Christmas rapidplay

This event was held on Thursday December 19th, with 12 club members participating. There were 5 thirty-minute rounds, with the time divided between the two players on a handicap system, meaning that in some cases the weaker player had 27 minutes and the stronger one 3 minutes. Nonetheless the cream still rose to the top, with the 3 strongest players all finishing on 4/5. Tim Wrigley got the nod over son David and Peter Crichton by virtue of some arcane information on Peter’s pairing programme, thus avoiding the need for an Armageddon play-off. Well done, Tim!

Tans v Gateshead

Match Played at The Dyvels Thu 13 Dec 2019
Tans		Gateshead
David Wrigley	1-0	Andrew Robinson
Tim Wrigley	½-½	Kevin Cox
Peter Crichton	1-0	Bill Noble
Steve Larkin	1-0	Peter Wells
Dave Humphreys	0-1	Asa Bayran
	3½-1½

NCA Rapidplay

Tynedale were well represented at the NCA Rapidplay help in Forest Hall yesterday. Jonny, Dave H and Peter participated scoring 3/6, 2.5/6, and 2.5/6 respectively. Jonny (still ungraded) and Dave H (graded 99 but who came agonisingly close to scoring 50% against opponents with an average grade of 144) deserve particular mention for their efforts. It was an open event with a wide range of abilities playing in the same section which was highlighted by Peter meeting opponents graded 35 and 211 in consecutive rounds.

Dec 12th – Meet in the Dyvels

12 Dec 2019 is election day, and Corbridge Parish Hall is not available to us. The home match against Gateshead will take place in The Dyvels. The room allocated is not big enough for anything other than the match. The pub have indicated that will be happy for members not playing in the match to play elsewhere in the pub.

Tynemouth C v Tans

Match Played at Tynemouth Tue 26 Nov 2019
Tynemouth C		Tans
Simon Matthews	0-1	David Wrigley
Christian Smith	1-0	Tim Wrigley
Keith Marshall	½-½	Steve Larkin
Andrew Perella	1-0	Dave Humphreys
Alex McFarlane	1-0	Jonny Kearney
	3½-1½

Larkin lights up the room

Follow the link below for a Hexham Courant article about Steve, Peter & Jonny’s victory in Penrith. I particularly like Joseph Tulip’s headline :

https://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/sport/18038752.larkin-lights-room-victory/

Congratulations to Steve, Peter & Jonny.

 

Photo – Wentworth Display

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Chess drama at Penrith

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A Tynedale team of three (Peter Crichton, Steve Larkin and Jonny Kearney) played in the Cumbria Chess Rapid Play Team Championship 2019 held at Penrith on November 2nd. This was a 5 round event, with each player having 30 minutes for each game. There were 9 teams of three competing, with combined team grades subject to a points handicap to even out disparities between strong and weak teams.

In round 1 Tynedale faced Carlisle Knights and benefitted from a 1 point handicap, which was just as well since Peter lost to John Kelly and Steve lost to Clive Hutching. However Jonny was on fire and dispatched Paul Rivers (grade 132) to ensure the match was a 2-2 draw.

Next we faced Love ’em laughing, to whom we conceded a half point handicap, but with all 3 Tynedale players recording a win the result was a clear victory by 3 points to 0.5.

No handicap was involved in our round 3 match against Crown Jewels, where Peter’s draw and Jonny’s third consecutive win (against D. McMath, grade 111) was enough to draw the match 1.5 each.

In round 4 we conceded a half-point handicap to Carlisle Kings, but with Peter defeating old friend Ian Mackay and Jonny recording his 4th consecutive win, against Alan Little, we managed the narrowest of victories 2-1.5.

At the start of round 5 three teams, including Tynedale, were tied on 3 points out of 4. Our final match was against Crown Princes, with no handicap involved. Peter won his game more or less by default, and Steve ended a dismal run with a quick win, which was just as well as the Kearney magic finally ran out as Jonny lost for the first and only time. This 2-1 win put us on 4 points, tying with the Crown Jewels team for first place.

