Sutton Coldfield Chess Club are holding the Keith Escott Memorial Congress on the weekend of Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th December.
£3,000+ Prize Money, 3 Sections, ECF & FIDE Rated
Organised by Sutton Coldfield Chess Club
Venue: Plantsbrook School, Upper Holland Road, Sutton Coldfield B72 1RB
For an entry form and further details, please see this link.
Mercia Chess Club have moved to a new venue:
Hurst Hill Labour Club, 22 Clifton St, Bilston, WV14 9EY
They still meet on Tuesdays starting at 19:30
Saturday 23rd November saw the Staffordshire Under 1650 team host Worcestershire in the latest round of the Midland Counties Championship. The match was played at a new venue to the SCA, Acton Tussell Community Centre, which proved a very satisfactory match space. The match was tied six all, and featured the debut of two juniors, Malcolm Fletcher of Stafford and Aarav Sohi of Rushall and Staffordshire Juniors who achieved a win on board 11 and a draw on the 9th board respectively. For full scorecard please see the MCCU website.
The Staffordshire Minor Counties team have played their first fixture in this years Midland Counties competition. The result was a win by 7 points to 5 for our hosts Worcestershire. Full details are available on both the MCCU website and the LMS.
While the team may be disappointed in the result, great praise is due to the captain, Andrew Smith of Tamworth Chess Club who with help from Stephen Smithson of Lichfield and Phil Bull of Wolverhampton Chess Club who recruited a credible team at short notice.
As a matter of interest it may be the first time Staffordshire have played in the MCCU Minor Counties section. When in previous years a Staffordshire first team was entered the County Association used to choose the harder Open Section.
The first match of the Under 1650 season was a close victory for our opponents Warwickshire by 6.5 to 5.5. Until the final stages of the match it appeared that Warwickshire would have won by a larger margin. A win on board 10 by Martin Chadwick of Meir followed by draws for debutants Daniel Jones of Brewood and Tony Brothwood of Norton Canes left the score very close. Thanks to Warwickshire Chess Association for their arrangements, some good games played in a sporting spirit and choosing an excellent venue at the home of Coleshill Chess Club.
For a detailed scoresheet please check here.
The Shropshire Congress will take place Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th January 2025
Top prize in all sections is £300 plus three £50 rating prizes per section.
The top boards from all sections will be broadcast live within the venue and cooked breakfasts plus Sunday lunch will be provided by the Wrekin Housing Group catering team.
Further information and online entry please see the website.
The AGM at the end of last month has made the awards for Club of the Year and Sports Personality of the Year.
The Club of the Year has been awarded to the North Staffordshire and District Chess Association (NSDCA) club Gables. Gables are a new club founded in 2023 by Chris Hankey and most of the players are juniors. The club has competed successfully in last season's NSDCA winning the third division and having a second team gaining valuable experience in the the fourth. This season with the introduction of an Under 1300 League, the club are entering four teams in the NSDCA competitions.
The Sports Personality of the Year, is Steve Whatmore who represents both Stafford and Rushall in four local leagues. He mentors the less experienced players and captains teams in both the Cannock League and NSDCA. Steve has been a candidate for this award for a number of years and his main achievements are with the Cannock League serving as both President and Fixtures Secretary. With his drive and common sense he was the prime mover in restarting league chess after the Covid lockdowns.