| SHREWSBURY CHRONICLE Read Peter Kitchen's Column in the weekly Shrewsbury Chronicle for the latest local Chess news. Also occasional articles in the South Shropshire Journal including Church Stretton and Ludlow Here are some cuttings. |
| Mixed fortunes for the county town's top teams - 19/01/2012 The title race in division one of the Shropshire Chess League has taken a further twist - with contrasting fortunes for the county town's top two sides. Telepost A put in one of their best performances of the season, winning 4-1 at Shifnal and Telford A to pull two points clear at the top of the league. Captain Richard Bryant led the way with the opening victory, followed up by wins for Dave Bates, Nigel Ferrington and Philip Zabrocki. But Shrewsbury A suffered a collective off-night, slumping to a disastrous 4.5-0.5 defeat away to fellow title challengers Newport A. Peter Kitchen's early draw with Tony Holdford on board averted the whitewash as the defending champions suffered their heaviest defeat for many a years. It was Shrewsbury's second consecutive defeat following the end of their 21 game unbeaten run and was also particularly damaging to their points difference. Telepost A captain Bryant said: “It has been a very good week for us. I couldn't believe the Shrewsbury score - but it shows just how dangerous Newport are and clearly it is going to be a vital match when we play them. “We had a wonderful match ourselves and just have to keep going.” Shrewsbury captain David Everington said; “I was left a bit speechless but it isn't as though we were hammered on every board. Both Francis and Matthew Best had chances in their games. “It is just one defeat and we still have every chance of winning the league.” At the pther end of the table Church Stretton A completed a league double over south Shropshire rivals to pull further clear of the relegation zone. Stretton's 3-2 win was a far cry from their 5-0 whitewash against the same opponents on the opening day of the season, but was enough to end a run of three straight defeats. Wins for Steve Rooney and debutant T. Faustino were enough for Stretton, despite Graham Shepherd's loss on board three. Trevor Brotherton was held to a draw by Joe Watson on top board and Peter Munday and Chris Pimm-Jones shared the spoils on bottom board. |
| Local players shine in Shropshire Congress - 12/01/2012 Telepost's Nigel Ferrington and Church Stretton's Trevor Brotherton both picked up memorable draws against international master John Cox to lead the local charge at the new Shropshire Chess Congress. Both players - among Shropshire's elite for many years - enjoyed fine tournaments at Wrekin Housing Trust at the weekend, with Ferrington finishing joint fourth in the open section on 3.5/5 and Brotherton picking up the grading prize for players rated under 175 by finishing on 3/5. Both managed to hold Cox - who originally hails from Shropshire and still occasionally turns out for the county despite now living in the south east - to notable draws. Brotherton drew with Cox in round one while Ferrington drew with Cox and eventual winner Tristan Cox to finish with a grading performance of 205. Other notable performances from local players included Telepost's Phil Zabrocki picking up 2.5/5 despite being heavily out-rated in the open section, while Peter Crean picked up a slow starter award for winning two of his last three games to finish on 2.5/5 in the major section. In the minor section juniors Matthew Best and Francis Rooney, of Shrewsbury and Church Stretton respectively, were among nine players to tie for third place with 3.5/5 and were also joined by Telepost's John Westhead. It marked a successful start for the tournament, which was pulled together by Shrewsbury's Francis Best and Church Stretton's Steve Rooney in the space of five weeks after the late collapse of the former Wrekin Chess Congress. About 110 players took part in the weekend event, with half of the field coming from Shropshire. And the event's organisers are due to meet this week to start planning next year's event. Rooney said: “I think the entry was higher than it has been at the county's congress for four or five years and we are delighted that people have supported the event so well. “Francis and I felt people wanted a tournament to take place after it became clear the Wrekin Congress wouldn't go ahead and it has proved to be the case. I think the tournament was very well received and we think it has a future.” The major section for players graded 160 and under was won by Wiatt Ropp of Stratford on Avon (4/5) while the minor section for players rated 125 and under was won by Midlands-based player David Buckley (4.5/5) Local players' results (all scores out of a possible five): OPEN - Nigel Ferrington (Telepost) 3.5, Trevor Brotherton (Church Stretton) 3, Richard Bryant and Phil Zabrocki (both Telepost) 2.5, David Everington (Shrewsbury) and Steve Rooney (Church Stretton) 1.5. MAJOR - Peter Crean (Telepost) 2.5, Keith Tabner (Telepost) 1.5, Ian Davies (Shrewsbury) 1. MINOR - Matthew Best (Shrewsbury), Francis Rooney (Church Stretton) and John West head (Telepost) 2.5, Vinnie Crean (Telepost) 3, Tony Purser (Shrewsbury) 2.5, Dean Pinnington (Telepost) 1, Kate Walker (Telepost) and Heath Pearson (junior) 0.5. |
