Suffolk Chess

Both the Suffolk First Team and the Under 160s are playing tomorrow, at the Turner Hall in Newmarket.   The First Team (capt. Ian Wallis) takes on Bedfordshire, playing them twice during the day.   Meanwhile, the Under 160s (capt. Bob Jones) play Hertfordshire in the morning and Cambridgeshire in the afternoon.

The First Team is well-placed to take over at the head of the division.   So far this season they have beaten both Norfolk (9-7) and Cambridgeshire (10½-5½).   The matches against Bedfordshire will provide a clearer picture, with all four counties then having played four matches.

The Under 160s is very close, with three teams, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, all vying for the main qualifying place.   Although there are two qualifying places, the runner-up county is required to play an extra match in a preliminary round, before entering the national rounds proper.   So two wins tomorrow for Suffolk would be excellent!   On grades alone our team is not quite as strong as it was in the last matches in January, but grades can be misleading.   For example how can Andrew Shephard be a 136?   In his last nine games since the start of 2013 he is unbeaten and is averaging 181.  A useful Board 11, methinks.

The results of both the First Team and the Under 160s will be posted here late Sunday evening.