Suffolk Chess

This evening was the last meeting of the term at the Bury Knights Junior Chess Club, attended by 29 members.   The photo above shows the playing room at 17.45, before anyone arrived!

The Club does not meet during the Summer Term, so as this was the final meeting of the season, the annual awards were presented to deserving members.

The photo below shows the prize winners:

A four-round Easter Tournament was also held, with top seeds Jaden Jermy and Adam John sharing the honours.   After scoring a maximum four points, they played a five-minute tie-break, which they drew!

Every member received a golden Easter egg, as well as other prizes, regardless of their score.

Last evening, Manningtree B missed an opportunity to secure the Division 3 title.   Playing their 'C' team, they could only manage a 2 - 2 draw.   A 4 - 0 victory would have meant that they could not be caught.

Manningtree B are now six points clear of second-placed Saxmundham B.   Both teams have two matches to play, the last of which (on 18 April) is against each other!

Manningtree B's next match, on 12 April, is at home against bottom team Felixstowe B.

You can view the current league table here.

The annual St Albans Chess Congress is taking place this coming weekend.   To date over 200 players have registered, including three from Suffolk: Graham Moore (Ipswich), Andrew Donnelly and Jaden Jermy (Bury St Edmunds).

Last year the total entry reached 227.

It's still possible to enter, although a late entry fee may apply.

Last Tuesday, the three John children from Bury St Edmunds (Alan 14, Adam 11 and Amy 8) all played in the same team for the club in a Bury Area League match at Linton.   Only Adam won on this occasion.   It is hoped that the three siblings will be able to play together as part of a team more often in future.

This evening Tim Kent (the new Suffolk Junior Organiser) and I visited Woodbridge Chess Club.   The Club meets in the Methodist Church Hall in St John's Street on Mondays from 19.00 to 21.00.

Six 'regular' members were in attendance and were joined by one newcomer.   Tim and I brought the total up to nine.

The Club is organised by Blake Gifford (left in photo) who can be contacted .

Due to members' holidays the Club will not be open over the Easter period.   It will be open for business again on Monday 24 April.   See the Club's website here.

Realistically, promotion from Division 2 is now down to two teams: Bury St Edmunds A and Saxmundham A.   Bury A are five points clear, but Sax A have a match in hand.

The 'crunch' match will be the postponed meeting between the two clubs, now scheduled for Tuesday 25 April, at Saxmundham.   This will be the final match of the season for both teams.

At the other end of the table, Stowmarket A are three points behind Sudbury; both teams have two matches to play.   On 3 April these two teams play each other.   Stowmarket probably need to win, because their final match, on 18 April, is against Saxmundham A!

With less than a month to go before the end of the season, the title race in Division 1 is between two teams: Manningtree A and Ipswich C.   Both have two matches remaining and both have to play bottom team Ipswich B, the team that appears most likely to be relegated.

The 2½ point lead that Manningtree A currently hold could be severely reduced in the next round of matches.   Manningtree A face Bury St Edmunds B, not an easy match to win, whilst Ipswich C play Ipswich B.   It's possible that by 4 April the two teams could be on level terms.   However, Manningtree A's final match is against wooden spooners Ipswich B, so they probably hold a narrow advantage.

All will be revealed by 18 April, when the final matcvh is due to be played.   But before then, Manningtree A, who play Ipswich B on 12 April, could have built up an unassailable lead.

The Bury Area League's Cup competition, the Roger Goldsmith Trophy, is nearing completion with the two Bury St Edmunds teams holding the top positions.

All six teams have one more match to play, scheduled for Easter week.   Leaders Bury Beehive, fresh from a 3½-½ drubbing of Cambridge Masters this evening, play away at Fen Thoroughbreds (Ely), whilst second-place Bury Abbey are at home to Cambridge Porters.

At the end of the round-robin matches, the top two teams then play each other again in the Final during the second week in May.   Current holders are Bury Abbey, who beat Cambridge Students at the end of last season, despite only managing a draw in the 2016 Final.   The tie-break rules award the trophy to the team with the higher points total in the league stage.

The current league table (soon to be updated with this evening's result) can be seen here.

Here's a list of tournaments etc that will be coming up over the next few months.   Get your diaries out!

Sunday 9 April

EACU Team Championships
Teams of four, ideally from the same club.   See previous article about this event here.

Sunday 7 May

Suffolk Megafinal
Qualifiers from schools and clubs will compete in all age-groups (boys and girls) in the UK Chess Challenge.

Saturday 13 May

National Quarter-Finals for Suffolk First Team and Under 160s
Note: this may be played on Sunday 14 May, or earlier by mutual agreement.   Opponents are not yet known.

Tuesday 30 May

Suffolk County Chess Association AGM
At Ipswich Chess Club, starting at 19.30.

Sat/Sun 3/4 June

EACU Congress - Turner Hall, Newmarket
Open, u170 and u130 sections

Sunday 11 June

Bury Knights JCC Coaching Day #1
Members (and others by invitation).   At Moreton Hall Community Centre.   10.00 to 17.00

Saturday 15 July

Bury Knights JCC Coaching Day #2
As above

Four rounds of the Stowmarket Club Championship have now been completed, with all 12 entrants having played their full quota of games.   There is a winner already, with one round still to be played, as Stephen Lewis is on 4 points, whilst his nearest three rivals (James Irwin, Daniel Yarnton and Vicky Allen) are all trailing on 2½ points.

See the current cross-table here.

Meanwhile, the six round Ipswich Club Championship has gone to a play-off.   19 members participated and most games were completed.   Steve Gregory and Ian Wallis both scored 5/6.   Steve and Ian did not play each other during the initial six rounds.   Steve lost a game to Mike Cook (4½ points) and Ian lost to Ted Matthewson (3½ points).

See the final cross-table here.   The play-off result will be published here later.