| Going gets tough for Church Stretton - 22/12/2011 Church Stretton A slumped to a third consecutive 4-1 defeat in the Shropshire Chess League - this time at the hands of division one dark horses Shifnal and Telford A. The late withdrawal of top board Trevor Brotherton significantly weakened the Stretton line-up, and the hosts had no answer to a strong Shifnal and Telford side. Captain Steve Rooney, Karl Wakefield, Gerald Link and late substitute Eric Elwell all lost their games, with Graham Shepherd picking up a consolation win against Iain Wilson on board four. After an encouraging return to the top flight Stretton have now suffered three heavy defeats, also going down to Shrewsbury A and Telepost A in their current difficult run. They are fifth in the table, three points clear of the relegation zone at the season's halfway stage. Captain Rooney said: “Top board Trevor Brotherton was forced to pull out at the last minute which meant everyone shunted up a board and Eric Elwell valiantly turned out at short notice to play on board 5. The only win came for Graham Shepherd on board four. “It was always going to be a tough run-up to Christmas with the final three matches against strong sides, and the A team will be aiming to get a good start again when the second half of the season starts in January.” In division two Shrewsbury B picked up a much needed 3.5-1.5 win in the town derby against Telepost C to pull clear of the relegation zone. Despite once again being fancied to challenge for promotion, Dan Lockett's side has struggled during the first half of the season and went into the fixture on a run of three defeats in their past four games. But they were too strong for their struggling town rivals, with Lockett beating Charles Micallef on top board, Norman O'Connor winning against Vinnie Crean on board four and Andrew Lewis defeating James Kingston on bottom board. Ray Cox lost to Noel Kiffin on board three and Mark Smith and John Westhead shared the spoils on board two. The result leaves Telepost C in the relegation zone three points adrift of safety. |
| Telepost win local derby and surge to the top - 15/12/11 Telepost A have ended Shrewsbury A's 21 match unbeaten run and moved top of the Shropshire Chess League after a dramatic come-from-behind win way to their archrivals. Wins for Nigel Ferrington on top board and Dave Bates on board three turned the match on its head and allowed Telepost to snatch a 3-2 win in a closely-fought derby. It was Shrewsbury's first defeat since a 4-1 reverse away to Newport A in March 2010 having previously won 25 of their past 27 matches spanning two years. Not even bringing in former regular Phil Makepeace - who travelled up from London on the day of the game for a one-off appearance on top board - was enough for the hosts, who have now fallen behind their town rivals on points difference going into the Christmas break. For a jubilant Telepost it was their sixth straight win and their first over Shrewsbury since October 2009. It could all have been so different for Shrewsbury, who took the lead through Peter Kitchen's win over Peter Crean on bottom board. But after Jamie Hopkins and Richard Bryant shared the spoils on board two the match turned on board four. Shrewsbury's Francis Best had built up a winning advantage against Philip Zabrocki but blundered a piece and had to settle for a draw, losing his 100 per cent record for the season in the process. Ferrington beat Makepeace on top board and Bates defeated Everington, who later claimed to have missed a potential win in chronic time trouble. Telepost captain Bryant said: “I'm ecstatic. If we had lost we would have been too far adrift of Shrewsbury and would have been playing for second but now the title race is wide open and up for grabs. “I have a horrible feeling it will go to the last match of the season when we play Shrewsbury at home, and if we have a chance by then it will be good. “I couldn't believe how things worked out - it was a fantastic result for us and our team really did pull out all the stops. I was worried when I saw Phil Makepeace playing on top board for them as it made our task even more difficult.” Everington said: “I'm kicking myself over my game and I was a bit surprised at the time Francis couldn't find a way through. But we are still even on points with Telepost and it is still all to play for.” In division three Church Stretton B's run of five straight draws finally came to an end with a 2.5-1.5 home defeat to high-flying Newport C. Francis Rooney won on top board but Adrian Thorpe and Jim Carless lost their games in the middle order and Tom Williamson drew on bottom board. Meanwhile Church Stretton's Steve Rooney and Shrewsbury's Francis Best have helped save Shropshire's annual chess congress, which attracts competitors from across the country. After the annual Wrekin Chess Congress was cancelled due to a failure to secure a venue, Rooney and Best have secured the offices of Wrekin Housing Trust in Telford to host the event, which will be held over the weekend of January 7 and 8 and has been renamed the Shropshire Chess Congress. For more details or to enter visit www.shropshirechess.org |
