The latest reports will feature below, with the most recent at the top (check each week for the latest report).
(5 February 2010)
"After their excellent recent win against the league leaders, Linton A, Cambridge Choristers entertained Bury Scorpions last week, hoping to close further on Linton in Division One. In a hard fought contest, the top two boards were won by the Scorpions, including an excellent win for Alan Merry against an opponent of International Master standing, but boards three and four went to the Choristers leaving the match all square.
The other Bury team, the Scarabs, defeated Ely Beet Bishops to move alongside the Choristers, just one and a half points behind Linton. The latter however, still have a match in hand on their pursuers and they remain favourites to win the League for the fourth consecutive season.
In the outstanding game of the all-Cambridge match between the Academicals and the Oddfellows, most of which was played the other week, Stephen Pride drew with Richard Newman to leave the match even and these teams trail the rest of the division now.
Last week was a wonderful one for the Bury St Edmunds Chess Club. All seven of the club’s BACL teams were in action and only two scored less than four points (one of these being defeated by another Bury side).
In Division Two, both Bury teams won 5-0. The Cobras’ victory over Linton Blacks was no surprise as the latter are having a wretched season, averaging less than a point per match and they did not help their cause by defaulting on the lower two boards due to a confusion over transport. The Vipers will be delighted with their result against the Cambridge Bollards as a result of which they have gone ahead of their opponents and into second place. However, although they did not play last week, Cambridge Examiners have a six point lead in this section and they look unassailable.
Stowmarket suffered only their second defeat of the season last week when they lost to Bury E, but they still have a comfortable lead as well and a match in hand on their immediate pursuers.
The Suffolk under 160 team was in action at Thetford Grammar School at the weekend where they defeated Cambridgeshire comfortably by a margin of 10-6 and Norfolk narrowly, 8½-7½. The latter match was only decided in the final game when, with less than five minutes left on both players’ clocks, Robert Stephens held a knight and pawn ending to earn Suffolk their winning half point.
Results. Division One: Bury St Edmunds Scarabs 4 Ely Beet Bishops 1; Cambridge Choristers 2 Bury Scorpions 2; Cambridge Academicals 2 Cambridge Oddfellows 2 (match begun earlier and completed last week). Division Two: Bury St Edmunds Cobras 5 Linton Blacks 0; Cambridge Bollards 0 Bury St Edmunds Vipers 5. Division Three: Bury St Edmunds E 4 Stowmarket 1; Bury St Edmunds G 4 Bury St Edmunds F 1; Cambridge Gowns 3½ Newmarket 1½.
(29 January 2010)
"The shock result of last week in the Bury Area Chess League was the defeat of the previously unbeaten Division One leaders, Linton A, by Cambridge Choristers. Linton have been in excellent form this season and were apparently cruising towards a fourth consecutive league title; prior to last week they had conceded only a single draw this season. The match with the Choristers was close and it was only Rob McCorry, the Chorister’s captain playing on board three, who was able to achieve a victory, the other three games ending drawn.
Linton still hold a healthy three and a half point lead in Division One, but the Choristers have closed the gap with five matches remaining to each team and they will try to push the champions hard.
The Roger Goldsmith Champagne Cup imposes grading limits on teams to produce closely fought matches. Whilst this year’s entry of only six teams is the lowest in the competition’s history, it is certainly achieving its aim of being very competitive. After the third round the other week, three of the nine matches had been drawn and the remaining six were won by the minimum margin of 2½-1½.
The competition this year takes the form of a five round all-play-all after which the top two teams contest the final. With two rounds to go only three points cover the field and all six teams could still make the play off.
The leaders, Linton Tigers, defeated Newmarket Dark Horses to retain their position at the head of the table, but it was a good performance by the Newmarket team who were outgraded by an average of 29½ points per board and only veteran player John Dawson’s board four win for the Tigers separated the teams. Charles Richmond had a particularly good result on board two for Newmarket, drawing with a player who outgraded him by 39 points.
In the Suffolk League’s equivalent of the Goldsmith, the Suffolk League Cup, the initial group stage has been completed. Both Ipswich teams have qualified for the semi-finals where they are drawn against each other, whilst in the other semi-final Bury St Edmunds A will play Sudbury.
