If we can get a few of these, I will create a special page, otherwise I will include it on the Bedford games page. Paul recounts a game against Sandy Cordon:
Searching for my games v. Sandy Cordon I was surprised by two things: a) I had hoped to see one of his wins but my record is W2 D3 L0, despite our grades being similar; b) all five games were in team matches in the Beds. League, suggesting that Sandy did not compete in the Club Individual Championship. He was probably more interested in helping other players. However, here is our last encounter, an exciting draw which he certainly should have won. As Black in almost any opening Sandy was a great believer in fianchettoing his King’s Bishop. Incidentally if you are wondering why Sandy was playing for Bedford B, in those days Bedford split their strength between A and B teams.
The engine still gives Black +0.38. Either the draw was agreed now or it went for that curious throwback: adjudication. Believe it or not, some leagues still retain it! I can’t believe this was my last game against Sandy (1975). Jim Plaskett recalls him playing a stunning queen sacrifice at the Hitchin Congress in 1983. It would be good if there’s a record of that somewhere.
He was for years an energetic figure on the Bedfordshire chess scene and a great motivator of the weaker players at Bedford Chess Club.
Have we said to Sandy’s daughter that if she finds any chess score books in his effects we would be interested in looking through them?