Happy New Year everyone! Much like a year ago, Covid dominates the news. But 2021 still saw a fair amount of chess at Club and beyond. We take a brief look back at the year.
Chandler’s Ford Chess Club Review of 2021
Club Tournaments
All the club tournaments Chandler’s Ford Chess Club players normally enjoy did run this year – even if games had to be played online for much of the year.
The Knock-out Tournament. Steve Dunleavy organised this again, and this year the tournament attracted 20 players. Peter Przybycin won the Knock-out, and Steve Dunleavy presented him with its weighty Trophy at the Autumn Curry.
Peter Przybycin organises the newest of the club tournaments, the Book Prize. 12 players participated in the first all-play-all 11 Round event, 2020-21. Mike Henbury won the Book Prize – Bronstein Move By Move by Steve Giddins. The new 2021-22 Book Prize is divided into Major and Minor Sections so that an all-play-all format can be retained for the increased number of players in this popular event (20 players in all).
The Summer Tournament, organised by our Club Secretary Malcolm Clarke, had 19 players this year. The 2021 winner is Keith Gregory.
Nobby George originally set up the The Ladder Tournament. When the Coronavirus led to lockdown, Nobby ran an online version of the Ladder on lichess.org. Sam Murphy was the winner of the 2021 Ladder. Sam has set up and got the the 2021-22 Ladder started, whilst Rob Sims will run the Tournament going forward.
Online Tournaments. During lockdown we kept in touch as a club by playing chess online, in the standard long-play games of the established club tournaments, plus the ‘virtual club-nights’ of our regular weekly rapid-play online tournaments. Our online games are played on lichess.org.
Junior Chess Club
The Chandler’s Ford Junior Chess Club is organised by Maha Chandar, and this year has seen some major tournaments, both online and over the board. The coronavirus has limited the numbers that could safely attend the over-the-board tournaments – but these were successful and popular events. See photo below.
A rising star of the Junior Club is Iwan Cave: in October he played in the Major Section of the Castle Chess Fareham Congress against players of all ages – and won the Major Section Grading Prize!
Club Secretary Honoured at League EGM
Malcolm Clarke, Club Secretary of Chandler’s Ford Chess Club and Southampton Chess League Fixture Secretary, was honoured for his long service to the local chess scene by both League and Club, receiving trophies on behalf of both at the Southampton Chess League Extraordinary General Meeting on 13th October from League President Gillian Moore.
Club AGM
Malcolm Clarke presided over the Club’s own AGM on Tuesday 26th October, attended by 15 of the club’s members. It was quite a jolly meeting, everyone just so glad to meet in person after the long lockdown.
The Autumn Curry
The next evening, Wednesday 27th October saw the chess club’s Autumn Curry, organised by David Culliford. This was a great social gathering – and as it turned out – the main social event of the year. One of our former players, John Zastapilo, who has lived in Belgium for many years now, has renewed his link with the club by participating in our online weekly tournaments. John Z was visiting the UK at the time, seeing family and friends – and he came to the Autumn Curry at the Sunrise Balti & Tandoori Restaurant in Chandler’s Ford. It was great to see him after such a long time.
County matches
Chandler’s Ford Chess Club players have taken part in Over The Board County matches when these resumed in the Autumn, including the home match against Kent, and the away match against Oxford. Click on the pictures below to see more information.
Vishy Anand wishes Steve season’s greetings
2021 ended with Festive wishes and some good advice from former World Champion Viswanathan Anand to our own club’s Steve Dunleavy. Read our recent Post here.