Suffolk Chess

On Saturday, Suffolk's First Team faced Leicestershire in the Semi-Final of the Minor Counties competition (where the average grade of the team must not exceed 180).   The result was 9 -7 in favour of Suffolk, who will now face Lincolnshire in the Final, due to be played on 1 July.   Lincolnshire beat Norfolk on board count after drawing 8 - 8, so the possible final between Suffolk and Norfolk has been avoided.

The Suffolk team included two juniors - Alex Sheerin and Jaden Jermy, who both won.   In fact, Suffolk were unbeaten on the bottom seven boards, despite being outgraded on every one of those boards.   Jaden's win on board 16 was crucial; had he lost, the team would have lost the match on board count.

Other Suffolk winners were Alan Merry (Board 1), Ian Wallis (4), Ted Matthewson (10), Steve Ruthen (12) and Phil Hutchings (13).