West Midlands Area Online League Autumn 2020
Worcester entered two teams, one in each division of the league. In these matches Droitwich joins forces with Worcester City with Arnold Kirkland and David Cleak playing. At each event there are two four-board matches played on the same night using the chess.com platform. That platform determined the team order based on games played by the players using chess.com. Players had two rapidplay games against the same opponent with colours reversed. Worcester city matches are usually played Thursday evenings starting at 8pm.
The winning team in each 4-board match scores 2 match points and 1 point for a draw. The team with the highest aggregate score of the night receives an additional point.Time control in the league is 15 minutes plus 10 seconds from move 1.
You can join the Worcester City Online club at chess.com as a basic member free of charge and email Rob Sutton you would like to play.
Link for Summer 2020 season results
Link for Spring 2020 season results
Worcester 1 in Division 1
| WMA Online Rapidplay League Division 1 Autumn 2020 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Played | Won | Draw | Lost | For | Against | Diff | Match Points |
| Redditch | 18 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 46 | 26 | +20 | 33 |
| Solihull 1 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 41 | 29 | +12 | 31 |
| Longbridge 1 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 37½ | 26½ | +11 | 24 |
| Worcester 1 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 36½ | 35½ | +1 | 24 |
| Hereford | 16 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 14 | 48 | -34 | 0 |
| Sutton Coldfield 1 (withdrew) | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 17 | -10 | 1 |
| Start Time |
Date | Home Team | Aggregate score |
Away Team | Match points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00pm | Thu 12 Nov | Hereford | 2½ - 5½ | Worcester 1 | 5 |
| 8:00pm | Thu 26 Nov | Sutton Coldfield 1 | 2 - 6 | Worcester 1 | 5 |
| 8:00pm | Thu 3 Dec | Worcester 1 | 3½ - 4½ | Solihull 1 | 1 |
| 8:00pm | Thu 10 Dec | Longbridge 1 | 2 - 6 | Worcester 1 | 5 |
| 8:00pm | Thu 17 Dec | Worcester 1 | 5 - 3 | Hereford | 5 |
| 8:00pm | Thu 7 Jan | Solihull 1 | 6 - 2 | Worcester 1 | 0 |
| 8:00pm | Thu 14 Jan | Worcester 1 | 3½ - 5½ | Longbridge 1 | 1 |
| 8:00pm | Thu 21 Jan | Redditch | 4 - 4 | Worcester 1 | 2 |
| 8:00pm | Thu 4 Feb | Worcester 1 | 1½ - 6½ | Redditch | 0 |
| Other teams’ fixtures and results from LMS | |||||
4 Feb. In the return fixture against Redditch, Worcester were soundly beaten 1½-6½. Only Collett was able to win a game. With fixture in the final week of the season where Longbridge must be odds-on to beat Hereford, It looks like Longbridge will finish top of the table and Worcester will finish third or fourth depending on the result of the Hereford-Sollihul result.
21 Jan. At last the team was fully manned and secured a draw against GM-led Redditch with new member Joe Rastall securing a draw from one of his games against Bogdan Lalic. Another new member, Matt Gardner, won both his games.
14 Jan. Worcester were again a player short and the reserve was not able to login quickly enough to take his place on the board. The team salavaged on match point in the first leg of the encounter when Collett benefitted from a knight fork late in what was otherwise a completely lost position.
7 Jan. Worcester crashed to defeat in the first match of the New Year, but hold on to their top of the table position. A poor internet connection for Worcester’s intended board 1 meant he could not logon.
17 Dec. Worcester beat bottom of the table Hereford, but not decisively.
11 Dec. Worcester had clear wins in both matches against a three-man Longbridge team defaulting on board 4. Peter Kitson won both his games.
3 Dec. In a tough match, Worcester had to concede to the strong Solihull team and relinquish top of the table spot. Peter Kitson was the most successful team member.
