Oswestry A created their own little piece of club history by bringing home the Cox Trophy for the first time in more than 30 years. But it was a triumph laced with a degree of controversy after opponents Maddocks A were penalised for playing the ineligible Athar Ansari on top board. That board – which had finished as a hard-fought draw between Ansari and Rudy van Kemenade – was instead awarded to Oswestry. It meant the match was tied at 2-2 – and Oswestry were awarded the trophy through the bottom board elimination tiebreak.
Tournament controller Dan Hilditch-Love said it was the first time the club had won the trophy – the local chess scene’s equivalent of the FA Cup – since 1991. And it made for a satisfying season for Oswestry A, who retained their Shropshire Chess League top flight status and narrowly missed out on the Shropshire Online Chess League division one title.
The final, played at Salop Unison Club in Shrewsbury, was a tense and closely-fought encounter. Maddocks’ Glyn Pugh lost to Richard Bryant on board two, but the Oakengates-based side picked up victories on the bottom two boards, with William Bates winning the online encounter with Peter Fisher on board three and captain Tony Preece defeating Julie van Kemenade on bottom board.
Hilditch-Love said that players needed to have played three matches for the club during the course of the league season to be eligible – but Ansari hadn’t played any. He said: “Maddocks fielded Athar on board one – however later in the evening he was found to be ineligible due to a technicality. The game on board one was a draw, however Maddocks were forfeited due to this technicality. This resulted in the match finishing 2-2, and Oswestry won on tiebreak having won the top two boards. Based on a quick check of the Shropshire Chess website, this is their first time winning the trophy since 1991.”Afterwards, Preece admitted he had made a “big mistake” and an oversight, believing Ansari to be eligible at the time.
Meanwhile, Telepost are celebrating double delight after sweeping the board at the county’s two individual tournaments held over the season. Nathanael Paul successfully defended his Shropshire Individual title, making him champion of Shropshire for the third time. Nat, who also won the title in 2020, enjoyed a fantastic season helping his new club to clinch the Shropshire Chess League title with a solid 4.5/7 on top board. Clubmate Archie Flavell also clinched the Shropshiure Minor Individual title for the first time. Flavell beat Newport junior Krish Thimmegowda with the black pieces in the deciding game in round seven to finish on 6/7, half a point clear of his opponent.