The first of May saw the 2018 RAC Blitz competition, held in the palatial RAC Clubhouse.
Mister Widdicombe and Mister Shakirov schemed to create a joint NLC and Landsdowne outfit, with four Libs and two Landsdowners making up the team. It was a pleasure to play with Mister Shakirov and especially so to once again play alongside Our Good Friend Mister Taylor (he of the guaranteed board six point during our first season).
And what an evening.
Hopes were modest going in. This was the first entry for either Club and the competition was top class. All the Hamilton Russell top boards were out and the room was afloat with IMs, FMs and international players. The MCC and RAC Clubs entered an ‘A’ and ‘B’ team. All other HR Clubs had entered and there was even an international team drawn from France and Sweden.
Intent was clear. The MCC and RAC toughs were eyeing each other up and the Lib/Lans feared they may be the sheep amongst a room full of hungry wolves…
But that was not to be the story.
In yet another sign that NLC (and Landsdowne) Chess is positively on the up, the Lib/Lan team pinched themselves as they began notching up the points. At the midway they’d already taken a point and half.
With nervous tissues replenished after a fine buffet dinner, the team bounded on to take further scalps to end up fifth out of 12, with an overall score of 6 points (ahead of the RAC and MCC ‘B’ teams, the Reform and the O&C). Notable, if somewhat unexpected, victories included those against the Athenaum, O&C and the Reform, with draws against the MCC ‘B’ team.
The RAC must have known it was to the Libs night, even painting a car in NLC colours to welcome us. Very kind.
A roll call of the proud blitzers:
It is a Lotus 25, the first great car from Colin Chapman and driven by Jim Clark. Think it was for the 1962 and 1963 Grand Prix seasons.
Anyway, Clark was a great driver who won the Formula 1 title twice and should have had more. He was killed in a Formula 2 race in 1968, so this was marking 50 years.
Thank you Doctor!