Strong Team Performance Seals Away Win for Derby E
Derby E travelled to Spondon, on Tuesday (20/01/26), for their latest Division 4 fixture and returned with an emphatic 3½–½ victory, one of the team’s strongest performances of the season. With the match taking place on a Tuesday evening — and with myself having responsibilities at our own club — the E team headed out on their own, with Jake stepping up as a very capable deputy captain for the night.
The venue itself proved a pleasant surprise: an old primary school now used as a community centre, with plenty of parking and a large hall laid out more like an exam room than a typical chess venue. While other activities were taking place elsewhere in the building — including a lively taekwondo session next door — it created more atmosphere than distraction, and the playing conditions were perfectly acceptable throughout.
On Board 1, Jake faced a higher-rated opponent and produced a disciplined, well-structured game. The opening was calm, leading into a tense middlegame with central exchanges and heavy-piece manoeuvring, both players contesting the c-file and trading material evenly. Despite moments of kingside ambition from both sides, neither overreached, and the game eventually settled into a balanced draw — a solid result at the top of the order.
Board 2 saw Duncan deliver another excellent contribution, this time with Black. His opponent adopted a Queen’s Pawn setup resembling a Stonewall Attack, but Duncan responded with logical development and emerged from the opening feeling comfortable, with good central influence. In the later middlegame he expanded on the queenside, winning a pawn and creating long-term pressure. Although his opponent launched a central attack that forced Duncan to give up a rook for a bishop to defuse the danger, the resulting position favoured Derby. A passed pawn became the key factor: once his opponent was compelled to give up a rook to stop it, Duncan’s coordinated queen-and-bishop attack proved decisive, and the game ended with a well-earned win.
On Board 3, Josh brought an end to a recent run of draws — and did so in dramatic fashion. Going into the game determined to play more aggressively, he launched an ambitious Fried Liver-style attack that backfired early, leaving him a bishop down as his opponent sought to simplify. The upside of the gamble was an exposed enemy king, and Josh kept the pressure on relentlessly. When his opponent finally slipped, Josh’s rooks and queen combined beautifully to deliver checkmate — a bold approach, but one that paid off in full.
Board 4 completed the picture, with Chris producing a composed and confident performance. After a steady opening and controlled middlegame, he gradually increased the pressure and converted his advantage cleanly, securing the final point and putting the match result beyond doubt.
With three wins and a draw, the 3½–½ scoreline was a fair reflection of Derby E’s control across the boards. It was a professional, self-contained away performance — well organised, well led on the night, and executed with growing confidence. Even with taekwondo kicks landing next door, Derby E kept their balance and delivered a result to be proud of.
| Spondon B | ½ - 3½ | Derby E | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pearson, Paul | 1585 | ½ - ½ | Rowbottom, Jake | 1522 |
| 2 | Farmery, Richard M | 1533 | 0 - 1 | Meikle, Duncan | 1525 |
| 3 | Noone, George | 1217 | 0 - 1 | Gahonia, Josh | 1449 |
| 4 | Gibson, Martin | 1106 | 0 - 1 | Lacey, Chris | 1358 |
Kevin Dalley 23/01/26
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.