A Strong Start: Derby E Team Makes League Debut with a Draw
Tuesday (30/09/25) saw the debut of our brand-new E team, formed to give newcomers and juniors their first taste of long-play league chess. Built around the idea of opportunity and development, the team embodies our “Chess Forge” concept — where new players can step into competitive over-the-board matches, supported by guidance and encouragement from experienced club members.
And what a debut it was. In their very first Derbyshire League outing, the E team rose to the challenge and battled their way to an exciting 2–2 draw — a result that felt every bit as much a victory for the players as it did for the club’s vision of nurturing future talent.
On Board 1, Josh had the tough task of facing a seasoned opponent in David Hall. After soaking up some early pressure, Josh managed to steady the game and even worked his way back into balance. But a tactical slip — a pinned queen — shifted the momentum decisively, and Hall converted the advantage to take the point. As Josh reflected afterwards: “Whilst my major error is frustrating, I can take pride in my early play in regaining some balance to the game.” A mature outlook for a first league appearance.
Board 2 brought its own unusual twist. Seyed fought a close game but admitted to some hesitation and a few unnecessary moves. In the end, his opponent found the stronger continuation to claim victory. Perhaps the most memorable moment of the night was something outside of the moves of the game. Seyed put it with a smile: “We both failed to realise we had not started the clocks!” A story he’ll no doubt remember from his debut.
(I am probably partly to blame for this. As non-playing captain I did say start White’s clock - but it is easy to forget that newer players might not know exactly how this is done. I also watched the games at various points and failed to notice!! - Kevin)
On Board 3, Hugo played with calm precision in his very first Derbyshire League outing. Choosing a solid defensive approach with Black, he waited patiently until the opportunity arose — a neat knight fork that picked off both bishop and rook. From there, Hugo consolidated steadily, trading down to a won endgame before finishing with checkmate. His disciplined play, in the final game to finish, earned himself the win and the draw for the team. He showed exactly the promise this new side is all about.
Hugo - on the final board to finish - carefully converting the win in style!
That leaves Board 4, where Nick produced the game of the evening. In a sharp open position, Nick’s pressure on the kingside grew move by move, until he broke through with a rook sacrifice that ripped open his opponent’s defences. A flurry of tactics followed, ending in a crisp checkmate on move 30. It was a stylish way to secure victory and gave the team a winning start.
The final score — a 2–2 draw — perfectly reflected the spirit of the night: a mix of hard lessons, new experiences, and flashes of real promise. For a team built on opportunity and development, this was the ideal start. The Chess Forge is already doing its work, and with more games to come, the future looks bright for our newest team of Derbyshire League players.
| Derby E | 2 - 2 | Wirksworth Feathers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gahonia, Josh | 1507 | 0 - 1 | Hall, David | 1412 |
| 2 | Mousavi Almaleki, Seyed S | 1193 | 0 - 1 | Cowin, Ian | 0000 |
| 3 | Videira, Hugo | 1634 | 1 - 0 | Reed, Sam | 1431 |
| 4 | Mousavi Almaleki, Nick | 0000 | 1 - 0 | Few, Cameron | 1293 |
Kevin Dalley 1/10/25
Fancy trying over-the-board chess?
If you’ve been playing online, or just casually face-to face, and want to make the step into real-life, competitive chess, Derby Chess Club would love to welcome you. Whether you’re a complete beginner, a returning player, or a junior looking to take the next step, we have teams, coaching, and a friendly community ready to help.