| Rivals to clash with top spot the prize - 08/12/2011 Shrewsbury A and Telepost A will do battle in the first county town derby of the season tomorrow (FridayI) - with the winners being rewarded with the number one spot in the Shropshire Chess League table at Christmas. The two sides have dominated division one in the first half of the season collectively winning 11 of the 12 matches they have played, with Telepost's opening day defeat at home to Shifnal and Telford A the only blemish on their record. Shrewsbury have won all six of their matches, stretching their amazing unbeaten run to more than 20 matches going back to early 2010. But Richard Bryant's Telepost side go into the game with a superior points difference and the knowledge a win will guarantee them top spot. Bryant said: “We are doing a lot better than I expected. At the start of the season I thought the best we could do was third behind Shrewsbury A and Newport A but we have been very consistent so far. “I'm a bit surprised at how Newport are doing - I thought they would be a lot stronger. But we are looking forward to Friday night, matches between ourselves and Shrewsbury are always close and hard fought.” If Bryant was looking for good omens he would have been heartened to see Telepost B win their local derby away to Shrewsbury B 3-2 - returning to the top of the division two table in the process. Mark Smith lost to John Bashall on top board and despite Ray Cox beating Keith Tabner on board three Ivor Salter's loss to Matthew Clark on bottom board was enough to hand Telepost the victory. Dan Lockett drew with Steve Kempsell on board two and Norman O'Connor and Bob Simpson shared the spoils on board four. The result leaves Lockett's side in the bottom half of the division after three defeats in their last four games. Telepost C sprung a shock by beating high-flying Oswestry A 3.5-1.5 to pick up their first win of the season. Without the highly-rated Brian Whyte on top board the visitors were less of a threat, and despite Charles Micallef's loss on top board Telepost came good on the bottom three boards with wins for Noel Kiffin, Vinnie Crean and John Casewell. John Westhead drew with Ashley Peile on board two. Although Telepost C remain in the relegation zone they are still in touch with Priorslee Lions C and Shrewsbury B. In division three Shrewsbury C won their own county town derby 2.5-1.5 at Telepost D to pick up their first win of the season. Ian Davies and Matt Best both won on the top two boards for Shrewsbury with Alan Cliff replying for Telepost, while Kate Walker and Tony Purser drew on bottom board. Church Stretton B made it an astonishing five draws from five games, this time sharing the spoils 2-2 away to title challengers Newport B. Adrian Thorpe and Jim Carless won on boards two and three but defeats for Francis Rooney and Tom Williamson on top and bottom boards meant yet another draw for the south Shropshire side. |
| Leaders hit back to march on at summit - 01/12/2011 Shrewsbury A made it six wins from six to remain two points clear at the top of the Shropshire Chess League - but only after surviving an almighty scare against a battling Priorslee Lions A side. David Everington's side found themselves 2-1 down and staring at their first defeat for almost two years on their first ever visit to the Lion pub after Everington was beaten by Jim O'Neil on board two. But late heroics from Francis Best and Peter Kitchen - who both won their games at the death - turned the match on its head and maintained the visitors' 100 per cent start to the season. The first two games to finish had ended on draws - teenager Matthew Best drew comfortably with Marvin Carbin on bottom board and Jamie Hopkins and Glyn Pugh sharing the spoils after 15 moves on top board. Best had appeared to let a comfortably winning position slip against Andy Tunks only to break through and win a knight at the end of the game. Kitchen had enjoyed an edge throughout his game against John Tunks but ended up winning on time in a blitz finish. Everington said: “We did come away feeling we had been a bit lucky and things didn't look good when we were 2-1 down. “Watching the game Jamie and I both thought Francis was winning, and in the end Andy Tunks made a mistake. “I was really pleased for Matthew Best as that is his first result for the A team - last time out he was so unlucky to lose after playing so well and he did very well this time out.” Telepost A remain on their town rivals' tails after a 4-1 win over Church Stretton A in a match which both captains admitted was closer than the scoreline suggested. Karl Wakefield gave the visitors the lead with a win over John Bashall on board three, and with the games looking even on the other four boards Stretton looked like they could pick up a surprise win. But the hosts ended up winning all four games - Peter Crean beat Graham Shepherd on board four and John Westhead beat Francis Rooney on bottom board. The last two games to finish were both won on time, with Nigel Ferrington beating Trevor Brotherton on top board, Richard Bryant coming out on top in the battle of the captains against