26-04-2023 Grangemouth C v Stirling E

Grangemouth C		v		Stirling E
David Fowler Scott Dickson Roman Kuznetsov Ryan Herron Michael Campbell	1181 1022	0 - 1 0 - 1 0 - 1 1 - 0 1 - 0	1097 1082 1079	Callum Richardson Harley Lang Mick Bloor Stewart Cairns Cameron Anderson
		2 - 3

24-04-2023 Stirling A v Dunfermline

Stirling A		v		Dunfermline
Isaac Browning William Spiers Matthew Demmon Steve Smith Sean Flanagan	1934 1722 1660 1621 1487	0 - 1 1 - 0 ½ - ½ ½ - ½ 1 - 0	2079 1665 1560 1626 1565	Ian Robertson Iain Sneddon Gordon Greig Calum Smith Gonzalo Ferero
		3 - 2

24-04-2023 David Brodie Trophy

The David Brodie Trophy is a juniors/beginners allegro. This is the third time this trophy has been played for: Alex won it back in 2019, it was not awarded in 2020 or 2021 due to the pandemic, and in 2022 it was shared between Cameron A, Alex, and Thomas. This year saw the highest number of players compete for this trophy: 18. Well done to everyone who played, we are very proud of all of you! Thanks to Grishma for the post 3rd round crisps, and thanks to Jim for the prizes!

Time control: 15 minutes each for all moves

	Name		Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Rd 4	Rd 5
1	Callum R		1 W 9	2 B 8	2 W 2	2 B 5	3 W 7
2	Thomas		1 B 10	2 W 12	3 B 1	3½ W 6	4½ B 3
3	Cameron A		1W 11	2W 5	2½ B 6	3½ B 8	3½ W 2
4	Samay		0 B 12	0 W 16	½ B 18	1½ W 17	1½ W 11
5	Ben		1 W 13	1 B 3	2 W 9	3 W 1	4 B 6
6	Kai		1 B 14	2 W 7	2½ W 3	3 B 2	3 W 5
7	Josh		1 W 15	1 B 6	2 B 16	2 W 12	2 B 1
8	Victor		1 B 16	1 W 1	2 B 11	2 W 3	2 B 9
9	Calum T		0 B 1	1 W 10	1 B 5	2 B 13	3 W 8
10	William		0 W 2	0 B 9	1 B 14	2 W 16	2 B 12
11	Jerry		0 B 3	1 B 15	1 W 8	2 W 14	3 B 4
12	Elsa		1 W 4	1 B 2	2 W 13	3 B 7	4 W 10
13	Aleks		0 B 5	1 W 14	1 B 12	1 W 9	2 B 15
14	Sonny		0 W 6	0 B 13	0 W 10	0 B 11	1 W 17
15	George		0 B 7	0 W 11	1 W 17	2 B 18	2 W 13
16	Alexander		0 W 8	1 B 4	1 W 7	1 B 10	2 W 18
17	JC		½ *	½ W 18	½ B 15	½ B 4	½ W 14
18	Sarah		½ *	1½ B 17	2 W 4	2 W 15	2 B 16

With two clear leaders on 3½ after round 4, the competition was decided on a shoot-out match between Cameron A and Thomas. Congratulations to Thomas on his victory. Thanks to Marissa and Nadine, David's daughters, and their daughters for coming along to present the trophy.

But most of all my thanks go to the participants; thanks for a great night of chess!

18-04-2023 Dunfermline v Stirling Douglas

Dunfermline 4-5 Stirling Douglas
Round 1
Ian Robertson	1 - 0	Brad Duthie
Gordon Greig	1 - 0	Richard Warcup
Dimitis Giannakopoulos	0 - 1	Sandy Carmichael
Round 2
Ian Robertson	1 - 0	Sandy Carmichael
Gordon Greig	0 - 1	Brad Duthie
Dimitis Giannakopoulos	0 - 1	Richard Warcup
Round 3
Ian Robertson	1 - 0	Richard Warcup
Gordon Greig	0 - 1	Sandy Carmichael
Dimitis Giannakopoulos	0 - 1	Brad Duthie

Ian Robertson writes:- Unusual score for an allegro but Stirling could only raise 3 players and since a Dunfermline player who was originally due to play was held up at work the other Dunfermline players opted not to replace him and instead play a 3 v 3 match with double defaults on board 4. A close match with it all going down to the final game to finish between Gordon and Sandy. Gordon was down to a few seconds but had a heavy material advantage and forced mate. However that was missed and though Sandy only had 2 pawns left victory on time was his. Thanks to Stirling for the visit and for putting up with the background noise from what was a packed club room.

