The Chandler’s Ford Chess Club online Lichess Ladder Tournament winner has been announced. Tournament director Nobby George declares Sam Murphy the winner of the online tournament.

Lichess Ladder Winner Announced

Hi Ladder People.

I believe the Ladder has run its course as it was only intended to fill in whilst we were in Lockdown, I would like to Congratulate SAM MURPHY for being the overall Winner. Thanks to all those that took part, See you all at the Club, shortly I Hope.

Nobby.

Sam Murphy wins the 2020-21 Lichess Ladder

Sam Murphy ascended the ‘Ladder’ by challenging opponents above him on the Ladder – and beating them. He has been at the top of the Ladder for many weeks now, and has just been declared the winner. Congratulations Sam!

The Lichess Ladder

Nobby George has run the Ladder as an over-the-board event at the Chandler’s Ford Chess Club since 2017. The Covid Pandemic made over the board chess impossible, so he set up the Lichess Ladder Tournament, so named because it is played online at lichess.org. The games were still of standard length, 90 minutes per player for all moves, and the other tournament rules applied. These include a player being able to challenge an opponent up to 4 rungs above them on the Ladder. A successful challenge saw the players swap places on the Ladder; a draw or defeat for the challenger would leave the players as they were.

There were 17 players in the Chandler’s Ford Chess Club lichess Ladder.

Sam was the first Ladder winner, in 2017-18. Pictured below: event organiser Nobby George presents the Ladder Trophy to Sam Murphy at the presentation in May 2018.

A catch-up of the club’s online tournaments, with results from the last 2 weeks. Plus the latest in the Ladder. Also, even though chess club isn’t reconvening at the venue just yet, the Chandler’s Ford Central Club will be re-opening on Monday 17th May.

Results of club tournaments

The Club’s players keep in touch during lockdown with regular online chess tournaments played on lichess.org.

Tuesday Arena 4th May: 16 of us participated, a great turnout. A good week for relatively new club members as Ian Partridge came top, and Michael Whitford 2nd. Regular club player Maha Chandar came 3rd, which was a personal best for her so far in these tournaments.

Thursday 5-round Swiss 6th May: 13 of us played in this tournament. Congratulations to Graham Stuart (‘WillHeSac’ on lichess) 1st, and well done Dean Shaw (‘Sheff84’ on lichess) who came second, and Rob Sims 3rd.

Tuesday Arena 11th May: 11 of us participated in this week’s tournament, a great turnout. Congratulation to winner Michael Whitford. Well done John Zastapilo 2nd, and Maha Chandar 3rd.

Thursday 5-round Swiss 13th May. 11 of us played in this tournament. Congratulations to David Culliford (‘djc202’ on lichess) 1st, and well done John Zastapilo (‘john_zed’ on lichess) who came second, and Sam Murphy 3rd.

The Ladder Latest

Tournament organiser Nobby George reports 5 games last week (to 9th May):

Nobby George	0-1	Maha Chandar
Steve Dunleavy	0-1	Rob Sims
Patrick Pavey	0-1	Sam Murphy
Andrew Vagg	1-0	John Kooner
Steve Saunders	0-1	Steve Dunleavy

Sam Murphy continues his reign at the top of the Ladder. For the full standings table, see our Ladder Page.

May the 4th: Ewok victory

The week also saw Mike Henbury (‘Ewokmike‘ on lichess) announced as the winner of the 11-Round Book Prize Tournament which was organised by Peter Przybycin. For more details see our recent Post about the winner announcement. And see the Book Prize Tournament Page for full tournament results – for every Round and every game.

Chandler’s Ford Central Club to re-open on Monday 17th May 2021.

The venue where the chess club is based, the Chandler’s Ford Central Club, will re-open on Monday 17th May. It will be fully open indoors but the Covid rules apply: the Rule of 6 and the 2-households Rule. Social distancing will be required and there will be table service.

Initially the Central Club’s opening hours will be 12pm to 10pm Sunday to Thursday, and 12pm to 11pm on Friday and Saturday.

A reminder for Members of the Chandler’s Ford Central Club to keep up to date with their Subscriptions: see the Central Club’s Subscriptions Page on their website.

See link below to the Central Club’s website for more information.

Tournament organiser Steve Dunleavy announces the start of this year’s Knock-Out Tournament. There are 20 players at the start, four of which will be eliminated in the Preliminary Round, and then Round 1 will start with 16 players. The number of players is then halved with each round. The games are to be played online on lichess.org.