Steve Rooney on board two. It made it a miserable return for Stratton - on the end of the same scoreline for the second time in five days on two visits to the county town after their earlier defeat to Shrewsbury A. In division two Telepost B returned to the top of the table with a 4-1 win over rock bottom Wellington B. Keith Tabner, Matthew Clark and Vinnie Crean won their games, with top board Steve Kempsell and Bob Simpson on board three picking up draws. Shrewsbury B played two games in the space of five days - but extended their winless run to three games. Firstly they picked up a creditable 2.5-2.5 draw away to previous leaders Oswestry A. Wins for Ivor Salter and Andrew Lewis on the bottom two draws secured a point despite defeats for Ray Cox against Brian Whyte on top board and for Ian Davies against Ashley Peile on board three. Captain Dan Lockett drew with Graham Ives on board two. But Lockett's side then slumped to a 3.5-1.5 home defeat to Priorslee Lions B. Norman O'Connor beat Gary White on board three and Lockett drew with Graham Shepherd on board two but Mark Smith, Salter and Lewis all lost. Telepost C are in the bottom two after suffering a damaging 3.5-1.5 defeat away to relegation rivals Priorslee Lions C. The hosts were too strong on the top boards, with Charles Micallef losing to Nathanael Paul and John Westhead being beaten by George Viszokai on board two. Vinnie Crean beat Alan Pickles on board three to record Telepost's only win of the night and Shane Sweeney drew with Paul Broderick on bottom board, but John Casewell lost to Chris Paul on board four. |
| Reigning champs stay on win trail - 24/11/2011 Reigning Shropshire Chess League champions Shrewsbury A shrugged off the departure of star man John Parrott to record their most convincing victory of the season. The Shelton-based side beat Church Stretton A 4-1 to make it five wins from five, maintaining their position at the top of the division one table. It helped cushion the blow of the loss of Parrott, the county's third strongest player, who has decided to take a break from chess for personal reasons. Parrott made history by winning all 14 of his league matches last season and was the driving force behind Shrewsbury's title-winning campaign last season. But despite a strong start to this season he had see his 21 match unbeaten run come to an end with two successive defeats in recent weeks. Victories for captain David Everington, Francis Best and Peter Kitchen were enough to ease Shrewsbury home against a strong Stretton side featuring former Shrewsbury players Trevor Brotherton and Steve Rooney. After Jamie Hopkins and Brotherton drew in just seven moves on top board, Everington defeated Rooney convincingly to give his side the lead. Kitchen had taken early control against Karl Wakefield on board four, but was given an almighty scare in a wild endgame, finding a series of only moves in time pressure before finally clinching the point. Best ground down Gerald Link on board three to seal the match before Norman O'Connor and Graham Shepherd shared the spoils on bottom board. Everington said: “I'm really pleased - it was our best result of the season and our best performance too. “John has decided to take a break from chess for a little while. He could be back in a few weeks, it could be a little longer, but he will always be welcome back.” Shrewsbury's town rivals Telepost A remain on their tails in what is increasingly looking like becoming a two-horse race for the title. Richard Bryant's side won 3.5-1.5 away to lowly Wellington A to make it four straight league victories. Nigel Ferrington beat Colin Roberts on top board, while Dave Bates and Phil Zabrocki picked up wins over Ken Hickmott and Derrick Powell on boards three and four. Richard Bryant drew with Toby Neal on board two, meaning Peter Crean's loss to Dele Ogundipe on bottom board was no more than a consolation for the hosts. In division three Shrewsbury C and Church Stretton B shared a 2-2 draw at Shelton Hospital - making it the visitors' fourth draw in four matches this season. Adrian Thorpe continued his good run for Stretton by beating Matthew Best on board two but Tony Purser ensured Shrewsbury earned a point by beating Chris Pimm-Jones on bottom board. Ian Davies drew with former Shrewsbury player Francis Rooney on top board and experienced duo Eric Inglis and Tom Williamson shared the spoils on board three. |
| Lockett's side slip to first setback - 17/11/2011 Shrewsbury B's unbeaten start to the season has been ended with a shock 1.5-3.5 defeat to Priorslee Lions C in division two of the Shropshire Chess League. Dan Lockett's side had won their first two matches but were well beaten by a Priorslee side expected to finish in the lower reaches of the table. Lockett and Norman O'Connor suffered surprise losses to Alan Pickles and Chris Paul on boards three and four and Mark Smith came off second best to Nathanael Paul on top board. Ivor Salter's win against Alan Shaw on bottom board was no more than a consolation for the home side, while Ray Cox drew with George Viszokai on board two. Telepost B returned to the division's summit with a convincing 4-1 win in a top-of-the-table clash