Mid Sussex League

Horsham 4 again failed to field a full team last night on our visit to Woodpushers. Our intended board 1 pulled out at the very last minute - indeed I only found out by a phone call at 7:45. As we hadn't actually started yet, we had to move everyone else up a board. The Woodpushers captain (Julian Mitchell) would have played on board 3, but then elected to move himself down to board 5, allowing all his other players to get a game.

Horsham 2 faced a tough match on paper with the visit of Brighton 1 on Tuesday. Despite missing three of their regular players, Brighton still out-graded us heavily on the top four boards so it was a marvellous effort by our players to secure a very creditable 2½-2½ draw.
Peter was the first to finish – his Torre Attack lead to a very blocked position and a draw was agreed after 21 moves with all the pieces bar two bishops still on the board! Alex was next to finish having won a pawn fairly early on followed by another, before mating Paul Selby to give us the lead in the match.

An under-strength Horsham 1 did well to take half a point from Hastings 1 back on 19th November...

The 2nd team journeyed down to Hove on Thursday and recorded a 3½ – 1½ win against Brighton 2. Overall it was a fairly comfortable win, being materially ahead on all five boards after 2½ hrs. play. Alex, playing a Sicilian with black, scored our first victory, winning a couple of pawns following a central thrust. Paul then put us 2-0 up winning a Sicilian with white; having captured a pawn through sheer force he had full control of the position and Paul Selby resigned shortly after.

Horsham 4's fortunes are looking rather better following their home fixture against Lewes 2. Mick Harris on board 5 was on the receiving end of a powerful attack initiated with an exchange sacrifice by visiting team captain Andy Mitchell, while Nick Warren settled for a draw with Matthew Britnell on 3. Then things improved for us. With rather more time remaining than opponent Barry Maufe, Ian Comley on top board declined a draw offer and forced through a piece-winning attack spearheaded by a passed pawn.

and I ask, “Where did I go wrong?” Then a voice says to me, 'This is going to take more than one night.”

Last Tuesday saw Horsham 5 put a tentative toe into the shark-infested waters of MSL Division 3 to play our first game of the season against the early leaders Uckfield 1.

Our squad, although relatively small this season (in number not height), looks potent as we have been joined by the “2 Johns” (Marshall and Cannon) and our grade spread is not particularly wide so we have strength in depth …well in theory we do!

Horsham 4 hasn't got its MSL Division 2 account off to the best of starts! Having been shown no mercy by Horsham 3 in our opening match, our trek to Hastings this week was almost as unrewarding. With a number of players unavailable, we only fielded a team of 4. Ian Comley retain some honour for the team, achieving a draw on top board. Alas, Paul Richardson. Mick Harris and myself all fell to our opponents. Hastings 3 4.5 - 0.5 Horsham 4. Hopefully we will have some less challenging opponents as the season progresses.

Julie

On paper Horsham 2 are very strong this season, and the first team needed some good fortune to run out 3-2 winners last night...

In the MSL division 2 both Horsham 3rd and 4th teams had to start the season with a match against each other and even with a large grading difference a win is never guaranteed.

The Horsham 4th team had a great end to the season with their re-arranged final match against Haywards Heath 2 last night. I won’t go into detail about the games as we seriously out graded them on all boards but a 4.5 – 0.5 win gives us the top place in the division.

Thanks to everyone who played for us this year and 2nd division here we come! :O)