Maddocks B put the disappointment of being stripped of their only previous league win of the season being them by defeating Telepost B in a key Shropshire Chess League division one relegation scrap. The Oakengates side triumphed 3-2 over their rivals on the same night as a league appeal committee dismissed their appeal against a ruling that cost them victory over Oswestry A last month. It marks a decent week for the club – Maddocks B will be out of the relegation zone at Christmas, while the club’s A team has gone back to the top of the table after a 3-2 win over struggling Oswestry A.
Maddocks B had initially beaten Oswestry A 3-2 back in early November. But the hosts had been awarded a win on top board when Oswestry’s Rudy van Kemenade arrived 40 minutes late. Van Kemenade was told he had arrived too late to play as he was more than half an hour late and made the long journey back home – only for officials on both sides to later discover the league’s rules state an hour must pass before a default win can be claimed.
Matthew Clark, Shropshire Chess Association president, declared the board null and void, which made the match result a 2-2 draw. Maddocks’ appeal was subsequently dismissed, with the appeal committee urging all captains to be aware of the rules before the start of play and if possible have a copy of the rules to hand.
Elsewhere in division one, Newport A ended Shrewsbury A’s unbeaten start with a hard fought 3.5-1.5 victory where the final two boards to finish were the only decisive scores of the night. The final league fixtures of the calendar year in division two were being played this week.
Meanwhile, Telepost B are the early leaders of Shropshire Rapidplay League division two after the opening round of fixtures. They won all three of their matches to head the division, which is only open to players with an ECF rating of 1640 and below. The next fixtures in rapidplay division one will take place at Telepost on Monday December 19.
Online, Shrewsbury B are rooted to the foot of Shropshire Online Chess League division one after a 3-1 loss against Oswestry B. The highlight was a spectacular sacrificial win for Oswestry’s van Kemenade against Shrewsbury captain Mark Smith on board two.
Finally, entries for Shropshire Chess Congress are steadily on the rise. To date 69 players have entered the tournament, which will be held at Wrekin Housing Trust in Telford from January 6 to 8, across its four sections. Players have until December 31 to enter without incurring a £5 late entry charge. For more details visit www.shropshirechess.org/shropshire-congress
Latest results
Shropshire Chess League Division One:
Telepost B 2-3 Maddocks B – D Hilditch Love 0.5-0.5 S Tarr, R Nield 1-0 G White, S Kempsell 0-1 S Maydew, V Crean 0.5-0.5 M Morrison, S Wilson 0-1 M Billington
Newport A 3.5-1.5 Shrewsbury A – N Rutter 0.5-0.5 N Paul, C Lewis 1-0 F Best, I Jamieson 0.5-0.5 D Lockett, T Holmes 0.5-0.5 I Salter, S Ross 1-0 R Green
Maddocks A 3-2 Oswestry A – A Ansari 0.5-0.5 R van Kemenade, A Grillage 0-1 C Lowick Higgie, G Pugh 1-0 R Bryant, T Preece 0.5-0.5 A Bailey, S Maydew 1-0 J van Kemenade
Online league Division One:
Shrewsbury B 1-3 Oswestry B – N Paul 0.5-0.5 C Lowick Higgie, M Smith 0-1 R van Kemenade, S Priestley 0.5-0.5 P Lovatt, I Salter 0-1 P Fisher
Rapidplay league Division Two:
Telepost C 1-2 Newport B; Telford B 1.5-2.5 Telepost B; Newport B 0-4 Telford B; Telepost B 3.5-0.5 Telepost C; Telford B 3-1 Telepost C; Newport B 0-4 Telepost B.