away to Oswestry A. John Bashall drew with the dangerous Brian Whyte on top board and Steve Kempsell shared the spoils with Graham Ives on board two. But Telepost cleaned up on the remaining boards with victories for Keith Tabner, Bob Simpson and Matthew Clark. Clubmates Telepost C pushed highly fancied Priorslee Lions B all the way before falling to a 3-2 defeat. Charles Micallef and John Westhead picked up draws against Munroe Morrison and Graham Shepherd on the top two boards but the damage was done on boards three and four with losses for Vinnie Crean and A Cliff. Shane Sweeney won against George Viszokai on bottom board. In division three Church Stretton B made it three draws from three matches by sharing the spoils 2-2 at home to Oswestry B, with Francis Rooney on top board and Adrian Thorpe on board three picking up wins. But Telepost D suffered their second 4-0 whitewash defeat of the season, proving no match for high-flying Newport B. At county level, Shropshire's first team pulled off a surprise 10-6 win at home to Leicestershire to kickstart their season in the MCCU Open Minor section. Leicestsrhire had hammered division favourites Greater Manchester in their opening game and featured grandmaster Mark Hebden in their line-up, while Shropshire had lost at home to last season's wooden-spoon outfit Worcestershire. But despite Hebden quickly beating Nick Rutter on top board, Shropshire took control of the match and lost only two further matches out of the 16 boards. The achievement was all the more impressive as the hosts were outgraded on all but four boards. Among the local contingent Telepost's Nigel Ferrington drew on board two, Jamie Hopkins (Shrewsbury) won on board four, Richard Bryant (Telepost) and Peter Kitchen (Shrewsbury) drew on boards five and seven) and John Bashall (Telepost) won on board nine. Glyn Pugh's side's next match is away to a Derbyshire side still searching for their first win of the season on December 3. |
| No show helps Telepost A - 10/11/2011 Telepost A made the most of an extraordinary mix up which saw Newport A turn up with just three players for their Shropshire Chess League division one clash to pick up a much-need victory. Richard Bryant's side would have expected a stern examination of their title credentials against a Newport outfit featuring three of the county's top players and some of the brightest young prospects in the league. But the visitors arrived at the Abbey Foregate club without Gavyn Cooper and Chris Lewis - and it later emerged designated driver Lewis had got his dates mixed up and forgot to turn up. Telepost made the most of their 2-0 headstart to record a 3.5-1.5 victory, keeping themselves on the heels of leaders and town rivals Shrewsbury A while inflicting heavy damage to Newport A's title hopes. Newport are already five points off the pace. Nigel Ferrington lost to Nick Ritter on top board, but Philip Zabrocki beat Tony Holdford on board four to seal the match and Dave Bates drew with Nathanael Paul on board three. Bryant said: “Even if Newport would have turned up with five players I would still have fancied our chances of getting something out of the match - I think we had the better of the three boards that were played. “I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for Newport captain Nick Rutter - there is only so much you can do as a captain to get your team ready. When they get their full team out they are one of the best in the division so it is a great result for us.” Church Stretton A maintained their strong start with a 4-1 win over Wellington A which captain Steve Rooney said was closer than the scoreline suggested. Gerald Link beat John Lenton on board three and Karl Wakefield doubled the advantage by beating Derrick Powell on board four. But Dele Ogundipe hauled Wellington back into the game by beating the experienced Graham Shepherd on bottom board. At that stage the match was in the balance with both of the remaining games looking fairly even. But Colin Roberts and Toby Neal both went for broke in their games and both came off second best, with wins for Trevor Brotherton and Steve Rooney sealing Stretton's win. Shrewsbury A made it four wins from four - but were pushed far closer than expected away to lowly Ludlow A. The visitors were quickly 2-0 thanks to wins for David Everington and Francis Best and a big score looked on the cards. But Ludlow forged an unlikely fight back, with John Whittaker picking up a tremendous win over John Parrott on board two and Paul Munday miraculously winning a supposedly lost ending when Matthew Best walked into a mating net on bottom board. Top board Jamie Hopkins sealed the win for Shrewsbury with a hugely impressive win on top board. Everington said: “I felt so sorry for Matthew Best - he played a superb game and he will learn so much from what happened to him in the endgame. You only make that sort of mistake once in your career. “Jamie's win was one of his most impressive efforts for some time, he played really well.” In division two Telepost B were knocked off the top of the table and lost their unbeaten start after a 3-2 home defeat against Shifnal and Telford B. John Bashall lost to Steve Tarr on top board and Keith Tabner's loss to Windsor Peck on board three meant Bob Simpson's win over Roger Brown on board four was not enough to save the match. Steve Kempsell and Matthew Clark drew their games. But there was better news for clubmates Telepost C who picked up their first point of the season with a 2.5-2.5 draw against Wellington B |
