Knights keep the Wolves at bay – just

Telepost Dark Knights enjoyed another bright night in the latest Shropshire rapidplay chess league team battle, topping the table with 107 points after an evening of frenetic action. However Mad Wolves – a combined team from Wolverhampton and the Oakengates-based Maddocks club – ran them close, ending on 98 points. Unsurprisingly, the top individual performances all came from players in the Shrewsbury-based Telepost team, led by Grandmaster Keith Arkell, followed by Richard Archer and Nathanael Paul.

During the tournament, played online using the Lichess chess platform, players each had three minutes on their clock, with an additional two seconds added for every move made. With just one so-called arena tournament left to play, Telepost are leading the league table, but Mad Wolves are just two league points behind and it will be all to play for in the final event on May 24.

In the regular Shropshire Chess League, Newport B are Division Two champions, with their 3-0 win over Telepost B giving them an unassailable six point lead over second placed Wellington A, who only have two matches left.

LEAGUE RESULTS
Division TwoTelepost C 0, Shrewsbury B 3: R Nield 0, M Smith 1; N Holmes 0, M Best 1; D Bonner 0, J Wilkinson 1.
Oswestry B 1.5, Telford A 1.5: C Lowick Higgie 0.5, G Kolbusz 0.5; A Bailey 0, R Brown 1; P Fisher 1, T Skidmore 0.
Newport B 3, Telepost B 0:  C Lewis 1, K Walker 0; D Hilditch-Love 1, J Westhead 0; S Greenwood 1, J Holyhead 0.