Post by arf on Apr 15, 2012 17:35:05 GMT
MIDDLESEX DOUBLE WINNERS!
The SCCU Annual Jamboree was held on 14th April 2012 at St. Gabriel's Church Gant's Hill. In what is meant to be a fun event the number of participants in this illustrious event was well down on the heydays of late 1990's early 2000's where up to 7 Counties competed for the CMC Trophy cutely known as the Beer Pump (more of this later!). Rather than being an all-play-all since 2008 with the exception of 1 year it has resembled a County match. This year was a reprise of the 2008 match: Essex v Middlesex.
With Middlesex having already recorded 2 wins over the auld enemy in the current County cycle (Open and u180) the prospects of racking up a 3rd was one that was looked forward to with relish. A win would not only mean that Middlesex would join Essex as being the only Counties to do the SCCU 2nd Team/Jamboree double it would allow them to pursue a unique treble! Could Middlesex become the 1st SCCU County to hold the SCCU 2nd Team; SCCU Jamboree and ECF Ron Banham trophies in the same cycle? With this piece of history beckoning a strong team lined up against Essex to try and complete the 2nd leg of a possible treble. The team duly secured a comfortable 6-4 victory.
Well done guys!
Full details: www.sccu.ndo.co.uk/cmc.htm
The match got off to an auspicious start when your author executed a 'cheapo' in the opening and secured a pawn without his opponent gaining any compensation whatsoever. A slow and steady approach was adopted to the extent where he forgot about the adage, 'When you see a good move can you find a stronger one?' Had he remembered it he would have been able to win the Queen rather than the Rook. However he was obeying the principle, 'play the man not the board' and since his opponent is known to revel in wild positions by keeping it quiet the full point was garnered in a safe way. Middlesex lead 1-0.
The early lead was all but wiped out as Ray misplayed his opening and was bust. However obdurate play meant he was doing his best to complicate matters to desperately seek opportunities to 'scam' his opponent to avoid an inevitable loss. However where Ray was struggling Bill (returning after a break) was revelling in playing again. He had the better of opposite side of the board attacks. Draws by George and Bob maintained Middlesex's slender lead. So with the exception of Mark who was have a turgid time defending his position and Ray who was all but bust Middlesex were looking comfortable. Middlesex lead 2-1
This feeling of well-being became a glow when Chris records the 2nd win of the day. A late substitution by Essex sees Chris play a protracted endgame against his opponent resulting in Bishops of same colour. Patient play sees him eventually grind his opponent down win a pawn and with it the match. Middlesex lead 3-1.
The match looked healthy and Peter who had just won an exchange asked for the match score. Things were still tight but favoured Middlesex. Colin was setting his opponent numerous problems due to his positional advantage and Steve was in a balanced game. So Peter valiantly tried to play for a win but with his opponent having sufficient counterplay he acquiesced to a draw. Middlesex lead 3.5-1.5.
Then disaster strikes. Essex strike back in quick succession to level the game. Ray as expected eventually succumbed to his opponents rooks but boy how he tried to stave off this defeat! After looking like he had his opponent on the rope Bill made a tactical error in time-trouble to lose his rook and with it the game. Post-match analysis showed that had he earlier played an inspired rook sacrifice it would have all but forced instant resignation. Bill would be the first to admit that rustiness played a significant part in his missing this opportunity but that he had generated it in the first place is a sign that he'll be back to his fighting best in no time. This is handy as the u180 have their ECF Stage match against Warwickshire upcoming! Bill's unfortunate error sees the scores level at 3.5-3.5.
The tension was now palpable as there was a real possibility of board count coming into play. Although Mark was having the worst of it Colin was making hay. His positional advantage coupled with his tactical threats eventually wore his opponent down and he duly collected the full point. With it he restored Middlesex lead. 4.3-3.5.
Frantic and frequent calculation established that so long as Steve held the draw then Middlesex would win the Jamboree on board count even if Mark lost (Essex +5). With this knowledge Steve plays for the team liquidating pieces and pawns to force the draw on his opponent. Post-match analysis shows him toying with a Bishop sacrifice on h7. In adopting a safety first approach he plays an alternate line. Analysis shows the soundness of the sacrifice as he not only gets his piece back but he gets significantly more, namely, material AND mate! Middlesex lead 5-4
Having reached the magic score of 5 Middlesex are at the finish line and with it are Jamboree winners even if scores are tied. However having defended throughout the entirety of the match Mark turns things around and within a few moves of his opponents ambitious f4 he ends up trapping his opponent's Bishop. His win gives a gloss on the final score Middlesex winning 6-4
Middlesex lift the CMC Trophy for the first time since 2008 and in doing so become the fourth team to do the SCCU 2nd Team/Jamboree Double. The others were all Essex teams so it is nice to join an exclusive list! Having completed the SCCU Double Middlesex are now in a position to do a unique treble - SCCU 2nd Team / Jamboree / Ron Banham Trophy. To achieve this unique feat it is imperative that in the event both ECF QF matches are played on the same day (19th May 2012) as many of the Open team squad are available to maixmise the u180's chances. If this feat is attained the 2011-12 squad will go down in the SCCU/Middlesex annals as 'The Unbeatables'!
The CMC Trophy is cutely known as the 'Beer Pump'. As an aside here is the story of how it got this nickname!
bit.ly/Middx-Essex
An SCCU Trophy was missing, after the AGM at the Marquis of Clanricarde on the 3rd July 1999. It was at the meeting and was not presented, but two days afterwards it suddenly dawned on someone that we hadn't got it. Two senior SCCU officials had had a good look round at the end of the meeting, especially on the bar where the Trophies had been, and there was no way we were leaving anything lying around.
Ten days later an SCCU Person was in the pub, for reasons of his own. SCCU Person: "We didn't leave a Trophy behind at the end of the meeting, did we?"
Landlord: "You did, you know. Here it is. I found it on the bar upstairs, in the room you were using, between a couple of beer pumps."
Pause.
"It does look a bit like a beer pump, doesn't it?"
[Taken from SCCU website, 'Ragbag']
Before signing off as previously mentioned the SCCU Jamboree once had up to 7 entries thereby making it a 'true' jamboree. The Controller is wondering how to reinvigorate interest in the competition alternatively he is wondering whether it has reached it's 'sell-by date'. He is looking for comments/suggestions on how to take event forward or whether to make it redundant. From my point of view as you can gather there is kudos in being SCCU Double Champions so I for one would like it to continue. This time the event was changed to Saturday from the usual Sunday which I don't see as being too bad an idea. However how about timing? Would it be better suited as a mid-season rather than end- of year event? Do we try to use it as a platform to strengthen links with Chiltern League (former SCCU) teams thereby play in central venue in Chiltern League area? Just ideas. Any comments are welcomed and will be forwarded to Controller else you can contact him directly (details on SCCU website).
Next matches:
19th May 2012 ECF QF Stage Open match Middlesex vs. Staffordshire
(Date tbc) ECF QF Stage u180 match Middlesex vs. Warwickshire