| Rooney survives the blitz - 03/11/2011 A last gasp victory for captain Steve Rooney against young prodigy Gavyn Cooper helped Church Stretton A snatch an eye-catching 2.5-2.5 draw away to title challengers Newport A. Rooney beat Cooper in a blitz finish to secure a hard-earned point for his side - and leaving Cooper cursing his decision to refuse an earlier draw offer which would have sealed the match in his side's favour. The result leaves Stretton handily placed in third place on their return to the top flight - and keeps them ahead of their much-fancied opponents. Stretton's night got off to a good start when Trevor Brotherton held Shropshire's number one Nick Rutter to a draw in a sharp struggle, and things looked even better when Karl Wakefield beat Tony Holdford on board four to give the visitors the lead. Wins for Nathanael Paul over Gerald Link on board three and for Chris Lewis over Graham Shepherd on bottom board appeared to have turned the match in Newport's favour before Rooney's late heroics. Shrewsbury A remain top of the table, but were made to work hard for a 3-2 home win over Wellington A. Peter Kitchen got the defending champions off to a flier with a spectacular sacrificial attack which proved too much for Derrick Powell on board four. David Everington turned around a difficult position to win against Ken Hickmott on board three and draws for Ray Cox against Dele Ogundipe on bottom board and for Jamie Hopkins on top board against Colin Roberts sealed the match in Shrewsbury's favour. But there was one final twist - having battled his way into a winning position against Toby Neal on board two John Parrott made an uncharacteristic slip and threw away a bishop to lose. It ended Parrott's unbeaten run of 21 games in all competitions since returning to competitive chess just over a year ago, which had included 15 wins and one draw in the league. Telepost A lie second in the table after a tense 3-2 home win over Priorslee Lions A. Wins for Nigel Ferrington on top board against Glyn Pugh and for Phil Zabrocki over Joe O'Neil on board three were enough for victory, despite Peter Crean's loss to John Tunks on board four. Captain Richard Bryant drew an exciting game with William Bates on board two and Steve Kempsell shared the spoils with Munroe Morrison on bottom board. In division two Shrewsbury B made it two wins from two matches with a 3-2 victory at Wellington B. Dan Lockett and Ray Cox picked up victories on the top two boards, and although Norman O'Connor lost on board three draws for Ivor Salter and Andrew Lewis on the bottom two boards secured the match. In division three Shrewsbury C picked up their first point of the season with a 2-2 draw at home to Oswestry B thanks to victory for Eric Inglis on board two against Euan Stephenson. Ben Purser had earlier lost on bottom board and Ian Davies and Tony Purser drew their games. Church Stretton B drew away to early pacesetters Shifnal and Telford C with Francis Rooney winning on board two and Graham Shepherd and Tom Williamson picking up draws. But Telepost D suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat away to high-flying Newport B. |
| Telepost B set the pace - 27/10/2011 Telepost B are the early pacesetters in division two of the Shropshire Chess League - opening up daylight at the top of the table with a convincing 4-1 win at Priorslee Lions C. Despite John Bashall being beaten by Nathaneal Paul - who also turns out for division one title chasers Newport A - on top board the Abbey Foregate side was untroubled on the remaining boards. Steve Kempsell, Keith Tabner, Bob Simpson and Matthew Clark all won their games. It is a different story for clubmates Telepost C, who still remain without a point after a second successive 3.5-1.5 loss - this time at the hands of Shifnal and Telford B. Defeats for Charles Micallef on top board and John Casewell on board four proved decisive, with the remaining three boards all ending in draws. Casewell's side will be hoping to get off the mark when they entertain fellow slow starters Wellington B in their next match. In division three Shrewsbury C have slumped to the foot of the table after a 2.5-1.5 defeat at Newport C. Ian Davies beat Paul Broderick on top board and Matthew Best drew on board two, but Eric Inglis and Alan Purser lost on the bottom two boards. It was a second successive defeat for Davies's side after a heavy opening day defeat at the hands of Shifnal and Telford C. Meanwhile in division one Church Stretton A face a difficult test away to Newport A while Telepost A will be hoping to make up ground at the top of the table when they host Priorslee Lions A. Leaders Shrewsbury A host Wellington A. |
