Underdogs Hastings(3) triumph in Brighton(2) 3.5-0.5

In the words of Bjørge Lillelien.

“We are the best in the second division! We are the best in the second division! We have beaten Brighton & Hove seconds in Chess!!! It is completely unbelievable! We have beaten Brighton! Brighton the birthplace of Mods and seaside Pride and giants! Sir Winston Churchill, David Gilmour, Chris Eubank, Fatboy Slim, Steve Ovett, Nick Cave, Zoe Ball, Lewis Dunk. We have beaten them all. Holly Willoughby can you hear me? Your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!”

Relegation favourites Hastings 3 had an amazing win on Monday night against promotion hopefuls Brighton 2.

Arriving with an under-strength Third team and expecting a 4-0 drumming, Hastings instead won amazingly 3.5-05 (see match card below).

First to finish was Derek on bottom board playing Paul Selby. Whilst having the bishop pair in the end game and smashing up Paul’s pawn structure, Derek decided to accept the draw although the computer put him +0.99 up after proceedings. After a tough game it wasn’t worth risking it.

Birthday Boy Marc Bryant on board two, hoping for gifts from his opponent, wasn’t disappointed. Chris Lake defaulted two minutes of time after wrongly accusing Marc of an illegal move on move 3!!! All Marc’s moves should be made illegal but on this occasion, it was just bonkers but rattled Chris straight away. The moves were 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 (Ruy Lopez) Nce7 !? giving up the pawn on e5 but unsettling his opponent as compensation. It worked!! A super unusual opening with constant threats gaining multiple tempi and Marc easily ahead in development. A beautifully crafted attack then followed and Chris was just an on-looker. 1.5-0.5

(In the above position Marc is attacking, White only has a single move to save the game, can you find it? Details below)

High after his stunning victory over Luke Chapman the week before WGM Mason pulled off another upset. This time Paul Edwards, slow development by Paul and Mason saw his chance to sack his knight for a pawn to open the position and get to the King in the middle after smelling blood Mason was relentless with attacking play and initiative. 2.5-0.5

(In Mason’s game black just moved Nc5 threatening the bishop and possibily looking to exchange queens on c7 and getting a cheeky back rank mate but can you find the winning move for white?)

With the match won it was only left to Jim who was also outgraded on top board to complete the rout. His opponent played the currently popular Caro-kann but Jim was ready with his own creative response. What followed was an ambitious Brighton stalwart having fun picking up pawns with his queen whilst Jim slowly carried on with development. A pawn down but ready for some fun of his own Jim came out swinging and chased that queen down, slowly but surely improving his position in the meantime making some mate threats. In the end Jim got that early game Minx and once gone the lack of development for Albert was no compensation. 3.5-0.5

On the drive home there was plenty of singing in the car and the heavens opened up, probably the tears of Brighton players past trying to drown us out! A fabulous result & performance by our Thirds. Could we do it again? Never in a million years, Brighton are just quality but we will certainly cherish this moment.

Match Card

Result of Marc’s puzzle:
g3 was played in the match attempting to win the bishop but the assesment is +2 to Marc as Bxg4 is coming. The only saving move for white is the odd looking Re7 and white is +0.8 any other move and +2 or greater for Marc.