SCCU U1850: Essex 7½-8½ Middx At Wanstead. Essex appeared to be set for a comfortable home win, 4 points up with five games still in play; just one more point needed. But one by one, Middx pulled back the deficit until they completed an amazing turn around to steal the points, winning the last five games to finish. Incredible. SCCU U1450: Middx 3-9 Essex At Willesden. An experience that leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Late advice from the […]
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Barking (Essex League Champions) 3½-8½ The Rest of the League Eighteen months after the last pawn was moved in the 2019-20 Essex League, Barking who were finally declared Champions at the ECA AGM on 24 June 2021, challenged The Rest to the traditional curtain-raiser to the new season (2021-22), as we cautiously return to over-the-board chess, having lost the 2020-21 Season to the pandemic. Before the match, Barking were presented with the League Championship trophy. Despite holding a clear rating […]
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The pre-season regional County Challenge competitions, Major and Minor, attracted just three counties in the south east, Essex, Kent and Hants. Kent actually entered three teams, one in the Major two in the Minor. Essex had the fillip of winning both competitions, reward for the players’ effors and for Peter Nickals, who made all the match arrangements and team raising. Essex success in the Major was by dint of winning both matches against Kent, the key away victory being spectacular, […]
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An away steal, a home romp and an inter Essex match too, Upstarts 4-2 Timeless, combined with two junior tournaments with over 40 entries, made for a busy day for the second Back to Real Chess Festival. Essex Major made the first away trip by an Essex County team team since County competition ceased for the pandemic in March 2020 and came away with the spoils 4½-3½, despite being heavily out-rated. Meanwhile, the Essex Minor team also beat Kent, at […]
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The last matches in the qualifiers for the online Minor Open and U1800 would see both Essex teams go through if they could win. Both would meet the all-conquering Northumberland, who are also in the Open Final. Essex Minor Open romped past Gloucestershire, Essex winning 8½-3½. In the other matches, Northumberland beat Hants (already out of the running) by 9½-1½, Cheshire & N Wales beat Somerset 7½-1½ (over 10 boards and one of those was 0-0) – Cheshire & N […]
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A well-ventilated Wanstead House was a hive of activity on 14 August, with the County’s junior players at the forefront, welcoming the first ECF rated team matches in the county for some 17 months whilst our leagues engage in careful preparations for the new season as more of our county clubs open again. Only three County Associations took up the opportunity for an early return to over-the-board matchplay in the ECF’s pre-season County Challenge competition for eight-board teams with an […]
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Junior Rated Rapid and Beginners Tournaments Saturday 14 August 1:30pm to 5pm The Hall at Wanstead House, 21 The Green, Wanstead E11 2NT To coincide with the return of County Chess to Wanstead House, the Essex Chess Association in conjunction with the local junior chess clubs of Ilford and Wanstead & Woodford is hosting an afternoon of competitive chess for Essex junior players between 2 and 5pm. To enter please complete the online Entry Form – on the Festival page […]
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Essex teams are competing in the 2nd ECF Online Counties Championships, with teams in the Minor Open and U1800 sections. There was, however, a fair degree of what one might call “disinterest” in the opening encounters. In the Open and the U1800 there are only three teams in each. The Minor Open is best supported with eight teams. In the National Pool – to provide rated games for players otherwise without a game on match day – 10 boards’ pairings […]
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Essex Online Championships 2021 Champions Open: David Sands, 5/5; U1800: Jef Page, 4/5; U1500: Duc Ta, 4/5 on tie-break In the Open, David Sands, already assured of retaining his title on tie-break, did so in style with a win against Russell White to complete a classy clean sweep. Andy Lewis had the eaiser pairing of Julian Corfiled, but found him a tough nut to crack and once the Board 1 result was known, concluded a draw. David won by 1½ […]
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In the Open a round of good games and upsets. David Sands put himself in a fine position to retain his EOL Championship, beating FM Andy Lewis with the white pieces. On Board 2, Martin McCall beat the redoubtable Russell White to move into second place. In the U1800, wins for Jef Page, Dai Harris and Ruqayyah Rida, all with White, maintained Jef’s narrow lead ahead of Dai. After these two, five of the remaining seven competitors are on 1½/3 […]
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