| Difficult week ends well for Jamie Hopkins - 20/10/2011 He had suffered a difficult week at the chess board - but no-one's smile was wider than Shrewsbury A's top board Jamie Hopkins on Sunday night. Hopkins had lost two matches in the space of three days with the white pieces in action for both club and county - both owing much to his habitual time trouble which saw promising positions turn into depressing defeats. But on Sunday he held former world chess championship challenger Nigel Short - who is Britain's number two and still in the top 50 players in the world - to a comfortable draw during a simultaneous display. Short also awarded Hopkins the best game prize for his effort. Hopkins wasn't the only player with something to celebrate - Telepost's Nigel Ferrington also drew with Short and at one stage looked to be on top in his game. But that was as good as it got for those challenging Short in Sunday's simultaneous display - all other 32 players lost. The event, which was superbly organised by Shropshire Chess Association president Francis Best, also featured lectures by Mr Short on some of his recent games and an appearance by Eggheads star CJ de Mooi. Meanwhile Shrewsbury A have moved top of the Shropshire Chess League after a workmanlike 3.5-1.5 win over an under-strength Shifnal and Telford A. David Everington ground out a win against the home side's captain Richard Gillespie on board three and Peter Kitchen wore down Stefan Tennant on bottom board. Iain Wilson gained the distinction of ending John Parrott's 15-match winning streak in the league by holding Shrewsbury's board two to a draw. But Francis Best made the match safe by beating Richard Thompson on board four, meaning Hopkins' defeat to Dave Gostelow on top board was nothing more than a consolation for the hosts. Telepost A picked up their first win of the season with a comfortable 4.5-0.5 win at Ludlow A thanks to wins for Nigel Ferrington, Dave Bates, Philip Zabrocki and Peter Crean. But Church Stretton A slipped to a 3-2 defeat at Priorslee Lions A. Defeats for Steve Rooney and Gerald Link on boards two and three proved critical, despite Karl Wakefield's win over Andy Tunks on board four. Trevor Brotherton drew with Glyn Pugh on top board and Graham Shepherd and John Tunks shared the spoils on bottom board. In division two Shrewsbury B defeated Shifnal and Telford B 3-2 with wins for Norman O'Connor and Ian Davies, while Dan Lockett lost to Steve Tarr on top board. In division three Church Stretton B played out a 2-2 draw with Telepost D. Francis Rooney lost to Shane Sweeney on top board, Tom Williamson beat Dean Pinnington on board two, Chris Pimm-Jones got the better of Gordon Lyon on board three but James Carless lost to Alan Cliff on bottom board. Shropshire's first team suffered an agonising 7.5-8.5 defeat against local rivals Worcestershire in the opening round of fixtures in the opening round of fixtures in the MCCU Minor Championship. Last time the two sides met Shropshire won convincingly, but this time the visitors had the final word by winning four of the final six boards, including a run of victories in the middle order. Nigel Ferrington won impressively on board two, but Jamie Hopkins, Richard Bryant, Peter Kitchen and John Bashall all lost their games. |
| New look B team win Telepost derby - 13/10/2011 A new-look Telepost B side made a winning return to life in division two of the Shropshire Chess League by easing to a 3.5-1.5 win over clubmates Telepost C. The B team went some way towards erasing their painful relegation from the top flight on the final day of last season thanks to wins for Steve Kempsell, Bob Simpson and Matthew Clark. But Peter Crean's team did not have it all their own way, with the experienced Keith Tabner losing to Vinnie Crean on board three. And top board John Bashall was held to a draw by Charles Micallef. The B team finished bottom of division one last season but only after taking their survival fight to the last day of the season, when they lost a winner-take-all match against Wellington A. Despite Phil Zabrocki and Peter Crean since being moved into the club's A team, the likes of Bashall and Tabner add experience and strength to the side. John Casewell's C team comfortably survived last season in their first year back in division two and will hope to match that achievement this time around. Meanwhile former world title contender Nigel Short will take on more than 30 players from Shropshire and beyond in a simultaneous display at Wrekin Housing Trust in Telford on Sunday. The day will also feature an appearance by Eggheads star CJ de Mooi and will include a series of lectures and a lightning tournament. And a host of local players are expected to feature for Shropshire's first team when they take on Worcestershire in the opening round of fixtures in the MCCU Open Minor Championship at Shifnal on Saturday |
