The Chandler’s Ford Chess Club AGM will be on Wednesday13th September 2023. The Annual General Meeting 2023 will be at the Club’s venue at the Central Club, at 7:30pm.
Chess Club AGM 2023: Agenda
Apologies for absence
Minutes of last year’s AGM
Matters arising
Minutes of EGM
Presentation of B Team Trophies
Officer reports
6.1 Secretary
6.2 Treasurer
6.3 Website
6.4 Any other officer not covered above
Agreement of Constitution
Officer Elections
8.1 Election of officers
8.2 Election of Team captains
8.3 Nominated players
Fees for 2023/24
9.1 Use of funds 2023-24
Proposals
Above: the SCL Division 4 Trophy presented to CFCC’s Sam Murphy
EGM: the CFCC Planning Meeting 5th April
The chess club Planning Meeting (EGM) in April had discussed the ambition to enter five teams in the next, 2023-24 Southampton Chess League –SCL -season. This was agreed and we are indeed entering 5 teams.
There are five Divisions in the Southampton Chess League. Our Teams will be distributed over 4 of the Divisions:
Chandler’s Ford A will be in SCL Division 2
Chandler’s Ford B will be in SCL Division 3
Chandler’s Ford C will be in SCL Division 4
Chandler’s Ford D and E will be in SCL Division 5
The League structure was agreed for the forthcoming 2023-24 season following its AGM, and our Club’s own AGM on Wednesday 13th September will decide, amongst other things, which players will play in which team, and who the team captains will be.
The League AGM 31st May
SCL 2023-24: increments as default, and LMS results
The Southampton Chess League AGM, held at Chandler’s Ford Central Club on 31st May, agreed various points, two of which we highlight here.
Rate of play for games to use increments as the default time control
The rate of play for League games in the forthcoming 2023-24 season will use increments as a default time control for matches, although other rates of play are permissible if agreed by team captains. The main time control to be used is 80 minutes, plus a 10-second per move increment. A shorter time control of 60 minutes per player for all moves is available for games involving a junior player (under 18).
ECF League Management System for results
Match results for the forthcoming season will be reported on the ECF League Management System – LMS. Our club has been trying out LMS with some of its internal tournaments, and now more members are getting LMS logins to enable match results to be entered.
The Book Prize Tournament 2022-23 ends as the winners of this year’s event are announced by organiser Peter Przybycin.
The 2022-23 Book Prize Tournament is now closed.
Congratulations to the three winners: Iwan Cave, Nobby George, and Daniel Phillips. They will each receive a copy of “Defend Like Petrosian – What you can learn from Tigran Petrosian’s Extraordinary Defensive Skills“.
The Book Prizes 2023
Book Prize Tournament 2022-23 ends: Results
The winners
Iwan Cave won the Premier Section
Nobby George won the Major
Daniel Phillips won the Minor
Final positions
Premier section:
Iwan Cave 7
Keith Gregory 5½
Graham Stuart 3½
Cary Xie 3½
Sam Murphy 2½
Peter Przybycin 2½
Pablo Vidal 2 (from 6)
Rob Sims ½ (from 6)
Major section:
Nobby George 6
Keven Lamb 4½
Andy Mills 4½
Dick Meredith 3½
John Kooner 3
John Pellegrini 2½
Peter Eales 2
Patrick Pavey 2
Minor section:
Daniel Phillips 8
Lee Mundy 7½
John Davis 6½
Rob Strachan 5½ (from 8)
Alan Weaver 3½
Rose Saunders 3 (from 8)
Geoff Parish 3
Ian Parker 3
Steve Saunders 3
Steve Dunleavy 1
Book Prize Tournament 2022-23 Round 9 game Steve Dunleavy v Lee Mundy
ECF Membership renewals 2023-24 will be due for many club players at the end of August. Until recently, this was the time for membership renewal for all English Chess Federation members, but it is now possible to join and renew in any month. Many of us continue to have September to August membership annual membership. Membership will last for 12 months from the date of purchase of the membership package you choose.
