The Congress was held to mark the Centenary of the establishment of the City of Stoke-on-Trent in August. Thanks to the generosity of the City Council the splendid Kings Hall was provided free to the organising committee. The congress was opened by the Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Steve Watkins. There were ninety entrants with nearly half from North Staffs District Chess Association or other Staffordshire Clubs.
Stafford Chess Association’s Junior Secretary, Jonathon Blackburn as the initial proposer of the congress fittingly won the open section of the congress, beating Jacob Boswell formerly of Cheddleton and Leek Chess Club into second place. With this win Jonathon becomes the Staffordshire Closed Champion.
Full results may be seen here
Thanks to
the Organising Committee for all their hard work: Neil Hankey, Jonathon
Blackburn, and Martyn Stanley, all from Alsager Chess Club with Andrew Crosby from Kidsgrove Chess Club. David Price of Crewe Chess Club and Congress
provided much helpful advice to the committee, and he is to be thanked for
giving up his playing place to assist the arbiters.
The lead controller was Staffordshire’s own International Arbiter, Matthew Carr with assistance from David Price and Colin Abell of Cheddleton. Thanks to their hard work in running an enjoyable weekend. It is hoped that the funding can be found to make the Staffordshire Congress an annual event.
Andrew Crosby has produced an excellent report in the August edition of Chess Moves.
A reading of Chess Moves shows that Luke Sullivan of Rugeley Chess Club won the Under 1700 Section of the Glossop Chess Club weekend event in July.