17-04-2023 Badgers Brook B v Stirling D

Badgers Brook B		v		Stirling D
Mark Brown Colin Matthews Antonia La Gamma Peter Woollven David Mabon	1440 1114   894	0 - 1 1 - 0 0 - 1 0 - 1 1 - 0	1331 1327 1283 1079	Kris Dimitrov Harry Feather Sandy Carmichael Mick Bloor Adam Fenwick
		2 - 3

17-04-2023 Stirling Castle v Grangemouth Lions

Stirling Castle 7½-8½ Grangemouth Lions
Round 1
Sam Cook	½ - ½	Dougie Will
Harley Lang	0 - 1	Ian Mason
Gordon Allcock	0 - 1	Sean Gray
Stewart Cairns	1 - 0	Harley Allan
Round 2
Sam Cook	1 - 0	Harley Allan
Harley Lang	0 - 1	Dougie Will
Gordon Allcock	0 - 1	Ian Mason
Stewart Cairns	0 - 1	Sean Gray
Round 3
Sam Cook	1 - 0	Sean Gray
Harley Lang	1 - 0	Harley Allan
Gordon Allcock	0 - 1	Dougie Will
Stewart Cairns	0 - 1	Ian Mason
Round 4
Sam Cook	1 - 0	Ian Mason
Harley Lang	1 - 0	Sean Gray
Gordon Allcock	1 - 0	Harley Allan
Stewart Cairns	0 - 1	Dougie Will

17-04-2023 Stirling Bruce v Grangemouth Tigers

Stirling Bruce 11-5 Grangemouth Tigers
Round 1
Shubham Lakudkar	1 - 0	John McLay
Isaac Browning	½ - ½	Alan Bell
Dave Hewitt	1 - 0	Ryan Herron
Kenny MacPherson	1 - 0	Thomas Frew
Round 2
Shubham Lakudkar	½ - ½	Alan Bell
Isaac Browning	1 - 0	Ryan Herron
Dave Hewitt	1 - 0	Thomas Frew
Kenny MacPherson	0 - 1	Alan Bell
Round 3
Shubham Lakudkar	1 - 0	Ryan Herron
Isaac Browning	1 - 0	Thomas Frew
Dave Hewitt	0 - 1	John McLay
Kenny MacPherson	0 - 1	Alan Bell
Round 4
Shubham Lakudkar	1 - 0	Thomas Frew
Isaac Browning	1 - 0	John McLay
Dave Hewitt	0 - 1	Alan Bell
Kenny MacPherson	1 - 0	Ryan Herron

Stirling Bruce has now played all six of their matches in this Allegro League, and has won them all, thus takes the title. Congratulations, and well done to all who played!

12-04-2023 Grangemouth B v Stirling A

Grangemouth B		v		Stirling A
David Wallace Alan Petrie Ian Mason Scott Dickson Ryan Herron	1727 1711 1626 1022	0 - 1 0 - 1 ½ - ½ 0 - 1 0 - 1	2040 1722 1670 1621 1562	Shubham Lakudkar William Spiers Graham Anderson Steve Smith Dave Hewitt
		½ - 4½

Congratulations to the A team players - this result secures the league title for Stirling for the first time since 2005/6. Special mention to Steve, who has captained the team throughout this time. Thanks to the team for providing the games below.

[Event "Grangemouth B v Stirling A"] [Site "Grangemouth CC"] [Date "2023.04.12"] [Round "-"] [White "Wallace, D"] [Black "Lakudkar, S"] [Result "0-1"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Qa4+ c6 8. Nf3 O-O 9. Be3 c5 10. Be2 b6 11. O-O Qc7 12. Rac1 Bb7 13. d5 Nd7 14. c4 Qd6 15. Rfd1 h6 16. Nd2 e5 17. g4 a6 18. Qc2 Rad8 19. Nf1 Bc8 20. Ng3 Nf6 21. h3 Ne8 22. Bd3 Qc7 23. Rb1 Bd7 24. Rb2 Nd6 25. Rdb1 Rb8 26. Qd2 Kh7 27. Rb3 b5 28. cxb5 axb5 29. Bc2 Rfc8 30. Rc3 Qa5 31. Bd1 b4 32. Rcc1 c4 33. Qc2 Qa3 34. Nf1 c3 35. Qb3 Qa5 36. Ra1 Nxe4 37. a3 Nc5 38. Bxc5 Qxc5 39. axb4 Rxb4 40. Qa3 Bf8 41. Ne3 Rxg4+ { White resigns. } 0-1