ECF Membership also gives discounts at various companies, including Chess & Bridge shop
ECF Membership levels: what’s best for me?
Basic Bronze level ECF membership gives players ECF Grading for their game results in club tournaments, local Leagues, and County games.
Silver as Bronze, plus grading at chess tournaments (Congresses – but not FIDE rated standard-play ones).
Gold membership: as Silver, plus it includes FIDE rated standard play tournaments.
For most club players, Bronze or Silver Memberships are sufficient: Bronze if you don’t plan to go to Congresses, but do want to play in the club’s events and the League.
Other ECF Membership types
Whilst Bronze or Silver would suit most of our Club members, there are other ECF membership types, and, just for information, here’s a brief overview:
ECF Supporter: access, and ECF grading to ECF online members clubs and events on chess.com and lichess.org together with free online rating of all ECF rated online events. £10.
Queen’s Gambit Scheme Supporter: Available to women aged 18 and over who have not been members of the ECF before, for their first membership year. Grants access to ECF online members clubs and events on Chess.com and Lichess, together with free online rating of all ECF rated online events. Free.
Platinum. As per Gold, plus printed ECF Yearbook. £75.
Inside the Chess & Bridge shop in London – where ECF members get a discount
Renewing your ECF Membership
This may automatically happen, and the subs will be taken when due. If you are an existing ECF Member, but haven’t set up for automatic payments, you can renew by going to the ECF’s membership payment page ecf.justgo.com – or via the ECF’s Membership page:
English Chess Federation membership is one of 3 possible costs of being an active member of Chandler’s Ford Chess Club. The other costs are joining our chess club, and membership of our venue, the Chandler’s Ford Central Club. See our ‘What does it cost?” Page:
The pre-season friendly vs Fareham Chess Club was last Tuesday, 8th August 2023. Thanks to Graham Stuart for organising the event. Chess! Buffet! New chess pieces! It was a great evening. The new chess pieces used in the match were purchased in London just the previous Friday.
In this article Graham Stuart selects the team, and then reports on the match.
The pre-season friendly match between Chandler’s Ford and Fareham Chess clubs, 8th August 2023
Preparations
Graham’s pre-match preparations including how he selected the team.
Thanks to everyone who wished to play in this match.
It is a shame that not everyone can play in the match as we have more people interested that Fareham, but I have hopefully chosen a fair method for selection. Because Fareham will be stronger than us (as I have discussed players with their Captain) I felt that the top 6 rated players should be selected, and the remaining 3 players were chosen by my wife at random. For the remaining 6 players I have paired 4 of you to play an extra rated friendly on the night as part of the friendly, but not counting towards the result of the match.
This leaves two players, myself, and Kev Lamb. We will be the reserves and if Kev does not mind I would very much like him to be of photographic duties for the night?
Team: CF Team (board colours to be chosen on night)
Time Control: 80 mins + 10 secs per move (I will set the clocks up before the match, but this is option 18)
Start Time: 7:30 (Rob and myself should be at the club at 7pm to set up)
I hope this is all ok with everyone, but please do let me know if you cannot play and I will rejig?
Buffet
With regards to the Buffet, we have received a very generous donation to pay for this and the club will supply this. I would kindly suggest that you don’t eat at the boards especially as we should be playing on the new equipment. But the beauty of chess is that you can move away from the board during the match. There should be plenty of food for everyone at the club, and this is not just for the people playing.
Good luck on the night.
Graham
Buffet at the Pre-season Friendly vs Fareham
The match: CFCC 3-6 Fareham CC
A closer game than the result indicated saw us lose 6 – 3. Fareham out-rated us by an average of over 100 points and the result was not unexpected. However, we did have a number of excellent results with Sam “Morphy” Murphy beating Tom Philidor with a very pretty finish and Patrick coming out on top in his game as well. There were also two CF vs CF games as well which were hard fought.
Diagram: “Morphy” v Philidor. White to move. Black then resigned.
The new chess pieces were an excellent addition, many thanks for Peter, Andy, David and Kev for their trip to London to collect these.
