Longbridge Chess Club returned to winning ways this week with an impressive performance against Warley Quinborne in the 6600 Rapidplay competition.
After a challenging evening for the club’s other team against Redditch, Longbridge’s 6600 squad produced a much-needed victory, overturning a first-round defeat to finish the night with an overall winning result.
Longbridge vs Warley Quinborne, Round 1, 2½–1½
The opening match saw Warley Quinborne edge a closely contested battle 2½–1½. Robert Davies secured Longbridge’s only win of the round with an excellent victory on board three, while Jordan Cummins added a valuable draw against higher-rated opposition. Despite fighting hard, Gavin Cartwright and Matt Clarke were unable to find the points needed to swing the match in Longbridge’s favour.
However, Longbridge responded brilliantly in the second round.
Round 2, 3–1
Gavin bounced back from his earlier defeat to claim an excellent victory on board one against Amrik Singh, while Rob continued his perfect evening with a second win to maintain his 100% score. Matt also turned things around after his first-round loss, securing a well-earned victory to help Longbridge take control of the match.
Although Jordan was unable to add to his first-round draw and suffered defeat in the return fixture, the team’s three victories were enough to secure a convincing 3–1 win in the second round.
A special mention goes to Robert Davies, whose two wins from two games provided a perfect score and played a crucial role in Longbridge’s success. Gavin and Matt also deserve credit for showing resilience and bouncing back strongly after difficult first games.
The final result demonstrated the team’s fighting spirit. After trailing following the opening round, Longbridge regrouped, adjusted, and produced a much stronger second performance to leave the match with a well-deserved victory.
Final Scores
- Match 1: Warley Quinborne 2½–1½ Longbridge
- Match 2: Warley Quinborne 1–3 Longbridge
An excellent recovery from the team and a reminder that a match is never over after the first round.