26 Nov. Worcester had an easy win against Sutton because they had 2 players only. Stephen Mellor won both his games.
19 Nov. ches.com website crashed and the match is to be played after 14 Jan.
12 Nov. Worcester win their first match against new team Hereford.
9 Nov. Draft fixture lists published by WMA. In the new season Hereford join Division 1. South Birmingham and Warwick University Alumni go down to Division 2. Compard with Summer 2020, there are now two double matches between teams in Division 1. The league tie-break rule has been revised so that if teams remain equal on match points and game points, points difference, or failing that teams’ head-to-head result will count. Playing strength is now estimated by four-figure ratings, taking over from the old three digit ECF grades. The first figure is the ECF standard play rating for a player and I believe the second is a rapidplay rating.
| WMA Division 1 Autumn Season 2020 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board | Rating | Worcester 1 | 4 Feb | Redditch | |
| 1 | - / - | Rastall, Joe | 0 - 1 | Lalic, Bogdan | 2536/2523 |
| 2 | 1781/1780 | Holmes, Matt | 0 - 1 | Evans, Harry | 1965/1968 |
| 3 | 1743/1848 | Collett, Ray | 1 - 0 | Towers, Nigel | 1757/1818 |
| 4 | - / - | Gardner, Matt | 0 - 1 | Russell, Scott | 1618/1645 |
| Result | 1 - 3 | ||||
| 5 | - / - | Rastall, Joe | 0 - 1 | Lalic, Bogdan | 2536/2523 |
| 6 | 1781/1780 | Holmes, Matt | 0 - 1 | Evans, Harry | 1965/1968 |
| 7 | 1743/1848 | Collett, Ray | 0 - 1 | Towers, Nigel | 1757/1818 |
| 8 | - / - | Gardner, Matt | ½ - ½ | Russell, Scott | 1618/1645 |
| Result | ½ - 3½ | ||||
| Board | Rating | Redditch | 21 Jan | Worcester 1 | |
| 1 | 2536/2523 | Lalic, Bogdan | 1 - 0 | Rastall, Joe | - / - |
| 2 | 1965/1818 | Evans, Harry | 0 - 1 | Holmes, Matthew | 1781/1780 |
| 3 | 1347/1330 | Rimmington, Anthony | 1 - 0 | Collett, Ray | 1743/1848 |
| 4 | Jamie Steward | 0 - 1 | Gardner, Matt | - / - | |
| Result | 2 - 2 | ||||
| 5 | 2536/2523 | Lalic, Bogdan | ½ - ½ | Rastall, Joe | - / - |
| 6 | 1965/1818 | Evans, Harry | 1 - 0 | Holmes, Matthew | 1781/1780 |
| 7 | 1347/1330 | Rimmington, Anthony | ½ - ½ | Collett, Ray | 1743/1848 |
| 8 | Jamie Steward | 0 - 1 | Gardner, Matt | - / - | |
| Result | 2 - 2 | ||||
| Board | Rating | Solihull 1 | 7 Jan | Worcester 1 | Rating |
| 1 | 2150/ - | McCumiskey, Andrew | 1 - 0 | Holmes, Matthew | 1782/1780 |
| 2 | 1787/1848 | Summerfield, Julian | 0 - 1 | Collett, Ray | 1737/1848 |
| 3 | - / - | Hutado, Philip | 1 - 0 | Vernon, Colin | 1359/1338 |
| 4 | - /1953 | Eric Gibbon | 1 - 0 | default | - |
| 3 - 1 | |||||
| 1 | 2150/ - | McCumiskey, Andrew | 0 - 1 | Holmes, Matthew | 1782/1780 |
| 2 | 1787/1848 | Summerfield, Julian | 1 - 0 | Collett, Ray | 1737/1848 |
| 3 | - / - | Hutado, Philip | 1 - 0 | Vernon, Colin | 1359/1338 |
| 4 | - /1953 | Eric Gibbon | 1 - 0 | default | - |
| 3 - 1 | |||||
| Board | Rating | Longbridge 1 | 10 Dec | Worcester 1 | Rating |
| 1 | 1870/ - | Small, Edward | 0 - 1 | Kitson, Peter | - / - |
| 2 | 1770/1945 | Woodhouse, Stephen | 0 - 1 | Holmes, Matthew | 1782/1780 |
| 3 | 1876/1945 | Walsh, Marcus | 1 - 0 | Gardner, Matthew | - / - |
| 4 | - | default | 0 - 1 | Sutton, Rob | 1680/1683 |
| Result | 1 - 3 | ||||
| 5 | 1870/ - | Small, Edward | 0 - 1 | Kitson, Peter | - / - |
| 6 | 1770/1945 | Woodhouse, Stephen | ½ - ½ | Holmes, Matthew | 1782/1780 |
| 7 | 1876/1945 | Walsh, Marcus | ½ - ½ | Gardner, Matthew | - / - |