The match has been added to LMS as well as the two overspill games.
The Summer Tournament 2023 Round 3 starts as its organiser Malcolm Clarke announces the player pairings.
The Summer Tournament runs during the summer months between May and September, and has a 5-round Swiss format. The organiser is Malcolm Clarke.
The winner receives the Kooner Cup for a year and usually gets to keep a replica. The games are standard play in terms of time control, 90 minutes each player.
Tournament organiser Steve Dunleavy announces the draw for Round 2 of the Knockout 2023 . Eight players have made it through the Preliminary round and the first round, whilst 20 have been eliminated. Who will go through from this Round – the Quarter Finals?
There are a Maximum of 5 rounds: Preliminary, 16, 8, 4, 2.
The draw for the Preliminary round will be in May.
Please email Steve Dunleavy the result and let him know if you are having difficulty completing your game by the deadline date
Both clocks to be set at 90 minutes
The name drawn first plays with white in the event of a draw colours are to be reversed and the game is still to be played(if possible) within the original deadline.
If possible games to be played over the board at club on a club night, if not both players can agree a mutually convenient venue to play at.
All results to be sent for grading
Good luck and enjoy!
Please keep Steve Dunleavy informed as to what date you have agreed to play to enable him to monitor the progress of this competition.
The Book Prize Tournament 2022-23 organiser Peter Przybycin announces Round 9 – the last Round of the event . The pairings are for the Minor, which has 9 Rounds: the other sections had fewer Rounds.
Iwan and Keith expect to play their final round game on Tuesday 18th July. Iwan needs a draw to clinch the book prize, but Keith needs to win.
As already reported, the Major section has been won by Nobby George.
The Minor section title is between Lee Mundy and Daniel Phillips. Daniel is currently half a point ahead of Lee. Mathematically, no other player can now win the minor section.
There are a Maximum of 5 rounds: Preliminary, 16, 8, 4, 2.
The draw for the Preliminary round will be in May.
Please email Steve Dunleavy the result and let him know if you are having difficulty completing your game by the deadline date
Both clocks to be set at 90 minutes
The name drawn first plays with white in the event of a draw colours are to be reversed and the game is still to be played(if possible) within the original deadline.
If possible games to be played over the board at club on a club night, if not both players can agree a mutually convenient venue to play at.
All results to be sent for grading
Good luck and enjoy!
Please keep Steve Dunleavy informed as to what date you have agreed to play to enable him to monitor the progress of this competition.
Book Prize Tournament 2022-23 organiser Peter Przybycin outlines the situation so far, and announces the Round 8 player pairings. Games should be played by 12th July please.
The Premier section winner is still undecided as Iwan and Keith have yet to play their final round game. Iwan needs a draw to clinch it, but Keith needs to win.
As already reported, the Major section has been won by Nobby George.
Nobby George has won the Book Prize 2022-23 Major section.
The minor section still has two rounds to play, and it’s going to be between Lee Mundy and Daniel Phillips for the book prize. Lee is currently half a point ahead of Daniel, and they play each other in this coming round. Mathematically, no other player can now win the minor section.
Southampton Chess League AGM, Wednesday 31st May 2023, 7.30pm, Chandlers Ford Central Club (2 Winchester Road, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, SO53 2FZ).
Agenda
Welcome Thanks to Chandlers Ford club for hosting us.
Apologies for absence Roger Marsh (Grading Officer), Stephen Cartridge (Andover)
Minutes of previous AGM (14 June 2022) and matters arising The ‘missing’ Division 2 trophy was retrieved from the estate of Chris Priest (sadly, he passed away in December 2022).
Secretary Report (Fraser McLeod) – the season ran smoothly aside from one ongoing complaint for discussion (see proposal 4)
Treasurer Report and League Subs (Michael Pope).
Website (Graham Stuart) – we propose to use the ECF League Management System (LMS). This is used by many leagues around the country . An added benefit, supported by Roger Marsh (Grading Officer), is that the LMS automatically sends results for rating, substantially reducing workload.