[Event "Grangemouth B v Stirling A"] [Site "Grangemouth CC"] [Date "2023.04.12"] [Round "-"] [White "Petrie, A"] [Black "Spiers, W"] [Result "0-1"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Be2 g6 4. c3 Bg7 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 d6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. h3 O-O 9. Be3 e5 10. O-O exd4 11. Nxd4 Re8 12. Ndb5 Nxe4 13. Nxe4 Rxe4 14. Nxd6 Re7 15. Bc5 Be6 16. Bf3 Rd7 17. Qd2 Qc7 18. Rad1 Rad8 19. Bxc6 Qxc6 20. Qe3 b6 21. Ba3 Bd5 22. Rc1 Qa8 23. f3 Rxd6 24. Bxd6 Rxd6 25. Qe7 Re6 26. Qc7 Be5 27. Qc8+ Qxc8 28. Rxc8+ Kg7 29. b3 Bg3 30. Rd1 Re2 31. Rd8 Be6 32. R8d2 Re5 33. Kf1 Bc8 34. Re2 { White resigns because of 34 ... Ba6. } 0-1

[Event "Grangemouth B v Stirling A"] [Site "Grangemouth CC"] [Date "2023.04.12"] [Round "-"] [White "Smith, S"] [Black "Dickson, S"] [Result "1-0"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. f4 b6 8. Nf3 Ba6 9. Bxa6 Nxa6 10. Qe2 Ndb8 { The idea of exchanging off light square bishops is common in the French but the other N should have gone to b8. } 11. O-O-O c6 12. h4 Nc7 13. g4 Nd7 14. f5 b5 15. Rdf1 a5 16. f6 Qd8 17. fxg7 Rg8 18. Qe3 Qe7 19. Qh6 O-O-O 20. Ng5 Kb7 { Now White has a won position. } 21. Nxf7 Ra8 22. Nd6+ Kb6 23. Rf7 Qd8 24. Qxh7 a4 25. Rhf1 Rb8 26. Qg6 { Stopping the h pawn will cost Black material. } 26... Ne8 27. h5 Nxg7 28. Rxg7 Rxg7 29. Qxg7 Nf8 30. Rf7 Nh7 31. Rb7+ Ka6 32. Rxb8 Qxb8 33. Qxh7 { Black resigns. } 1-0

[Event "Grangemouth B v Stirling A"] [Site "Grangemouth CC"] [Date "2023.04.12"] [Round "-"] [White "Hewitt, D"] [Black "Herron, R"] [Result "1-0"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 d5 3. Nf3 c6 4. c3 Bf5 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Be4 7. Bxe4 Nxe4 8. Bf4 e6 9. Nbd2 Nxd2 10. Qxd2 h6 11. O-O g5 12. Bg3 Nf6 13. Qc2 Bd6 14. Rae1 Qc7 15. Bxd6 Qxd6 16. Ne5 Qc7 17. f4 g4 18. f5 Qd6 19. fxe6 Qxe6 20. Qf5 Qxf5 21. Rxf5 Ne4 22. Rxf7 O-O-O 23. Rf4 Ng5 24. Rxg4 Rdg8 25. Rf1 h5 26. Rxg5 Re8 27. Rf7 Ref8 28. Rgg7 Rxf7 29. Nxf7 Rf8 30. Nd6+ Kb8 31. Rxb7+ Ka8 32. Rh7 Rd8 33. Nf5 Rf8 34. Rxh5 Kb7 35. g4 Kb6 36. Rh7 Rb8 37. h4 c5 38. Rh6+ Kb5 39. dxc5 Kxc5 40. b3 a5 41. Nd4 Rc8 42. Rc6+ { Black resigns. Instead, there was 42 a4 Rc7 43 Ra6 Rc6 44 Rxc6# } 1-0

And the only fly in the ointment...