| 8 | - | default | 0 - 1 | Sutton, Rob | 1680/1683 |
| Result | |||||
| Board | Rating | Worcester 1 | 3 Dec | Solihull 1 | Rating |
| 1 | 2082/ - | Mellor, Stephen D | 1 - 0 | McCumiskey, Andrew | 2150/ - |
| 2 | - / - | Kitson, Peter | 1 - 0 | Summerfield, Julian | 1787/ - |
| 3 | 1782/ - | Holmes,Matthew A | 0 - 1 | Gibbon, Eric | - / - |
| 4 | 1680/ - | Sutton, Rob | 0 - 1 | Hurtado, Philip | - / - |
| Result | 2 - 2 | ||||
| 5 | 2082/ - | Mellor, Stephen D | 0 - 1 | McCumiskey, Andrew | 2150/ - |
| 6 | - / - | Kitson, Peter | ½ - ½ | Summerfield, Julian | 1787/ - |
| 7 | 1782/ - | Holmes,Matthew A | 1 - 0 | Gibbon, Eric | - / - |
| 8 | 1680/ - | Sutton, Rob | 0 - 1 | Hurtado, Philip | - / - |
| Result | 1½ - 2½ | ||||
| Board | Rating | Sutton Coldfield 1 | 26 Nov | Worcester 1 | |
| 1 | 1926/2065 | Owen, Neil | 0 - 1 | Mellor, Stephen | - /2133 |
| 2 | 1774/2095 | Mesesan, Mircea-Marius | 1 - 0 | Kitson, Peter | - / - |
| 3 | - | Default | 0 - 1 | Holmes, Matthew | 1810/1780 |
| 4 | - | Default | 0 - 1 | Sutton, Rob | 1694/1683 |
| Result | 1 - 3 | ||||
| 5 | 1926/2065 | Owen, Neil | 0 - 1 | Mellor, Stephen | - /2133 |
| 6 | 1774/2095 | Mesesan, Mircea-Marius | 1 - 0 | Kitson, Peter | - / - |
| 7 | - | Default | 0 - 1 | Holmes, Matthew | 1810/1780 |
| 8 | - | Default | 0 - 1 | Sutton, Rob | 1694/1683 |
| Result | 1 - 3 | ||||
| Board | Rating | Hereford | 12 Nov | Worcester 1 | Rating |
| 1 | - / - | Marchant, Geoff | 0 - 1 | Mellor, Stephen D | - /2133 |
| 2 | 1449/1458 | Duke, Dillon | 0 - 1 | Kitson, Peter | - / - |
| 3 | - / - | Turner, Brian | 1 - 0 | Holmes,Matthew A | 1810/1780 |
| 4 | - / - | Hancock, David | 0 - 1 | Sutton, Rob | 1694/1683 |
| Result | 1- 3 | ||||
| 5 | - / - | Marchant, Geoff | 1 - 0 | Mellor, Stephen D | 1600/2133 |
| 6 | 1449/1458 | Duke, Dillon | 0 - 1 | Kitson, Peter | - / - |
| 7 | - / - | Turner, Brian | ½ - ½ | Holmes,Matthew A | 1810/1780 |
| 8 | - / - | Hancock, David | 0 - 1 | Sutton, Rob | 1694/1683 |
| Result | 1½ - 2½ | ||||
Worcester 2 in Division 2
| WMA Division 2 Autumn Season 2020 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Played | Won | Draw | Lost | For | Against | Diff | Match Points |
| Mutual Circle | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 26½ | 21½ | 5 | 23 |
| Lichfield | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 28½ | 19½ | 9 | 20 |
| Warwick Univ Alumni | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 26½ | 13½ | 13 | 18 |
| South Birmingham | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 27 | 21 | 6 | 17 |
| Kidderminster | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 26½ | 21½ | 5 | 16 |
| Stourbridge | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 16 |
| Isle of Wight | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 12 |
| Longbridge 2 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 24 | -8 | 8 |
| Solihull 2 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 23 | -6 | 7 |
| Worcester 2 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 25½ | 46½ | -21 | 8 |
| Sutton Coldfield 2 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 13½ | 26½ | -13 | 6 |
| Date | Start Time |
Home Team | Aggregate score |
Away Team | Match points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 12th Nov 2020 | 8:00pm | Mutual Circle | 5½ - 2½ | Worcester 2 | 0 |
| Thu 26th Nov 2020 | 8:00pm | Worcester 2 | 4 - 4 | Longbridge 2 | 2 |
| Thu 3rd Dec 2020 | 8:00pm | Isle of Wight | 4½ - 3½ | Worcester 2 | 2 |