Results. Roger Goldsmith Champagne Cup Round Three: Bury St Edmunds A 1½ Cambridge Masters 2½; Bury St Edmunds B 2 Cambridge Players 2; Newmarket Dark Horses 1½ Linton Tigers 2½. League Division One: Bury St Edmunds B 2 Cambridge Academicals 2; Cambridge Oddfellows 1½ Bury St Edmunds Scarabs 3½; Linton A 1½ Cambridge Choristers 3½. Division Two: Bury St Edmunds Vipers ½ Cambridge Examiners 4½; Cambridge Dons 3½ Bury St Edmunds Cobras 1½; Ely Beetroots 1 Cambridge Bollards 4. Division Three: Bury St Edmunds E 1 Newmarket 4; Bury St Edmunds F 2 Cambridge Gowns 2; Linton Whites 5 Bury St Edmunds G 0.
Roger Goldsmith Champagne Cup current standings:
1 Linton 7½/12
2= Bury St Edmunds B 6½
2= Cambridge Players 6½
4 Cambridge Masters 6
5 Bury St Edmunds A 5
6 Newmarket Dark Horses 4½"
(22 January 2010)
"The Bury Area Chess League’s Roger Goldsmith Champagne Cup imposes grading limits on teams to produce closely fought matches. Whilst this year’s entry of only six teams is the lowest in the competition’s history, it is certainly achieving its aim of being very competitive. After the third round last week, three of the nine matches had been drawn and the remaining six were won by the minimum margin of 2½-1½.
The competition this year takes the form of a five round all-plays-all after which the top two teams contest the final. With two rounds to go only three points cover the field and all six teams could still make the play-off.
The leaders, Linton Tigers, defeated Newmarket Dark Horses to retain their position at the head of the table, but it was a good performance by the Newmarket team who were outgraded by an average of 29½ points per board and only veteran player John Dawson’s board four win for the Tigers separated the teams. Charles Richmond had a particularly good result on board two for Newmarket, drawing with a player who outgraded him by 39 points.
In the Suffolk League’s equivalent of the Goldsmith, the Suffolk League Cup, the initial group stage has been completed. Both Ipswich teams have qualified for the semi-finals where they are drawn against each other, whilst in the other semi-final Bury St Edmunds A will play Sudbury.
There had been two matches played in the BACL League competition this year prior to this week, both all Cambridge affairs. In Division Two, the Cambridge Examiners defeated the Dons 3½-1½. The other match was not completed as the board three game was postponed due to the weather. Whilst single board postponements are not uncommon in the Cambridge College League, this is the first instance of one that I have come across in the BACL. So far the match is level at 1½ points each.
Results. Roger Goldsmith Champagne Cup Round Three: Bury St Edmunds A 1½ Cambridge Masters 2½; Bury St Edmunds B 2 Cambridge Players 2; Newmarket Dark Horses 1½ Linton Tigers 2½. League Division One: Cambridge Academicals 1½ Cambridge Oddfellows 1½ (incomplete). Division Two: Cambridge Examiners 3½ Cambridge Dons 1½.
Roger Goldsmith Champagne Cup current standings: 1 Linton 7½/12 2= Bury St Edmunds B 6½ 2= Cambridge Players 6½ 4 Cambridge Masters 6 5 Bury St Edmunds A 5 6 Newmarket Dark Horses 4½"
(15 January 2009)
"The Bury Area Chess League’s Roger Goldsmith Champagne Cup imposes grading limits on teams to produce closely fought matches. Whilst this year’s entry of only six teams is the lowest in the competition’s history, it is certainly achieving its aim of being very competitive. After the third round last week, three of the nine matches had been drawn and the remaining six were won by the minimum margin of 2½-1½.
The competition this year takes the form of a five round all-play-all after which the top two teams contest the final. With two rounds to go only three points cover the field and all six teams could still make the play off.
The leaders, Linton Tigers, defeated Newmarket Dark Horses to retain their position at the head of the table, but it was a good performance by the Newmarket team who were outgraded by an average of 29½ points per board and only veteran player John Dawson’s board four win for the Tigers separated the teams. Charles Richmond had a particularly good result on board two for Newmarket, drawing with a player who outgraded him by 39 points.
In the Suffolk League’s equivalent of the Goldsmith, the Suffolk League Cup, the initial group stage has been completed. Both Ipswich teams have qualified for the semi-finals where they are drawn against each other, whilst in the other semi-final Bury St Edmunds A will play Sudbury.
There had been two matches played in the BACL League competition this year prior to this week, both all Cambridge affairs. In Division Two, the Cambridge Examiners defeated the Dons 3½-1½. The other match was not completed as the board three game was postponed due to the weather. Whilst single board postponements are not uncommon in the Cambridge College League, this is the first instance of one that I have come across in the BACL. So far the match is level at 1½ points each."