cxd4
3.c3          dxc3    
4.Nxc3     a6
5.Nf3        e6
6.Bc4       Be7
7.O-O      b5
8.Bb3       Bb7
9.Qe2       d6
10.Rd1     Nd7
11.Bf4       Qc7
12.Rac1     ...
At the slight cost of a pawn White has now completed his development and has his pieces on good squares, while Black's King remains in the centre. This calls for an immediate attack.

12. ...         Qb8
13.Ng5!?    ...
Aggressive, and with a particular idea in mind; but objectively even stronger was 13.e5. Now the fireworks start, with White sacrificing four of his pieces to create energy.

13. ...         Bxg5
14.Bxd6!    ...
This was White's plan, breaking down the Black King's defences.

14. ...         Qa7
The task now is to open up the position further, regardless of the cost.

15.Nd5        ...
Giving Black a choice of captures.

15. ...          Bxc1
Capturing the Knight with either the e-pawn or the b7-Bishop would have led to the opening of the e-file.

16.Nc7+     ...
Not with a view to capturing the Rook. White is interested in activity and getting at the Black King. 

16. ...         Kd8
17.Bxe6      ...
So as to complete the demolition of Black's defences with tempo from a Knight check.

17. ...          fxe6
18.Nxe6+  Ke8
If, instead, ...Kc8, a good response would be 19.Qc2! Nc5, 20.Bxc5 when ...Qb8 allows mate in one move.

19.Nxg7+   Kf7
If, instead, 19. ...Kd8, then (with the g7-pawn missing) 20.Ne6+ Ke8, 21.Qh5 is mate, while 20....Kc8, 21.Qc2+ leads to a gain of material followed by an early mate.

20.Qh5+    Kxg7
21.Qg4+

Black resigned.   1-0

Final position, after 21.Qg4+

Had the game continued, one possible continuation would have been 21. ... Kh6, 22.Rd3  Be3, 23.Bf4  Bxf4, 24.Rh3 mate, when White's queen and single rook have overcome a virtually complete Black army. And if 22. ...Bg5 (instead of ...Be3), then 23.Rg3 Kg7, 24.Qxd7+ Kh6, 25.Qh3+ Kg6, 26.Qf5+ Kg7, 27.Be5+ Nf6, 28.Qxf6+ Kg8, 29.Qg7 mate.

   From the early 1980s David and I, together with Roger Jacks, formerly of Worthing but then living in Peacehaven, met on Saturday afternoons at what was then Macari's Coffee Lounge near the Dome Cinema, for games (usually played between David and Roger) and for general conversation. Those meetings ran until early 2020, the last four years being without David, who died in 2016. We used a corner table at Macari's, and were known to regular patrons as The Chess Club. I occasionally sent postcards to the other two addressed that way when I was abroad.

   David and Roger were both of a rather stubborn nature and they tended to concentrate on one opening at a time, both being determined to be its master. For example, at one stage David played the Milner Barry Gambit in the French Defence for six months or more, and later spent a similar time on the White side of From's Gambit in Bird's Opening. From time to time an amusing situation would occur, and David would laugh and laugh and laugh. He himself sometimes said that his epitaph would be "He died laughing." Sadly, that was not to be, as he contracted Leukaemia.

   I remember David as a gentle, intelligent, and widely-read person, who although sociable was probably more at home in the countryside where he lived and worked. He often spoke with fondness of his time in the army during National Service. That was one of his common points with Roger, whose call-up time included involvement in the Suez Crisis in 1956. At Macari's, conversation would sometimes turn to the Club days at the Rivoli Cinema (which was at the north end of the High Street on a site now redeveloped), and to the members from that era. These included Major Balding, Leslie Head (who later ran a chess column in the Worthing Gazette), Dr Bokenham (whom I once played in the early 1950s in a match between the Club and Steyning Grammar School), Mr Chettle, Miss Bell and others. At the Rivoli, the Club playing area on a mezzanine floor had a Palm Court atmosphere, with boards at small tables with wicker chairs. In those days there was a quaint practice during afternoon matches with visiting clubs. At a convenient point in a game the home player would invite his opponent to take some refreshment, which involved leaving the Rivoli and walking a few yards down the High Street past an antique shop to a little café, for tea and a slice of cake.  

© Copyright John Knott, 2024

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