The Players

1. Mike Whitford
2. Steve Dunleavy
3. John Kooner
4. Dean Shaw
5. Maha Chandar
6. Andrew Vagg
7. Patrick Pavey
8. Joseph Henbury
9. Kev Lamb
10. Mike Henbury
11. Graham Stuart
12. Peter Przybycin (Defending Champion)
13. Geoffrey Parish
14. Rob Strachan
15. Rose Saunders
16. Steve Saunders
17. Sam Murphy
18. Rob Sims
19. Nobby George
20. Don Creasey

Preliminary Round

There will be 4 games played in the preliminary round. This will reduce the number to 16 (-8-4-2 thereafter)

DEAR ALL THE DRAW FOR THE ABOVE HAS BEEN MADE AND IS AS FOLLOWS:

• Joseph Henbury vs Peter Przybycin
• Rose Saunders vs Maha Chandar
• John Kooner vs Sam Murphy
• Nobby George vs Patrick Pavey

Knock-out Tournament 2021 Rules

PLEASE ALSO TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING;

1) The player named first plays with white

2) All games to be played on lichess with the clocks set at 90 minutes for both players

3) All games to be played within the next 3 weeks (on or before 23rd May)

4) In the event of a draw players can either a) agree to play a rapid play game on the same night (duration to be agreed by both players) or b) play another 90-minute game before the 23rd May; in any replay games the colours will be reversed

5) Could I please be notified of the result immediately after the game has concluded to allow me to prepare to make the round 1 draw on Sunday 23rd May 2021

Steve Dunleavy, May 2021

May the Fourth: Ewok wins chess prize

May the 4th – and news that an Ewok has won the chess Tournament! The Force was with former Star Wars actor Mike Henbury (‘Ewokmike’ on lichess.org) as he is announced as the winner of the Chandlers Ford Chess Club Book Prize Tournament 2020-1. Tournament organiser Peter Przybycin gives the final scores.

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Hi All,

The Book Prize Tournament is now complete, and the winner is Mike Henbury!

The top three players again recorded wins in round 11, so Mike retained his half point lead over Rob Sims, with John Kooner a further half point adrift.  

Impressively, Mike went through the whole tournament unbeaten, the only player to do so.

Special mention has to be made to Rob Strachan(6), Rose Saunders(5), and Geoff Parish(4), who all performed well above their grades. Also, congratulations to Suzan for breaking her duck in the final round.

Round 11 Results:

• Steve Saunders 0 – Nobby George 1
• Steve Dunleavy 0 – Mike Henbury 1
• Keven Lamb 1 – Rose Saunders 0
• Rob Strachan 0 – John Kooner 1
• Don Creasey ½ – Suzan Dunleavy ½
• Geoffrey Parish 0 – Rob Sims 1

Final scores:

• Mike Henbury 10
• Rob Sims 9½
• John Kooner 9
• Keven Lamb 7½
• Rob Strachan 6
• Rose Saunders 5
• Don Creasey 5
• Geoffrey Parish 4
• Nobby George 4
• Steve Dunleavy 3
• Steve Saunders 2½
• Suzan Dunleavy ½

I have thoroughly enjoyed running this competition, and I hope all of you have enjoyed competing in it.

Maybe we can do it again sometime soon. Please let me know your views.

All the best,

Peter.

A catch-up of the club’s online tournaments, with results from the second half of April. Plus the latest in the Ladder.

Results of club tournaments

The Club’s players keep in touch during lockdown with regular online chess tournaments played on lichess.org.

Tuesday Arena 20th April: 15 of us participated in this week’s Arena on 20th April, won by Sam Murphy. David Culliford (‘djc202’ on lichess) was second, and John Zastapilo (‘john_zed’) 3rd.

Thursday 5-round Swiss 22nd April 10 of us played in the Chandler’s Ford Swiss on 22nd April. Congratulations to winner Rose Saunders who is a regular player but this was her first time at the top ‘podium’ place. David Culliford (‘djc202’ on lichess) came 2nd, and Sam Murphy third.

Tuesday Arena 27th April 17of us participated in this week’s Arena on 27th April, a great turnout: only one of our Tournaments has exceeded that: 18 played on 16th February. Congratulations to winner David Culliford, and well done Rob Sims second, and Sam Murphy 3rd.

Thursday 5-round Swiss 29th April: 12 of us played in the latest tournament. Congratulations to David Culliford who won all 5 of his games. Michael Whitford, one of the club’s newest members, came 2nd with 4 points, whilst Sam Murphy came third with 3 points.

The Ladder Latest

Tournament organiser Nobby George reports 3 games this week:

Andrew Vagg	0 -1	Rob Sims
Nobby George	0.5 – 0.5	Patrick Pavey
John Kooner	0 -1	Maha Chandar

Sam Murphy continues his reign at the top of the Ladder. For the full standings table, see our Ladder Page.