I’ll begin with an apology for the long gap between this issue and the last. The intention was to publish this as soon as the league season was over and all the results were known, but the final league tables only appeared during the weekend of the Nottingham Congress, more than two weeks after the final matches. This is the first chance since then that I’ve had to put fingers to keyboard.
Inevitably, a lot of news has built up, so there’s a lot to pack in and some items have been held over to the next issue.
We have one more Friday club night left this season: a blitz tournament on 27 May. The previous one, on 4 March, was won by Amisha Parmar (6/6), followed by Phil Burley (5) and Eric Williamson (4½).
On 15 April, Ian Kingston took on all-comers in a simultaneous display. The final score was 9–1 to Ian; Daniel Lin was the sole winner.
Round 3 of the club championship is almost complete: see the web site for full details. Billy Grewal and David Levens are out in front with 3/3, followed by a large chasing pack on 2 points.
The league season proved to be a satisfactory one, with two teams promoted and none relegated. The only real disappointment was the narrow failure to get one of our teams out of Division 4.
Survival was assured with a couple of matches to spare. The title went to Mansfield 1 when Gambit 1 failed to win their final match.
West Nottingham 1 1½–3½ Ashfield 1
West Bridgford 1 1–4 West Nottingham 1
West Nottingham 1 2–3 University 1
Grantham 1 3–2 West Nottingham 1
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Df | Pn | Pt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mansfield 1 | 16 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 51½ | 28½ | 23 | 0 | 26 |
| 2 | Gambit 1 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 51 | 29 | 22 | 0 | 25 |
| 3 | University 1 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 47½ | 32½ | 15 | 0 | 20 |
| 4 | University 2 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 41 | 39 | 2 | 0 | 17 |
| 5 | Ashfield 1 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 40 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 6 | West Nottingham 1 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 38 | 42 | –4 | 0 | 12 |
| 7 | West Bridgford 1 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 30½ | 49½ | –19 | 0 | 12 |
| 8 | Nomads 1 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 34½ | 45½ | –11 | 0 | 11 |
| 9 | Grantham 1* | 16 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 26 | 54 | –28 | –4 | 1 |
| *Points deducted for defaulted match(es) | ||||||||||
The second team wrapped up promotion with ease, winning by a huge margin.
West Nottingham 2 4–0 Bunkers 2
Fiveways 2 1½–3½ West Nottingham 2
University 3 1½–3½ West Nottingham 2
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Df | Pn | Pt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Nottingham 2 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 45 | 15 | 30 | 0 | 22 |
| 2 | Ashfield 4 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 34½ | 25½ | 9 | 0 | 16 |
| 3 | Fiveways 2 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 32½ | 27½ | 5 | 0 | 13 |
| 4 | University 3 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 29½ | 30½ | –1 | 0 | 13 |
| 5 | Bunkers 2 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 28½ | 31½ | –3 | 0 | 10 |
| 6 | Gambit 3 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 22½ | 37½ | –15 | 0 | 7 |
| 7 | West Bridgford 2* | 12 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 17½ | 42½ | –25 | –2 | 1 |
| *Points deducted for defaulted match(es) | ||||||||||
Division 4 turned into a bizarre six-way battle for promotion in which the third team were always one win short of really challenging.
West Nottingham 3 2–3 Nomads 3
Newark 2 2–3 West Nottingham 3
West Nottingham 3 3–2 Grantham 2
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Df | Pn | Pt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gambit 4 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 0 | 15 |
| 2 | Nomads 3 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 33½ | 26½ | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| 3 | West Nottingham 4 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 32½ | 27½ | 5 | 0 | 14 |
| 4 | West Nottingham 3 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 30½ | 29½ | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| 5 | Radcliffe & Bingham 2 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 28½ | 31½ | –3 | 0 | 12 |
| 6 | Grantham 2 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 28½ | 31½ | –3 | 0 | 11 |
| 7 | Newark 2* | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 21½ | 38½ | –17 | –4 | 1 |
| *Points deducted for defaulted match(es) | ||||||||||
Promotion slipped away at the last gasp, as Nomads 3 finished strongly.
West Nottingham 4 2½–2½ Gambit 4
Radcliffe & Bingham 2 1–4 West Nottingham 4
Nomads 3 4–1 West Nottingham 4
A strong finish pulled the team up to mid-table.
University 4 2–2 West Nottingham 5
West Nottingham 5 2–2 Bunkers 3
Nomads 4 1–3 West Nottingham 5
West Nottingham 5 4–0 Long Eaton 2
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Df | Pn | Pt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashfield 5 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 37 | 19 | 18 | 0 | 19 |
| 2 | Bunkers 3 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 35½ | 20½ | 15 | 0 | 19 |
| 3 | Nomads 4* | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 29 | 27 | 2 | –2 | 15 |
| 4 | University 4* | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 28 | 28 | 0 | –2 | 12 |
| 5 | West Nottingham 5 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 25 | 31 | –6 | 0 | 12 |
| 6 | Gambit 5* | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 24½ | 31½ | –7 | –4 | 10 |
| 7 | Long Eaton 3 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 25 | 31 | –6 | 0 | 9 |
| 8 | Long Eaton 2 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 20 | 36 | –16 | 0 | 8 |
| *Points deducted for defaulted match(es) | ||||||||||
West Nottingham ran neck and neck with Breadsall B and Derby/Mickleover C until the final weeks of the season, when wins over both rivals saw us pull away to win the division by a convincing margin – unbeaten.
Lichfield 2–2 West Nottingham
Belper C 1–3 West Nottingham
West Nottingham 4–0 Spondon D
Trent B 2–2 West Nottingham
Spondon C 1–3 West Nottingham
West Nottingham 3–1 Breadsall B
Derby/Mickleover C 1–3 West Nottingham
West Nottingham 3–1 Rolls Royce C
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Df | Pn | Pt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Nottingham | 18 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 51½ | 20½ | 31 | 0 | 32 |
| 2 | Derby/Mickleover C | 18 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 47½ | 24½ | 23 | 0 | 28 |
| 3 | Belper C | 18 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 45½ | 26½ | 19 | 0 | 23 |
| 4 | Breadsall B | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 40 | 32 | 8 | 0 | 22 |
| 5 | Trent B | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 36½ | 35½ | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| 6 | Lichfield | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 35 | 37 | –2 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | Spondon C | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 36 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 8 | Long Eaton B | 18 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 32 | 40 | –8 | 0 | 12 |
| 9 | Spondon D | 18 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 19½ | 52½ | –33 | 0 | 6 |
| 10 | Rolls Royce C | 18 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 16½ | 55½ | –39 | 0 | 4 |
A quick run-down of results from the Nottingham Congress (13–15 May). WNCC members’ results (all scores out of 6 points):
Ian Kingston
Secretary, West Nottingham Chess Club
secretary@westnottinghamchess.org
0115 967 8367
48 Bramcote Avenue, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 4DT