Crazed Wolves In Store a Bad Mistake Admits Mothercare

“Waiting For The Beat To Kick In” dan le sac vs Scroobius Pip, Angles, Sunday Best Recordings, 2008

It was immediately clear when I first heard there was a London league side called Drunken Knights I'd have to involve. My first taste was the annual DK beer and blitz tournament at the Plough a few weeks back. It was a banterous evening despite, in what media sources were to call an injustice of biblical proportions, the younger Kraken beating me first round then proceeding to outscore me by ½ to finish 4^th = with 18/24.

Having been informed that Athenaeum played at a dry venue we realised that under such inhumane conditions it would be an uphill struggle. The ball kicks didn't stop there, as upon arrival we were greeted by the sight of Gawain sat at board 1 and the clocks already started. Actually, this news sat surprisingly well with the Krakens, as our partner in crime Charlie “Britain's next top model” Fry was to be his opponent. My blogging colleague took great pleasure in informing him of this when he finally arrived, in a move motivated purely by a desire to inspire a top tungsten performance.

Fry failed to deliver.

Fortunately the Krakens under crisis always come up smiling. We'd made sure to top up on brain fuel prematch at the Cross Keys opposite the venue. Packley was already installed at the bar when we arrived and it was in high spirits that we eventually left for the match. About two hours later it became overwhelmingly apparent that the London League is rigged.

6½ - ½ down. You mean we've come out here in the middle of fucking nowhere without aspirins? It was certainly not shaping up to be the debut I'd imagined. We'd lost after 7 games in a 12 board match with our only man on the scoreboard at this stage being Mr Makepeace who offered the chop as the queens were about to come off after an interesting opening. Frankly Atheaeum's underhand tactic had given them the crucial psychological edge, preventing us from living up to our name with their dry venue was the deciding factor of the match.

Some of the shit did miss the fan as we rallied somewhat to finish with 3½, Dom picking up our only win and with it Nevil's man of the match award. Here's the match card:

	ATHENAEUM 1						DRUNKEN KNIGHTS 2
1	G. Jones GM (b)	242		1 - 0	192		C. Fry
2	P. Thorarinsson	223		1 - 0	193		R. Black
3	J. Spreeuw	195		½ - ½	187		S. Tidman
4	M. Capuzzo	197		½ - ½	186		C. Russell
5	G. Anthony	196		½ - ½	185		P. Makepeace
6	D. Farkas	194		0 - 1	185		D. Goodwin
7	T. Johansson	184		½ - ½	183		N. Alldritt
8	J. Way	184		1 - 0	180		P. Ackley
9	P. Tozer	190		½ - ½	178		A. Rawlinson
10	C. McAleenan	178		1 - 0	176		T. Nitz
11	M. Gray	172		1 - 0	172		M. Ludbrook
12	S. Launiau	169		1 - 0	156		D. Tuddenham
			8½ - 3½

Though DK2 have yet to make their mark this season with a +0 =0 -2 start and 5½ game points we have had a tough couple of fixtures. The plan is to improvise, adapt and overcome, starting as soon as we return to the Plough. We shall certainly be keeping our heads (and pints) held high.

Those of you wondering why I've included a song might do well to acquaint themselves with the literary stylings of Captain Johnny Danger, hero.