Bidgood Cup Final - Dave Wightman (155) vs Peter Nixon (119)

Wolverhampton faced Walsall Kipping in both of the individual finals in the Wolverhampton League.  In the Rock Cup, Rob Marshall was looking to defend his title against Mike Groombridge, while Dave Wightman faced Peter Nixon in the Bidgood Cup.  The evening started well for Wolverhampton, with both players winning the toss and selecting the white pieces.  In the Bidgood Cup, blitz rules (30 moves in 65 minutes) were agreed by both players, whereas the Rock Cup was played at a more sedate pace of 42 moves in 90 minutes.  Dave Wightman gained an early space advantage in the centre, which led to a forced exchange of knights and the creation of a protected passed pawn on e6 that was to prove a constant threat for the rest of the match.  However, the resulting attack against the cramped black kingside position ultimately stalled and black was able to gain a pawn advantage on the queenside.  White continued to press in the centre, committing pawns forwards to try to break through, and the resulting exchanges led to the recovery of the pawn as black maintained a solid defence.  Black began to advance his three to one pawn majority on the queenside, while white continued to concentrate on the kingside.  In the end, white was able to open up the centre, in preparation for a pawn advance, and to re-activate the attack on the black king.  Between the two prongs of the attack, black was unable to press forwards on the queenside and to maintain the defences and the black king was ultimately exposed by a rook and queen combination attack.

 

In the Rock Cup, the game was more measured, with white establishing a small space advantage in the centre at the cost of a weaker pawn structure on the kingside in front of the castled king.  The pressure slowly built in the centre, as white's knight pair pressed forwards and further cramped the black position.  Eventually, as the time control approached and black's defensive options narrowed, white was able to make the breakthrough, capturing a vital pawn in the centre and forking the black queen and rook for the win.

 

So, Rob Marshall retains the Rock Cup and Dave Wightman wins the Bidgood Cup.  Attention now turns to the forthcoming Pittaway Cup Final, where Wolverhampton will be looking for further silverware against Stafford.  Thanks are due to the finalists, Mike Groombridge and Peter Nixon, for two interesting, well fought contests.  Thanks are also due to Frank Wood for efficiently organising the competitions and arbitrating on the night, and to Mercia, for kindly hosting the matches.