Good chess victory to College

Press, 11 July 1979, Page 34

Good chess victory to College

Christ’s College enhanced its prospects of reaching the premier grade round-robin final of ’’The Press” chess teams’ competition with a fine win against the fancied Shirley team in the fourth round of the competition.

The last time Christ’s College made the top four teams in the A grade was 1976 when it was placed fourth. The school has stuck to its same six players for the tournament and. after narrowly losing to Christchurch B, it upset the strong Shirley team, 3j-2|. With five games decided, the score was 2J-all and the bottom board contest was sent in for adjudication. Michael Langford (Christ’s College) received the favourable verdict in the adjudication against Peter Shaw and placed his school in a strong position to qualify with three preliminary rounds remaining.

However, the Shirley team is still likely to finish in the top four. It has been well served by Andrew Linton, the second-board player, who has had four straight wins, and by its fourth-board player, David Cowan, who has been unbeaten in four games.

The two strong Christchurch B.H.S. teams had decisive wins and Paul Stewardson, on board four for Christchurch B, has proved a tower of strength. He won his match against his Linwood opponent in 14 moves and is the only member of the team to have scored three wins.

In the B grade, St Andrew’s continued its unbeaten run with an impressive 5-1 victory against one of its main challengers in zone one, Christchurch C. The second zone is still open with just one preliminary round remaining. Mairehau Was unable to do better than draw with the bottomplaced Southbridge in the fourth round and Middleton Grange, without several key

players, surprisingly lost to St Andrew’s B. The last round will be vital for four schools. Lincoln, with a game to play, would qualify if it can account for Middleton Grange and win its deferred match against St Andrew’s B.

Mairehau also has a chanca of winning the second zone, but it will not find a solid Hillmorton combination an easy opponent in the final round.

Upsets continued in the G grade where Xavier under* estimated the ability of the Avonside girls’ team and lost a close decision. The unbeaten Cobham team, led by Michael Shaw, a 12-year-old who has been unbeaten in the competition for the last two years, seems certain to be one finalist, and the contest between the in* termediate schools, Case* brook and Heaton, this week should decide the second qualifier.

Fourth round results:— A grade.—Christ’s College A 3]. Shirley A 21; ChristchurcM B.H.S. B 41, Linwood 1J; Christ* church B.H.S. A 5, Burnside A 1; Cashmere a bye. B grade.—Zone 1: St Andrew'! A 5, Christchurch B.H.S. C 11 Papanui 4, Ashburton 2; Dariield v. Christ’s College B. no result, B grade.—Zone 11: Southbridg« 3, Mairehau 3; St Andrew’s B 4L Middleton Grange 14; Lincoln SJ Hillmorton 1.

C grade.—Casebrook 6, St Man garet's 0; Cobham 5, Linwood 1| Heaton 6, Rang! Ruru 0; Avont side G.H.S. 3J, Xavier 2J. Points:

A grade.—Christchurch A 4 (18), Christchurch B 3 (12), Shin ley 2 (16), Christ’s College A J (12), Linwood 1 (91), Burnside I (3), Cashmere 0 (14). B grade —Zone 1: St Andrew 1 ! A 4 (20), Christchurch C 2 (111), Shirley B 2 (11), Darfield 2 (BJ)J Papariul 2 (8J), Ashburton 1 (8)J Christ’s College B 0 (SJ), Burn* side B 0 (5).

B grade.—Zone II: Mairehau 1 (15J), HUlmorton 24 (12), Lincoln 2J (12), Middleton Grange 11 (121), St Andrew’s B 1 (7), South, bridge 4 (7). C grade.—Cobham 4 (204), Caset brook 3J (181), Heaton 3 (20k Avonside 2 (81), Xavier 14 (104), Linwood 1 (10), Rang) Ruru 1 (O.’.J. st Margaret’s 0 (IjJ.