The Bury St Edmunds club will open on alternate Thursdays, with its AGM planned for 1 June. Yesterday, the Club held a four-round 15-minute tournament, with three adults and nine juniors (!) present.
Results:
1st Bob Jones 4/4
2nd= Steve Lovell, Adam John, Tom Roy 3/4
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In the Under 160s he faced Lancashire captain Bill O'Rourke. After a see-saw game, the following position was reached, with Jaden (White) to play. Although a pawn down, Jaden is clearly winning. But what move did he play (probably the best move in this position)? Answer below.
43. Bb7! If ... Rxb7, the pawn promotes.
The game continued 43... Nxb4 44. cxb4 Kf8 45. d7 Rd8 46. Bc6 Ke7 47. Bxb5 c3, to reach the position below. Now can you reason Jaden's next move, again an excellent one?
48. Re1+
This moves forces the Black king to move and therefore no longer protecting the promotion square. The game concluded: 48... Kd6 49. Rc1 Rb8 50. Rxc3! Ra8 51. Rc8 1 - 0
The Agenda contains a number of proposals for amending the competition rules. Amongst these are a couple which may require some discussion:
* Nominations. It is proposed that following publication of the mid-season grading list, re-nominations will only be permitted for a three-week period. Thereafter no further re-nominations will be allowed.
* Fischer timing. It is proposed that the use of incremental timings should become the default in Division 1. If both players are in agreement, the standard time control can be used.
Other proposals should be non-contentious. The Agenda has been circulated to all club secretaries.
The result was close throughout; at one stage it stood at 5½ points each. With just two boards remaining and the score 7½-6½ to Lancashire, Suffolk needed to win both to go through to the semis. This was because an 8 - 8 tie would have been insufficient, with Suffolk losing on board count. However we only achieved half a point from these two games.
The Suffolk team was outgraded by an average of seven points per board, but surprisingly it was on the lower boards, where the grading differences were greater, that Suffolk fared well. Bury juniors Adam John (Board 13) and Jaden Jermy (14) both won, as did Keith Woodcock on 12 (this was Keith's fifth successive win this season for the u160s). Other Suffolk winners were Ed Kirkham (6) and Bob Stephens (7).
Suffolk were weakened by a late withdrawal, with Phil Hutchings standing in. In this competition, each team's average grade must not exceed 180. Suffolk were outgraded by Worcestershire by an average of four points per board. Nevertheless, Suffolk won through by the clear margin of 10½ - 5½, with wins for David Spence, John Peters (capt), Tim Lunn, John Feavyour, Andrew Shephard and Jaden Jermy. Grandmaster Keith Arkell was on top board for Worcestershire, but Alan Merry was able to draw with him. Others to draw were Ian Wallis, Steve Gregory, Nick Savage, Mark Le-Vine, Leon Burnett, Jon Collins, Phil Hutchings and Alex Sheerin. The only player to lose was Silas Peck on Board 5.
Suffolk will now play either Cornwall or Leicestershire in the Semi-Final on 10 June.
Tomorrow (Sunday) sees the Under 160s playing their Quarter-Final against Lancashire.
Suffolk League Division 1 - Champions (Manningtree A)
Suffolk League Division 3 - Champions (Manningtree B)
Suffolk Cup - Winners (beating Saxmundham A 3 - 1 in the Final on 10 May)
Suffolk Plate - Winners (beating Felixstowe A 3 - 1 in the Final on 2 May)
Suffolk u145 Cup - Winners
The only event that Manningtree did not win was the u125 Cup, where they finished in third place of seven teams. Also, Manningtree C team finished fourth in Division 3.
Next season Manningtree will have a team in each division, so watch out for a clean sweep!
Teams play each other during the season in a 'round-robin', after which the two top teams play each other again in a Final.
Both Finals took place this week and featured three teams from Bury St Edmunds. In the Division 2 Final on Tuesday, Bury Cathedral lost ½ - 3½ to Linton Tigers, with only Bury's Rene Martinez gaining a draw.
This evening, the Division 1 Final was held, with two Bury teams playing each other, having both scored 12 points to head the league table.
The current trophy holders, Bury Abbey, were up against Bury Beehive. The result was a convincing 3½ - ½ win for Bury Abbey, with wins for Mike Harris (Board 1), Bob Jones (Board 2) and Tom Roy (Board 4). Jaden Jermy on Board 3 was held to a draw by Adam Harvey.
The photo above shows the Beehive captain, Hugo Smith, presenting the trophy to Bob Jones, captain of the Abbey team.
Having led Division 2 for most of the season, Bury St Edmunds A were pipped at the post by Saxmundham A. The two teams ended the season level on points (29½), but Saxmundham have won one more match and will therefore be promoted to Division 1 next year.
Division 3 Champions Manningtree B managed to finish the season unbeaten (W11, D3)
Those in bold are Suffolk players.
WGM/IM Dagne Ciuksyte's coaching group, also known as the Martlesham Junior Chess Club, meets every week at her house on Martlesham Heath. At present there are only three 'regulars', as shown above, but Dagne's two daughters, Charlotte and Sofia, also attend occasionally. In the background of the photo is Dagne's youngest, Daniel, who has yet to show an interest in the game!
Any parent living in the Ipswich - Woodbridge area who would like their son or daughter to receive top-level coaching, should contact directly.
75 children from schools and clubs around the county played today at Woodbridge School in the Delancey UK Chess Challenge Megafinal.
Today's event was divided into six sections: Under 7/8 combined, Under 9, Under 10, Under 11, Under 12, Under 13/18 combined.
The photo below shows all the trophy and medal winners. Those scoring four points or more in the Under 7 to Under 11 sections qualify for the Gigafinal, which is held in Manchester in July. Older children qualify by scoring 3½ points or more.
Two players scored maximum points: Adam John - Bury Knights (u11) and Rowan Kent - Woodbridge School and Bury Knights (u8).
Anglian Avengers 1, promoted last season to Division 1, will be back in Division 2 next season. And Iceni 1, who were promoted last season to Division 3, will be back in Division 4 next season.
Both teams will have every chance of bouncing back in 2017/18.
Below is a game from Division 4, where Iceni 2's Dominic Carter (Black) faced a 150-graded opponent on Saturday.