[Event "Grangemouth B v Stirling A"] [Site "Grangemouth CC"] [Date "2023.04.12"] [Round "-"] [White "Anderson, G"] [Black "Mason, I"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. b4 Be7 7. Bg5 d6 8. Nbd2 a6 9. O-O h6 10. Bh4 Bg4 11. Qb3 b5 { 11 ... Nxe4 } 12. Bxf6 bxc4 13. Qxc4 Bxf6 14. Qxc6 Bd7 15. Qd5 Bb5 16. Qb3 Bd7 { 16 ... Bxd3 } 17. Rac1 Qe8 18. d4 Qc8 19. d5 Be7 20. c4 Qd8 21. c5 f5 22. c6 Be8 23. exf5 Rxf5 24. Rfe1 Bg5 25. Nxg5 Qxg5 26. Ne4 Qe7 27. Qd3 Bg6 28. Qg3 Bh7 29. a4 Rb8 30. Qc3 Rf4 31. f3 Qf7 32. Qd3 { Draw agreed. White is well down on time here, with just under 4 minutes left. Stockfish agrees with the draw here, but recommended 32 Qd2 to maintain the +1 advantage. } 1/2-1/2

10-04-2023 Stirling B v Badgers Brook A

Stirling B		v		Badgers Brook A
Nathanael Loch Sean Flanagan Bill Cook Dave Hewitt Sandy Carmichael	1513 1487 1489 1562 1289	0 - 1 0 - 1 0 - 1 1 - 0 ½ - ½	2007 1998 1666 1114 894	Andrew Newton Kenny McGeoch John Smith Colin Matthews Peter Woollven
		1½ - 3½

03-04-2023 Central League Cup Stirling v Badgers Brook

Stirling		v		Badgers Brook
Shubham Lakudkar Sam Coates William Spiers Steve Smith Dave Hewitt Nathanael Loch Sean Flanagan	2040 1843 1722 1621 1562 1513 1487	1 - 0 0 - 1 0 - 1 0 - 1 1 - 0 1 - 0 1 - 0	2007 1998 1841 1689 1666 1292 894	Andrew Newton Kenny McGeoch Andrew McHarg Steven McHarg John Smith Gordon Walker Peter Woollven
		4 - 3

Thanks to Dave for providing the game below, where he was Black against John Smith.

[Event "Neil Giffen Cup, Stirling vs Badgers Brook"] [Site "Stirling CC"] [Date "2023.04.03"] [White "John Smith"] [Black "Dave Hewitt"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1666"] [BlackElo "1562"] [ECO "C01"] [Opening "French Defense: Exchange Variation"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. h3 Be7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O Nbd7 8. Re1 c5 9. c3 Re8 10. Bf4 cxd4 11. cxd4 Bb4 12. Nc3 Bxc3 13. bxc3 Ne4 14. Qc2 f5 15. c4 Ndf6 16. Rab1 b6 17. Be5 Bb7 18. Nd2 Rc8 19. Nf1 dxc4 20. Bxc4+ Bd5 21. Bxd5+ Nxd5 22. Qb3 Kh8 23. Qf3 Qg5 24. Rb5 Rc3 25. Ne3 Nxe3 26. Rxe3 Rec8 27. Rxc3 Rxc3 28. Qf4 Qg6 29. Rd5 Rc8 30. Rd7 Nf6 31. Rxa7 Nh5 32. Qf3 Rc1+ 33. Kh2 h6 34. Ra8+ Kh7 35. Qd5 Nf6 36. Qd8 Qg5 37. g3 Qd2 38. Kg2 Rc2 0-1

Dave writes: I picked a good time to win my first game in a Stirling match in 11 attempts this season. Was lucky - was in proper trouble early on, then got back levellish before missing a win at move 26: I was getting short of time but thought there was something good, and rather than doubling Rs I should have played 26 ...Rc1+ followed by Nd2 and Nf1+, winning the Q. However I missed this, and John then played a whole series of good moves to be well on top again. I thought he probably shouldn't have grabbed the pawn with 31 Rxa7, but the computer likes this and he was winning all the way to move 37, when Qh8+ followed by the hard to spot 38 Ra3 wins. John's actual 37 g3 allows a forced mate for black - fortunate, as I was down inside my last minute for the final four or five moves, and clinging on.

27-03-2023 Stirling C v Stirling E

Stirling C		v		Stirling E
Brad Duthie David McAlister Bill Cook Kenny MacPherson Sandy Carmichael	1523 1523 1489 1418 1283	1d - 0d 0 - 1 0 - 1 1 - 0 1 - 0	1097 1082 1082	Callum Richardson Harley Lang Mick Bloor Euan Tortolano Adam Fenwick
		3 - 2