| Last gasp Francis is simply the best! - 06/10/2011 A nail-biting victory for Francis Best with just six seconds to spare helped Shropshire Chess League champions Shrewsbury A come from behind to record a thrilling 3-2 win opening day win over Newport A. Best checkmated Chris Lewis in the deciding game on board four with just moments to spare, edging Shrewsbury to a potentially vital victory to open their defence of the division one title. Newport A were last season's surprise package finishing as runners-up. But with young stars like Thomas Pym, Gavyn Cooper and Lewis all having completed their university studies they look set to launch a major title challenge this season. The visitors, who were without captain and county individual champion Nick Rutter, took an early lead thanks to Nathanael Paul's demolition of Peter Kitchen within 18 moves on bottom board, while Shrewsbury captain David Everington and Tony Holdford drew on board three. John Parrott hauled Shrewsbury level with an impressive win over Cooper on board two, before Jamie Hopkins and Pym shared the spoils after a tense struggle on top board to set the stage for Best's dramatic victory. Newly-promoted Church Stretton A are the early pacesetters after a five-star display in the south Shropshire derby, whitewashing Ludlow A 5-0. Steve Rooney's side were too strong for their rivals, who were also promoted from division two last season. Trevor Brotherton, Rooney, Gerald Link, Karl Wakefield and Graham Shepherd - back with Stretton after playing in the top flight for the former Coddon A team last season - were all victorious. Rooney said: “We are not sure how long it will last but it is nice to be top of the table and it's a good start. We had a grading advantage over Ludlow but managed to really make it count.” Telepost A suffered a disappointing start after being beaten 3.5-1.5 at home to Shifnal and Telford A. Richard Bryant's new-look side, with Philip Zabrocki and Peter Crean coming in on the bottom two boards, will harbour title ambitions of their own this season but suffered an off night. Nigel Ferrington lost to the experienced John Footner on board one, Dave Bates was beaten by Iain Wilson on board three and Crean was defeated by Stefan Tennant on bottom board. Bryant inflicted a rare defeat on the super-solid Dave Gostelow on board two and Zabrocki drew with Richard Gillespie on board four. The town's two division three teams both suffered a bad start to the season. Kate Walker's victory on bottom board spared a whitewash as Telepost D lost 3-1 at Oswestry B, but Shrewsbury C were unable to avoid that fate, losing 4-0 at home to Shifnal and Telford C. |
Fascinating start to the new season - 29/09/2011 |
| Extra places available to challenge grand master - 29/09/2011 Ten extra places have become available for a chance to take on former World Chess Championship challenger Nigel Short in a simultaneous display in Shropshire. Short, who famously took on Garry Kasparov in a high-profile televised title match in London in 1993, will be taking on players from around the county and beyond at Wrekin Housing Trust's headquarters in Telford on October 16. Short, who remains one of Britain's top players on the international circuit, will take part in a simultaneous display, where he will play individual games against every opponent at the same time. All 30 original places have been snapped up, but at the suggestion of Eggheads star and English Chess Federation president CJ de Mooi - who has helped organise the event - an extra 10 places have become available. Places cost £35. Anyone interested can contact Francis Best on (01743) 821220 or visit www.shropshirechess.org |
More trophy success for David Everington - 22/09/2011 |
| Huge boost for Church Stretton - 08/09/2011 Church Stretton have received a huge boost ahead of their return to the top flight of the Shropshire Chess League with the return of Trevor Brotherton to the club. Brotherton, who last season captained Shifnal and Telford A, will spearhead the team on top board as Steve Rooney's side look to establish themselves in division one. Brotherton was part of the Church Stretton side which missed out on a first ever league title on points difference to Telepost A three seasons ago, although he departed the following season and the side was subsequently relegated. He has been one of the county's top players for many years. Rooney said: “We are delighted that Trevor is returning to Church Stretton for the coming season. Having won the division 2 title last year and with it promotion to Shropshire's top division, it will be a big boost to have one of the county's biggest hitters on board one for us.” Stretton plan to bring back their second team for the coming season, which will be led by Tom Williamson, in division three. Rooney urged anyone in the area interested in playing should contact him on 01694 723724. Meanwhile, Shrewsbury's John Parrott has shot into the top five players in Shropshire according to the latest grading list. Parrott enjoyed a remarkable season on his return to competitive chess after a three year break, winning all 14 of his league games on bottom board helping propel Shrewsbury A to the division one championship. In total he won 16 and drew two of his 18 games and his new grading of 191 - an all-time personal-high - sees him fourth in the list and likely to be Shrewsbury's board one this season. The top three players are Newport duo Nick Rutter (205) and Thomas Pym (199) and Wellington's Vikas Sharma (197), who has since returned to India. Telepost's Nigel Ferrington is fifth with a grade of 190. |
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