Essex Open Team 2019-20

Report by Mark Murrell

Sussex these days have the firepower to put out a decent Open team at home, as they proved last season in qualifying for the national stages with relative ease. With the scheduling not being kind to Essex our Minor Counties side was the best available for this match, reminiscent of an Essex side of old (though not as far back as our Championship glory days). That said we were slightly stronger than our last visit to Hassocks two years ago and Sussex only had three of their seven 200s in play, headed by GM Bogdan Lalic. Enough of an advantage though, with Essex the underdogs on 14 of the 16 boards, facing an average team deficit of seven.

Ian Reynolds on five, having returned to form last season, was first to finish after just over an hour’s play against a former Essex and Wanstead man, Steve Newman, returning to competitive chess. Post match analysis suggested that Ian may well have been winning having had the better of the opening skirmishes. Terry Whitton (a late addition on 11, saving a rare appearance from the skipper) was not far behind, though suffered a rare collapse. David Sands, however, returning to top board deserved his GM draw having reached a level ending after a model opening tactical exchange. On the stroke of 4pm, Sussex established a two-point lead as Larry was unable to survive the loss of the exchange in a typical late arriving Boardman blitzkrieg. Over the next hour, Sussex held their bottom two boards and eliminated the only boards where Essex held the edge on paper.

By 5:15 Steve Rix on 9 had pulled one back but Jeff and Ivan on 3 and 4 both had lost, Sussex making their top order advantage count as they pulled into a 3-point lead with seven to play. There shortly followed solid draws for Philip on 10 and Kyan on 6.   5:35 two more draws (David Spearman on 7 and Neville on 14) saw Sussex edge closer to the winning post. Three up with three to play, a huge rear-guard task now faced Essex. We have been there before.

At 5.45 Sussex were well over the finishing line as Ian felll on 13 and Chris could only draw on 8, leaving an exciting finish on Board 2. Under pressure in the middle game, John had come through to set up a double-edged ending where all results had looked possible for us lesser mortals. Winning the exchange seemed to give John an advantage but with menacing pawns of both players advancing, there were plenty of tactics as both clocks ticked down into the last few minutes. John spotted a perpetual to ensure the draw though post-match analysis suggested there might have been more for both players had the match depended on the outcome.

A comfortable win for Sussex, who were never in trouble, doing better than the grade differential suggested, particularly so with Essex holding top board. A rare failure by their standards of Murrell’s marauders in the lower order, but for the Wanstead contingent therein a third away match in four days may well have a been match too far. Nevertheless, thanks to Paul’s U180 squad for turning out to make a match of this fixture and to John White and Chris Hampton for providing transport.