The penultimate ‘A’ team report comes courtesy of Robin Templeton:

Betwixt cup and lip

Montrose A managed to stumble their way to the Div 2 title with a 3 – 3 draw. David had a quick crush and Norman drew fairly quickly. Sam and I managed to chuck pieces in the opening. Bahlool took his time to win for a change simplifying to a winning endgame. It all came down to the last game. The tension was rising. Beni was two pawns down when his opponent took off the rooks to leaving an opposite colour bishop ending which he could not win as the position became blocked. Game and match all square. Dalmuir put up a good fight.

 Our ‘A’ team correspondent Robin Templeton delivers a round-up of the team’s February matches:

Close encounter

Going Up

Glasgow Montrose clinched promotion to Division 1 next season with a 5 – 1 win over unbeaten Crowwood A  putting one hand on the Division 2 title. The only quick finish happened on Board six where Bahlool threw pawns forward opening lines to get successfully at the king. In a complicated position, my opponent overlooked a sacrifice that cost him a piece. Edd built up slow pressure moving relentlessly up the board tying his opponent in knots. Beni was always in trouble from the opening and the loss of the exchange proved too big a handicap. Norman managed to reach an ending a knight up and coolly converted. Last game to finish was a comedy of errors. Sam lost a knight early on but kept in the game to reach an ending still a piece down. In the ensuing time trouble, his opponent missed two mates in one and then lost the thread completely shipping a rook and bishop before losing on time.

The ‘B’ team lost playing at home against Paisley ‘A’ team on Thursday night’s Glasgow League Div. 2 fixture.  Complete result is as follows:

Despite impressive performances by two Montrosians, Glasgow Montrose came off second best in last night’s Dunbartonshire League Knockout with Bearsden A.

Chris, outgraded by some 330 points, snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when his opponent blundered, while Beni displayed toreador-like skills against International Master Andrew Greet, gaining a near-winning position, but in the end allowing his opponent a stalemate in time trouble.  Full score is given below:

Robin Templeton reports (while sunning himself in Alice Springs!) on the ‘A’ team’s drubbing of Phones ‘B’ on Jan 10th:

Montrose started off the New Year the way they finished the last: with a 5-1 victory. Continuing his good form, Bahloul was first to finish weaving a complex web to trap his opponent with tricky decisions in the middlegame. My own game was next to finish. After taking off the queens, my opponent tried to complicate but allowed a central pawn to reach the seventh – costing knight and game. Kenny, making a welcome return to the team, had a big opening advantage but a dangerous central pawn push ensured a share of the points. David was a pawn down but had attacking pressure. After the draw was agreed, David found the winning try. Norman slowly ground down his opponent finishing with a passed a and h pawn which a lone king could not stop. Sam’s game looked a boring draw for a while. Near the end both players sacrificed their knights for pawns. Sam’s was the more deadly leading to checkmate. This keeps the A team’s 100% winning record.

The ‘B’ team drew tonight playing away at Wellington Church vs. Polytechnic ‘B’ team.  Full score is as follows:

We are pleased with this result, as we were somewhat outgunned in terms of gradings on all boards. Well done lads!

The ‘B’ Team pulled off a convincing win against Giffnock ‘C’ playing away at Whitecraigs Tennis and Bowling Club last night. ‘Foggy’ Forgrieve was first to finish, with a neat mating combo after his opponent had self-destructed losing two pieces for two pawns.  Groundwater finished next, fending off an ill-advised exchange sacrifice, then launching an invasion down the c-file during which his opponent’s flag fell.  Upon seeing this victory, Murray scampered back to board one to agree a draw in a moribund position.  This left Smeeton on board one, who doggedly fought back from two pawns down to also gain a half point.

Results as follows:

Robin Templeton reports on the Club’s first victory of the new year, on Thursday 12th Jan:

Montrose keep up their good form in the Dunbarton league.

Montrose got off to a winning start in 2012. Phones came calling at the Novotel but their number was up.  The home team scored 3.5 – 0.5. Norman was first to finish with a share of the point. An exchange sacrifice put enough pressure on his opponent that he was forced to give it back and steer for the draw. Captain Chris was in bloodthirsty mode sacking two pawns in a relentless king hunt that culminated in a knight fork of king and queen. My own game was a close affair well into the middlegame. Time pressure told and my opponent overlooked the loss of a pawn followed quickly with losing his queen for rook and bishop. Last to finish was Bahloul. The win was never in doubt as he  demonstrated the ending of rook and pawns versus knight and pawns is vastly in favour of the rook.