.jpg "Laurie & Scott at the boards")
.jpg "The Newton Family")
.jpg "Steve and Sally Ruthen, with host Bundy Mackintosh")
.jpg "The Harveys, Munsons and Brenda Clapham")
.jpg "Donna Pott and Cora Roberts")
Suffolk have convincingly won the Under 160 section of the EACU County Championships, with no less than nine of our members taking part. Suffolk won all four matches, with Norfolk and Cambridgeshire winning once each against each other. Individual scores as follows:
Scott Taylor 1/4
Richard Lamont 1/2
Craig Hadrych 2½/4
Stuart Tate 1/3
David Brown 3/4
Phil Revell 1½/2
Colin Roberts 2/2
Peter Campbell 1½/4
Bob Jones 4/4
Four Club members competed today in the u600 section of the East Anglian Chess Union Club Championships, at Whittlesford. We finished in equal third place (out of six teams), with four points from a possible eight.
Our team was cunningly comprised of four members whose total grade amounted to 599. We were surprised to see that our opponents matched us, with the New England Club also totalling 599, after their Board 4 was rounded to 100, the 'minimum' grade allowed. The two results were predictable, although individually, Colin's Round 1 draw against John Shaw was highly creditable.
Whilst our team consisted of four players whose grades varied by only 25 points, our opponents fielded a much larger range of strength. The New England team included top England blind player Chris Ross (199), whilst at the other end of the scale their board 4 was only graded 95 (and was subsequently mated in 15 moves...)
Other clubs entered in this section were Cambridge City, Royston and Northampton. In the Open section, three clubs entered, a mixed team from Sudbury and Cambridge, Milton Keynes Open University and the eventual winners, Royston.
Bury St Edmunds results were:
Round 1 v Leighton Buzzard
Board 1 - Mark Le-Vine 164 ½ - ½ Stephen Law 162
Board 2 - Scott Taylor 156 0 - 1 Adrian Matthews 166
Board 3 - Colin Roberts 140 ½ - ½ John Shaw 160
Board 4 - Bob Jones 139 1 - 0 David Rusted 107
Total grades 599 - 595
Round 2 v New England (Peterborough)
Board 1 - Mark Le-Vine 164 0 - 1 Chris Ross 199
Board 2 - Scott Taylor 156 0 - 1 Francis Bowers 160
Board 3 - Colin Roberts 140 1 - 0 Mahmoud Tarabad 100
Board 4 - Bob Jones 139 1 - 0 Harry Currie 95 (100)
Total grades 599 - 599
Last season, our 'B' team won Division 2 and were promoted. So for the first time, we now have two teams in Division 1. The 'B' team is currently in second place, just a point behind leaders Ipswich B. Here's the full table:
| Teams | Played | Won | Draw | Lost | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ipswich B | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| Bury St Edmunds B | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| Ipswich A | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Bury St Edmunds A | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6½ |
| Sudbury A | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Adastral A | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4½ |
After playing four matches each, our two Division 1 teams in the Bury Area League are well placed. The Scorpions are just half a point behind leaders (and current Champions) Linton. Here's the current table:
| Teams | Played | Won | Draw | Lost | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linton A | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 14 |
| BSE Scorpions | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 13½ |
| Cambridge Choristers | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 13 |
| BSE Scarabs | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10½ |
| Cambridge Oddfellows | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| Ely Beet Bishops | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7½ |
| Cambridge Academicals | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6½ |
Not content with a convincing win last week over Cambridge Academicals, Bury St Edmunds Scorpions proved it was no fluke with another solid win, 4 - 1, this time over Cambridge Choristers.
It has taken almost a year, but at last a Division 1 Bury team has beaten a Cambridge team. It was as if they had a spell over us; last season we just couldn't seem to beat any team from Cambridge. Apart from one win by the Division 3 'F' team in March, the last win was on 2 October 2008, when our 'A' team beat Oddfellows.
So the 4½-½ win this evening by the Scorpions over Cambridge Academicals made a welcome change and, hopefully, a precursor for the coming season.
11 teams competed in yesterday's Jamboree, including four from our Club. Winners were Linton, with a very strong team, on 11½ points out of 12. In second place were Bury St Edmunds A, scoring 8 points (Steve Ruthen 2½, Colin Roberts 2, Hugo Smith 2½, Zac Vane 1). Bury St Edmunds B came fourth on 7 points, with Alan Watkins winning all three games (all against higher-graded opposition). Bury St Edmunds C were fifth on 6½ points.
The ECF has decided, in their wisdom, to amend everyone's grade because (they say), that over the past 15 years grades have suffered from deflation. So unless you had a very bad season, your grade will have increased substantially. See the Membership page for our members' new grades.
27 members, partners and children turned up for the annual Club BBQ at Bob Jones' house in Little Saxham. Despite a couple of mild showers, the evening was very warm and everyone was able to sit outside in shirtsleeves until 10.30 pm. Here are a few photos of the evening:
Four teams competed in this annual event at the Club. There were two semi-finals and then a final and loser's final to determine 3rd and 4th places. Each team has 40 minutes for each game. The event was controlled by Colin Roberts.
The winning team was captained by Bob Jones, with Martin Wilden and Zac Vane giving great support. One of the benefits of such an event is that weaker players learn from the ideas of the stronger players. But everyone gets a chance to suggest moves.
Here's the winning team (l to r: Bob Jones, Zac Vane, Martin Wilden):
16 members faced International Master Adam Hunt in a Simultaneous Exhibition at the Club. In such an event, the Master is expected to win all his games, or possibly draw a few. But today, Adam Hunt actually lost three of the matches and drew one.
The winners were Joe Fitzsimons, Stuart Tate and Bob Jones.
Here's Adam playing some of our members, including Chelsea Stafford, Thelma Merry, Zac Vane and Mark Le-Vine.
