Malcolm Clarke has two stories to report on this week: an online chess opportunity, and change at the top of the League Committee.

Although the Coronavirus has put over the board chess on hold until things improve there are still many opportunities to play chess online.

Ringwood chess club has instigated Lichess arena events for its club members, and  this is also open to members of other local chess clubs.  Further details of the events being organised can be found either on the Ringwood chess club website or by contacting the organiser mjclancy@btconnect.com.

Gillian Moore is standing down as chairman of the Southampton Chess League at the next AGM. after more than 10 years of honourable service.  If local player or chess enthusiast wants to take over and carry on Gilllian’s good work the Southampton Chess League committee would like to hear from them.

Malcolm Clarke‘s latest press report announces the chess club’s closure until further notice due to the coronavirus. Things have moved rapidly in the last few days, with the Prime Minister’s announcement that social venues should all close. Our venue, Chandler’s Ford Central Club, is now closed.

Like all other sporting events the Coronavirus has put the chess season on hold and Chandlers Ford are one of many local clubs to stop meeting until further notice.

Originally with their spacious venue allowing a reasonable amount of spaces between boards and the introduction of vigorous hand hygiene and sanitisation procedures they did consider the possibility of playing on, but things have moved on in the 10 days since that option was considered and  with vulnerable adults being amongst the chess playing community, as the government introduced more radical measures to prevent the spread of the disease there was absolutely no way the club could not fall into line.

The Chandlers Ford chess club had six remaining league matches to play, two for both the B and D teams and one for both the A and C team, but at the present time it is clear that people’s health is a more important consideration.

Chandlers Ford Chess Club will not be meeting until the Covid-19 Coronavirus health crisis is over.

Southampton Chess League and Cup matches are all off as the SCL’s default position from now, and several chess clubs had already announced they are closing for the duration.

Government health advice about the coronavirus to everyone can be found at the government website and at the NHS website. Further information about social distancing (avoiding contact with other people) – and isolation – can be found on the BBC website.

Please note: this Post relates to the Chess Club: the venue itself is still open – as long as you don’t have symptoms.

The B Team stay top of Division 4 despite losing one match, whilst the D team played in the Division 5 Cup Final. Malcolm Clarke reports.

Chandlers Ford B suffered their first league defeat of the season when they went down 2.5-1.5 to University C. Despite this they comfortably sit at the top of Division 4, but they can still be caught by three other teams. Surprisingly it is only the bottom three teams that can catch them with Andover whose last four games are all at home, one of which is against Chandlers Ford having the best chance. The two players with the white pieces got Chandlers Ford’s 1.5 points against University with Keven Lamb winning and David Culliford drawing.

Chandlers Ford D lost their Division 5 Cup final against Salisbury C 3-1 with the two players playing with the black pieces Rob Sims and Steve Dunleavy drawing, with Dunleavy’s draw against a higher graded player being particularly meritorious.  A couple of games counting for grading purposes only were played, but both of these were won by the Salisbury player,

Malcolm Clarke reports on 2 Chandler’s Ford matches against Salisbury -and their different outcomes. Also, Winchester C’s match against Southampton D.

Chandlers Ford C were whitewashed 4-0 by Salisbury C, but the Chandlers Ford A team had better luck in a match against Salisbury B winning 3-2 in a match which featured four draws.  Dave Holmes, Graham Stuart and Sam Murphy agreed draws early in proceedings which just left the games involving Ian Hardwick and David Culliford outstanding.  Hardwick was a pawn up and the game went down to a rook and pawn ending, which the Chandlers Ford player won after his opponent lost a rook, although by that stage in proceedings he had a winning position anyway,  Culliford agreed a draw when although after fighting back from an inferior position to be ahead on material after his opponent had allowed a pawn fork he was desperately short of time on the clock and agreed a draw to ensure the match was won.

Winchester C won 2.5-1.5 against Southampton D with Bob Cleave and Sam Rebdi the two players playing with the white pieces being their winners and Graham Payne drawing his game,  Winchester C are comfortably second in division 4, but they and third placed University C are the only teams in the division that cannot catch leaders Chandlers Ford B