Report – 15 December 2002
QUEENSLAND CLUBS TEAMS CHAMPIONSHIP
The
Willcock Report
Sunday 15
December saw the inaugural Queensland team championship played at the venue of
the Brisbane club. That seven adult teams of eight
boards participated is a tribute to CAQ President Howard Duggan. That the same
admittedly large room held both the adult and junior competitions without
raised voices is a tribute to his wielding of his big stick. What might the
Democrats even now achieve were he their Chief Whip!
The Gap’s
participation had been threatened by the CAQ’s obduracy in refusing to accept
George Flicroft-Smith as a Gap member (George, who has played in all our
tournaments this year, who first joined the club a century or two ago and who
regularly sacrifices himself to accommodate Andrew’s passion for late night
transfer). However on the morning the CAQ saw sense and we played in both adult
and junior competitions. Some of our stronger players were for various reasons
unavailable but we fielded a full team that played above the expectations of
many. In John Fortin we had a more than credible first board and the lesser
lights pulled their weight. Special mention should be made of the heroes who
met and refuted the Vietnamese Gambit over the board. This opening, flashy yet
subtle, has little written on it – nothing in MCO, and has confounded stronger
than Doug and Peter, yet our players drew on their years of experience and
handled themselves manfully. It will come as no surprise then that while
Redcliffe won the championship from the Gold Coast (the Coast won the juniors),
The Gap won the Moral Victors title, awarded by The Gap team. As all true chess
players know the moral victory is the one that REALLY counts, we may take pride
in being the real champions! (For all doubting Thomases, ignore the faulty
published results and look at the photo that shows us with the trophy).
The Gap CC Results:
R1 v UQ W3 D2 L3 4-4 - Wins John Fortin, George, Brian, Draws Andrew, Doug
R2 v Brisbane L8 0-8 - All lost
R3 v Gold Coast W1 D2 L5 2-6 - Wins Brian, Draws John F, George
R4 v Bullwinkle W2 D2 L4 3-5 - Wins Peter, Stuart, Draws John F, Andrew
R5 v Logan W3 D3 L2 4.5-3.5 - Wins Doug, Stuart, John C - Draws top 3 boards
R6 Bye
R7 v Redcliffe W1 L7 - Win George
Juniors - Gold Coast came
first from Redcliffe, reversing the senior result.
The regular scribe is now talking…
It should be noted that Brian believes he scored 3 wins
from 6 on the day, and as the above scores are not totally reliable, he may
have won a game that is credited above to Stuart.
John Fortin played some great chess considering he had not played in a tournament for several years since leaving Canada. Andrew Robinson pulled draws out of the mouth of victory twice, was outclassed twice, lost a close game to Kerry Corker, and pulled off a draw against Jonathan Humphries by forcing a rook to be taken, thus leaving a stalemate position, and rescuing a hopeless position. George had a good day and managed the club’s only victory against Redcliffe. Brian played well enough to score 50% according to his own reckoning (and I’m prepared to accept that!). Peter recovered after being flummaxed by the VN gambit in Round One (he claims not to remember anything from the game) to score a win against Bullwinkle. Doug, Stuart and John all scored the odd win and saved the club from embarrassment at times. So, all round a very good showing and well worthy of the Moral Victors’ Trophy which we will be exhibiting at our club once Redcliffe CC returns it.
