Round-by-round 'ticker tape':

Round 1

Barking A 2½-1½ Barking B; Wanstead A 3-1 Wanstead B; Upminster A 3½-½ Upminster B; Cavendish 3-1 Writtle. Ilford had the bye.

Scores: Upminster A, 3½; Cavendish,Wanstead A, 3; Barking A 2½; Barking B, 1½; Wanstead B, Writtle 1; Upminster B, ½; Ilford 0* 

* denotes that the team has had its bye.

Round 2

Upminster B 0-4 Cavendish; Wanstead B 0-4 Upminster A; Barking B 2-2 Wanstead A; Ilford ½-3½ Barking A. Writtle had the bye.

Scores: Upminster A, 7½; Cavendish, 7; Barking A, 6; Wanstead A, 5; Barking B, 3½; Writtle 1*; Wanstead B, 1; Ilford ½* Upminster B, ½.

Round 3

Wanstead A 3½-½ Ilford; Upminster A 1-3 Barking B; Cavendish 4-0 Wanstead B; Writtle 4-0 Upminster B. Barking A had the bye.

Scores: Cavendish, 11; Upminster A, Wanstead A, 8½; Barking B, 6½; Barking A, 6*; Writtle, 5*; Ilford, 1*; Wanstead B, 1; Upminster B, ½.

Last year's champions, Ilford, already seem to be out of contention.

Round 4

Wanstead B 1-3 Writtle; Barking B 0-4 Cavendish; Ilford 3-1 Upminster A; Barking A 2½-1½ Wanstead A. Upminster B had the bye.

Scores: Cavendish, 15; Wanstead A, 10; Upminster A, 9½; Barking A, 8½*; Writtle, 8*; Barking B, 6½; Ilford, 4*; Wanstead B, 2; Upminster B, ½*.

Cavendish are now well ahead of the pack.

Round 5

Upminster A ½-3½ Barking A; Cavendish 3-1 Ilford; Writtle 3-1 Barking B; Upminster B 1½-2½ Wanstead B. Wanstead A had the bye.

The implications of pieces not placed clearly on a particular square gave rise to some discussion as a result of one of the games in this round. [We believe that what happened here is that the black king was played to c4, the endgame having been reached, next to a white pawn on d4. The pace of the game became frenetic with a furious time-scramble in progress, pieces being banged down, shrapnel flying everywhere. Perhaps the act of making moves caused the table to shake or the board to move, but by some means the black king gradually 'travelled' up the board by itself until it had reached c5, at which point, White realised the king was in check to the pawn on d4 and took it! White claims win due to illegal move by Black - putting his king in check. Discuss. - WM]

Scores: Cavendish 18; Barking A 12*; Writtle 11*; Wanstead A 10*; Upminster A 10; Barking B 7½; Ilford 5*; Wanstead B 4½; Upminster B 2*.

Round 6

Barking B 3-1 Upminster B; Ilford 3-1 Writtle. Barking A 1½-2½ Cavendish; Wanstead A 2½-1½ Upminster A. Wanstead B had the bye.

Scores: Cavendish 20½; Barking A 13½*; Wanstead A 12½*;Writtle 12*; Upminster A 11½; Barking B 10½; Ilford 8*; Wanstead B 4½*; Upminster B 3*.

Round 7

Cavendish 3½-½ Wanstead A; Writtle 2-2; Barking A; Upminster B ½-3½ Ilford; Wanstead B ½-3½ Barking B.  Upminster A had the bye.

Scores: Cavendish 24; Barking A 15½*; Barking B 14; Writtle 14*; Wanstead A 13*; Ilford and Upminster A 11½*;  Wanstead B 5*; Upminster B 3½*.

Cavendish are ½ point away from clinching the title.

Round 8

Ilford 3-1 Wanstead B; Barking A 4-0 Upminster B; Wanstead A 2-2 Writtle; Upminster A 1-3 Cavendish. Barking B had the bye.

Scores: Cavendish 27; Barking A 19½*; Writtle 16*; Wanstead A 15*; Ilford 14½*; Barking B 14; Upminster A 12½*; Wanstead B 6*; Upminster B 3½*.

Congratulations to Cavendish, who have won the title with a round to spare and can enjoy their bye in the last round!

Round 9

Writtle 2-2 Upminster A; Upminster B 0-4 Wanstead A; Wanstead B 0-4 Barking A; Barking B 1½-2½ Ilford. Cavendish had the bye.

Final standings: 1 Cavendish 27; 2 Barking A 23½; 3 Wanstead A 19; 4 Writtle 18; Ilford 17; 6 Barking B 15½; 7 Upminster A 14½; 8 Wanstead B 6; 9 Upminster B 3½.