Essex returned empty-handed from a match double at Cheam.
SCCU U1850: Surrey 10-6 Essex. At Cheam. Essex won over the top six boards by 4½-1½, but the story of the other 10 was a tale of Essex woe, with eight losses against one lone win and a draw. Yet there was nothing between the sides, just 12 rating points average per board (equals one point in old ECF grades [competition ratings]).
This was the only U1850 match today. After two matches each: Kent 4, Surrey 2, Essex and Middx 1 each. Early days.
SCCU U1450: Surrey 8-4 Essex. At Cheam. Points were shared in the first two games to finish, the bottom two boards, yet Essex didn’t win another board. Six games were drawn, but Surrey won the other four to close out a home win at 8-4.
In the other match: Herts 5-7 Kent. So Surrey and Kent top the early table on 4 points, Essex are third on 2 and Herts and Middx have a game in hand, both yet to open their account.
Played 8 November 2025:
SCCU U1650: Essex 8-8 Surrey. At Wanstead. Essex took the lead with the second game to finish and were never out of the lead until the last game to finish. At one point, after 11 results were in, Essex had a three point advantage at 7-4. Surrey continued fighting, however, and pulled two games back to narrow the Essex lead to just one slender point. Essex re-established a two point lead at 8-6, but in a nail-biting finish Surrey with a late surge won the last two games for a breathless 8-8.
If you would like to represent Essex at chess, but are not yet involved, or think your interest is not known to the County captains: CLICK HERE (Opens the County Teams 2025-26 page.)
Links: U1850 | U1650 | U1450 | Aggregates | SCCU on the ECF LMS