Rating – (for discussion of any rating-related issues)
Election of officers – The current officers – Fraser McLeod (Sec), Malcolm Clarke (Fixtures and Results Sec), Michael Pope (Treasurer and Vice-chair), Matthew Coldwell (Chair), Graham Stuart (Webmaster), Roger Marsh (Grading Officer) are willing to continue.
Proposals
Planning for the next season. Tentatively place teams into divisions based on current structure, with promotions, and regarding expected numbers of teams and clubs’ preferred divisions. With only 5 teams in Division 1 this season, there may be no need for any relegations.
Presentation of trophies
2022/23 winner
Previous season (2022)
Division 1
Fareham A
Fareham A
Division 2
Basingstoke A
Salisbury A
Division 3
Southampton B
Basingstoke A
Division 4
Chandlers Ford B
Fareham B
Division 5
Winchester C
Basingstoke C
Robertson Cup
Fareham A
Not held
Robertson Plate
Salisbury B
Not held
Individual
Tom Anderson
Not held
List of League Trophies
Important: All trophy holders should bring them to the AGM for presentation to this season’s winners. Basingstoke hold the Division 3 and 5 trophies – all other trophies are with the League Sec.
This was my 33rd season as a committee member of the Southampton Chess League and the 32nd as a secretary. It was good to have a full season after the previous three years had seen one truncated season, one blank season and one half season due to Covid. The Robertson Cup and Plate which had not been competed for since 2019/20 and not completed since 2018/19 were reintroduced.
The five divisions were won respectively by Fareham A, Basingstoke A, Southampton B, Chandlers Ford B and Winchester C, meaning that for the first time I can remember the five divisions were won by five different clubs. Fareham also became the first club to win the Southampton and Portsmouth leagues in the same season. Salisbury became the sixth club to win a trophy this season when they won the Robertson Plate, while Fareham A completed the double when they also won the Robertson Cup.
All divisions ran with six teams, except for Division 1 which ran with five. No individual team remained unbeaten through the campaign and the only winless team drew two matches. In divisions 2, 3, 4 and 5 only one match was defaulted and it was good to see many clubs fulfilling long distance away trips even when it was difficult to have a full complement of players available for the trip.
At last year’s AGM new rules were introduced to the Robertson Cup/Plate which meant that the Plate was for clubs in division 3 and below who were not a club’s first team, with no overlap of players between the two competitions. Although the motion was comfortably agreed at the AGM I did have some concerns. Two clubs with a team in the lower three divisions that was not their club’s first team played no part in the Plate and I was involved in a lot of dialogue with other clubs to check whether they had the resources to enter both Cup and Plate. As things stood, I thought that some teams in the Plate might struggle to keep players eligible to play in the bottom three divisions in league games available for the Plate, while it was still possible for regular Division 1 players to play in the Plate providing they were not nominated to play in Division 1.
For the draws in both Cup and Plate I tried to regionalise the early draws and for the Cup I generally tried to apply the idea of seeding.
Team captains are permitted to act as arbiters, but I think it may be worth clarifying what they can or cannot do in that role.
Matthew Coldwell took over as chairman, while his fellow Salisbury player Michael Pope took on the roles of vice chairman and Treasurer. It is good to see new blood on the committee, alongside long-serving secretary Fraser McLeod. In addition, Graham Stuart has taken on the role of Webmaster. Sadly, Chris Priest, who was a long-serving member of the committee, died during the season.
During the season Andover switched from Wednesday night to Tuesday night, although that change was not known when compiling the fixtures, but it will be noted for next season. The fixtures are always a challenge with University teams being unable to play during certain periods of the season, other clubs being unable to play on certain dates, and some clubs being unable to play more than one home match on the same evening. The need to avoid consecutive teams of the same club playing on the same night and some clubs playing in other leagues means that compiling fixtures can be challenging, but I do not think that too many fixtures have required rearranging.
Results continue to be entered on the SCL website soon after matches are played which represents a good service, especially with the Southern Daily Echo no longer publishing results on a daily basis.