The rules stipulated that, in the event of a tie, there would be a rapid-play game of 5 minutes each involving the top board players of each side, so for the second time Peter faced Joseph McAtear (grade 151) with whom he had drawn in round 3. They tossed for colours and Joseph got white. Both players matched each other for speed of play and Peter established a very powerful file with 2 rooks and queen all aligned, but Joseph was able to counter this and what followed immediately was a draw by repetition.

This meant we entered the second stage of the tie-break, a rapid-play Armageddon involving the 2 second board players of each side. So for the second time Steve, with white, faced Fred Clough (grade 118) who had destroyed him in round 3. The tie-break rules stipulated that white would have 5 minutes in which to win and black would have 4 minutes in which not to lose. The game got underway and, curiously, Fred seemed to have opted for an “attack is the best method of defence” approach, while Steve was struggling to get his pieces off the back 2 ranks. With Steve on c2.5 minutes and Fred on c1.5 and a position which was very complex, all the lights went out. The spectators produced mobile phone torches and the game was resumed, with Fred’s time slipping away till it ran out, leaving Steve the winner though he had barely done anything on the board to warrant victory. Nevertheless it meant that Tynedale carried off the John Trothill Rapidplay trophy.

Tynedale’s star was undoubtedly Jonny, whose 4/5 will surely win him the gold medal for best performance on board 3. Not far behind was Peter with a highly respectable 3.5/5 on top board. Steve only managed 2/5 but at least he didn’t shoot himself in the foot in the terrifying Armageddon play-off!

All in all a highly enjoyable, if not exactly relaxing, day. And it’s always nice to come home with a trophy!

43rd Scarborough Chess Congress

Held on October 25-27 2019, this event was, as ever, well run and well supported, with 321 players spread over 5 sections. I played in the Minor, for players graded 135 and under, and was ranked 69th of the 75 entrants.

I took a half-point bye in round 1, held on the Friday night. On Saturday morning my opponent was Malcolm Roberts (grade 128) of Holmes Chapel. Over-ruling my better judgement, I launched a sacrificial attack on his castled king only to end up a bishop to 2 pawns down. The rest of the game was spent defending and I managed to hold out for a draw.

Saturday afternoon saw me playing Andy Kelly (grade 126) of Worsley. I had a nightmare game, foolishly taking a poisoned pawn and saying goodbye to my queen on move 12. More increasingly desperate defensive play on my part, ending with a move I thought might get me back in the game, only to find it led to mate in 2. Not the best afternoon of my chess career!

Another day and fresh hopes! I had white against David Fowler (grade 130) of Derbyshire and always had a positional advantage, but with equal material and both queens on the board to the end finding the win was hard work. Only after 3 hours and 45 minutes of play did I manage it, David resigning with mate just one move away.

Less than an hour later it was time for the final round. My opponent, Pete McKay of Darlington, was another 130 man. Again I achieved a positional advantage but each time I thought I could turn it into a material advantage Pete found an answer, and with both of us feeling Congress fatigue we agreed a draw after 3 hours and 15 minutes of play.

So I came away from the congress shattered but feeling well pleased (if you forget about the Saturday afternoon fiasco) at having managed 50% and ending up 40th in the section.

4th Jeremy Handley memorial trophy

This annual match between Tynedale and Morpeth was held at Morpeth on Wednesday October 2nd 2019 and produced the following result:

1. Phil Kennedy (162)    0.5 – 0.5  Gary Murphy (186)
2.  James Turner (160)    1  –   0    Tim Wrigley (154)
3.  Martin Seeber (156)   1  –   0    David Wrigley (150)
4. George Ellames (155)  1  –   0    Steve Larkin (113)
5. Phil Eastlake (148)       1  –   0    Dave Humphreys (100)
6.  John Horton (155R)    1  –   0    Dave Foster jr (66?)
7.  Harry Robinson (96)  0  –   1    Jonny Kearney (u)
8. David Watson (90)       1  –  0    John Morgan (u)

An overwhelming victory for Morpeth, who thereby wrested the trophy back from us. Outstanding for Tynedale were Jonny, in winning form, plus Dave H and John, both of whom gave their much more experienced opponents a really tough fight before going down. And it was good that we were able to produce a team of 8 players.