Time ticking for clocks as chess officials look to offload

They used to be a fixture in every chess club in the country – but much like the compact disc, video cassette and typewriter they’ve become obsolete today. The constant ticking of analogue chess clocks amid the surroundings of an otherwise-silent playing hall was a sound many of today’s chess players grew up with. But over the past decade they have steadily been replaced by silent electronic clocks, enabling time controls with increments (time added) per move to become commonplace in competitive matches. It means the traditional ticking clock face models have been consigned to their boxes – and are unlikely to be used again.

Now Shropshire Chess Association is looking to offload its stock of these clocks to anyone interested in owning one, with the rest to be donated to a chess supplier in return for equipment to support junior chess in the county.

The analogue style of clocks still hold a treasured place in chess history. Up until they were replaced, some players – including most notably the late David Everington of Shrewsbury Chess Club – liked to bring their own models from home to play their league matches with.

Chris Lewis, a member of Newport Chess Club and Shropshire Chess Association treasurer, said: “Shropshire Chess Association owns a large number of the old analogue clocks that haven’t seen use in at least 10 years. As these clocks will no longer ever be used, we are looking to give them away to the membership. Any excess clocks will be donated to Chess Essentials Bookstall, which will put them to a good home in exchange for an old pairing board (which SCA can use for junior chess).”

Anyone interested should reserve a clock by emailing Christopher.d.lewis44@gmail.com no later than March 9.

Meanwhile, Oswestry A have climbed out of the Shropshire Chess League division one relegation zone after winning their crunch clash with struggling rivals Telepost B 3-2. Oswestry returned back up the A5 with the points thanks in the main to wins for Rudy van Kemenade and Charles Lowick Higgie on the top two boards.

Derbies were a feature of the fixture list in division two – and promotion chasers Telford A and Telepost C both prevailed over teams from their own clubs to maintain their challenges. Leaders Telford A beat their club’s B team 3.5-1.5 thanks to wins for Mark Keady and Toby Neal, while Telepost C kept pace with a 4.5-0.5 win over Telepost D that club members said was closer than the scoreline suggested. In the remaining fixture, Newport B consolidated their mid-table position with a 3-2 win over Telepost E.

Defending champions Maddocks A are the new leaders of Shropshire Rapidplay League division one. As hosts of the latest three rounds of matches, they won all three games – including a 3-1 triumph over title rivals Telepost A – to replace the inactive Shrewsbury A at the summit. Maddocks’ victory over Telepost A also saw Andrew Grillage beat Nigel Ferrington to end the Telepost top board’s 100 per cent record. Telepost only trail Maddocks on points difference – and both will be in action at the next rapidplay night, also at Maddocks, on March 9.

Meanwhile, Telepost B have opened up a mammoth nine-point lead in rapidplay league division two. They won all three fixtures as hosts of the latest rapidplay evening and have now won eight and drawn one of their nine matches. Both Kate Walker (Telepost B) and Shane Sweeney (Telepost C) won all three of their games.

In the online league, Oswestry B remain top of the division one table after beating Telepost A 2.5-1.5, while Telford A remain four points clear at the top of division two despite suffering their first loss of the season at the hands of Newport A.

Latest results

Shropshire League division one:

Telepost B 2-3 Oswestry A – D Hilditch-Love 0-1 R van Kemenade, R Nield 0-1 C Lowick Higgie, S Kempsell 0.5-0.5 R Bryant, J Westhead 1-0 A Bailey, F Bench 0.5-0.5 G Slegg

Shropshire League division two:

Telepost D 0.5-4.5 Telepost C – J Gough 0-1 K Walker, A Brims 0.5-0.5 J Holyhead, S Sweeney 0-1 V Crean, J Casewell 0-1 N Holmes, M Ayres 0-1 D Bonner

Newport B 3-2 Telepost E – A Jones 0.5-0.5 G Shepherd, D Lovegrove 1-0 P Billington, C Poole 0.5-0.5 C Pileggi, M Price 1-0 B Rose, H Coull 0-1 G Humphreys

Telford B 1.5-3.5 Telford A – J Footner 0-1 M Keady, D Hollands 0.5-0.5 R Parry, S Tennant 0-1 T Neal, R Barton 0.5-0.5 R Brown, T Skidmore 0.5-0.5 R Szwajkun

Rapidplay league division one:

Telford A 0-4 Maddocks – T Neal 0-1 A Grillage M Keady 0-1 N Walker, R Parry 0-1 T Preece, R Brown 0-1 P Bull

Telepost A 3-1 Maddocks B – N Ferrington 1-0 S Tarr, P Zabrocki 1-0 G White, D Hilditch-Love 0-1 M Billington, D Hidhe 1-0 G Viszokai

Telford A 0.5-3.5 Telepost A – T Neal 0-1 N Ferrington, M Keady 0-1 P Zabrocki, R Parry 0.5-0.5 D Hilditch-Love, R Brown 0-1 D Hodge

Maddocks A 4-0 Maddocks B – A Grillage 1-0 S Tarr, N Walker 1-0 G White, T Preece 1-0 M Billington, P Bull 1-0 G Viszokai

Maddocks B 1-3 Telford A – S Tarr 0.5-0.5 T Neal, G White 0-1 M Keady, M Billington 0.5-0.5 R Parry, G Viszokai 0-1 R Brown

Maddocks A 3-1 Telepost A – A Grillage 1-0 N Ferrington, N Walker 0-1 P Zabrocki, T Preece 1-0 D Hilditch-Love, P Bull 1-0 D Hodge).

Rapidplay league division two:

Telepost C 2-2 Maddocks C – C Pileggi 0-1 M Billington, A Brims 1-0 G Viszokai, C Bethune 0-1 I Jamieson, S Sweeney 1-0 M Reynolds

Telepost B 4-0 Telford B – G Shepherd 1-0 D Hollands, K Walker 1-0 S Tennant, J Holyhead 1-0 R Barton, N Holmes 1-0 S Szwajkun

Telford B 2-2 Telepost C – S Tennant 1-0 C Pileggi, D Hollands 1-0 A Brims, R Barton 0-1 C Bethune, S Szwajkun 0-1 S Sweeney

Maddocks C 1-3 Telepost B – M Billington 0-1 G Shepherd, G Viszokai 0-1 K Walker, I Jamieson 0-1 J Holyhead, M Reynolds 1-0 N Holmes

Telepost C 1.5-2.5 Telepost B – S Wilson 0.5-0.5 G Shepherd, C Pileggi 0-1 K Walker, A Brims 0-1 J Holyhead, S Sweeney 1-0 N Holmes

Maddocks C 2-2 Telford B – M Billington 0-1 D Hollands, G Viszokai 0.5-0.5 S Tennant, I Jamieson 1-0 R Barton, M Reynolds 0.5-0.5 S Szwajkun

Online league division one:

Oswestry B 2.5-1.5 Telepost A – P Beckett 0.5-0.5 M Clark, R van Kemenade 1-0 A Brims, P Lovatt 0.5-0.5 C Pileggi, G Slegg 0.5-0.5 J Casewell

Online league division two:

Shrewsbury C 1-2 Telford A – T Purser 0-1 R Brown, R Vernon 0-1 S Tennant, R Green 1-0 R Thompson

Telford A 1-2 Newport A – M Keady 1-0 D Lovegrove, R Brown 0-1 M Price, R Thompson 0-1 C Parker

Oswestry C 1-2 Shrewsbury C – S Tulett 0-1 R Green, J Smith 1-0 T Purser, A Evans 0-1 R Vernon