Longbridge Chess Club produced an excellent performance this week with a hard-fought victory over Solihull in the 6600 Rapidplay competition.
On paper, the match looked incredibly close. Perhaps too close. Solihull arrived with a team rating of 6601, technically sitting a single point above the competition limit. Clearly determined to squeeze every possible rating point into the lineup, they still found themselves leaving empty-handed as Longbridge delivered a superb team performance across both rounds.
Round 1, 2½–1½
The first match ended in a narrow but deserved 2½–1½ victory for Longbridge. Robert Davies and Tom Sherwood both secured excellent wins, while Jordan Cummins added a valuable draw against strong opposition. Stephen Woodhouse faced the toughest pairing of the night against a near-2000 rated opponent and fought hard despite the loss.
Round 2, 3-1
The second round saw Longbridge raise the level even further, claiming a convincing 3–1 victory. Jordan bounced back strongly to take an excellent win, while both Rob and Tom once again delivered the goods with another pair of victories for the club.
A special mention must go to Robert Davies, whose dominant performances across both games proved absolutely crucial to the result. Facing a higher-rated opponent, Rob controlled matters superbly and secured two impressive wins that helped swing the match firmly in Longbridge’s favour.
Overall, it was a fantastic evening for the club, with strong performances throughout the team and another reminder that ratings alone do not decide chess matches.
Longbridge now look ahead to the next fixture with confidence and momentum firmly on their side.