| Thu 10th Dec 2020 | 8:00pm | Worcester 2 | 3 - 5 | Kidderminster | 1 |
| Thu 17th Dec 2020 | 8:00pm | Lichfield | 6 - 2 | Worcester 2 | 0 |
| Thu 7th Jan 2021 | 8:00pm | Worcester 2 | 3½ - 4½ | Stourbridge | 1 |
| Thu 14th Jan 2021 | 8:00pm | South Birmingham | 6½ - 1½ | Worcester 2 | 0 |
| Thu 21st Jan 2021 | 8:00pm | Worcester 2 | 1½ - 6½ | Sutton Coldfield 2 | 0 |
| Thu 4 Feb 2021 | 8:00pm | Worcester 2 | 4 - 4 | Solihull 2 | 2 |
| Thu 11 Feb 2021 | 8:00pm | Warwick Univ Alumni | Worcester 2 | ||
| Other teams’ fixtures and results from LMS | |||||
4 Feb. Worcester had a better night and drew against Solihull. Simon Berry won both his games.
21 Jan. Another loss, this time against Sutton. Robin Hayles, playing on board 2 was the only player to end in positive territory with a win and a draw.
14 Jan. On board 1 Colin faced an opponent over 600 rating points higher and duly lost. Only Simon Berry was able to win a game.
7 Jan. A slight improvement from the last match because the team took away a match point for the first leg of the fixture and this lifts the team just off the bottom of the table. Robin Hayles was the only player to win both games.
17 Dec. Ray Collett was the only player to score points winning both his games. This loss means the team is firmly lodged at the bottom of the table for the start of the New Year. The team was joined by Matt Gardner, who faced a much higher rated opponent.
10 Dec. Worcester 2 drew the first match, but lost the second against Kidderminster. Simon Berry was the most successful player getting a win and a draw against one of his protéges.
3 Dec. Worcester 2 won one match and lost the other to accrue 2 match points. Simon Berry was the only Worcester player not to lose a game.
27 Nov. Worcester 2 drew with Longbridge 2, one match apiece. Robin Hayles won both his games.
12 Nov. Worcester 2 lost to Mutual Circle in the first round.
9 Nov.
WMA published the draft fixture list. Coventry, having formed their own online league have decided not to defend their Division 2 champons title and have left WMA. There are other changes from last season. Warwick University and South Birmingham drop down from Division 1. The league tie-break rule has been revised so that if teams remain equal on match points and game points, points difference, or failing that teams’ head-to-head result will count. Playing strength is now estimated by four-figure ratings, taking over from the old three digit ECF grades. The first figure is the ECF standard play rating for a player and I believe the second is a rapidplay rating.
| WMA Division 2 Autumn Season 2020 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board | Rating | Worcester 2 | 4 Feb | Solihull 2 | Rating |
| 1 | 1556/ - | Cleak, David | 0 - 1 | Roper, Paul | 1849/ - |
| 2 | 1677/ - | Hayles, Robin | 0 - 1 | Joy, Praveen | 1693/1638 |
| 3 | 1479/ - | Kirkland, Arnold | 1 - 0 | Panchev, Marten | - / - |
| 4 | - /1323 | Berry, Simon | 1 - 0 | Mitchell, George | 1318/1360 |
| Result | 2 - 2 | ||||
| 5 | 1556/ - | Cleak, David | ½ - ½ | Roper, Paul | 1849/ - |
| 6 | 1677/ - | Hayles, Robin | 0 - 1 | Joy, Praveen | 1693/1638 |
| 7 | 1479/ - | Kirkland, Arnold | ½ - ½ | Panchev, Marten | - / - |
| 8 | - /1323 | Berry, Simon | 1 - 0 | Mitchell, George | 1318/1360 |
| Result | 2 - 2 | ||||
| Board | Rating | Woorcester 2 | 21 Jan | Sutton Coldfield 2 | Rating |
| 1 | 1556/ - | Cleak, David | 0 - 1 | Lake, Andrew | 1728/1705 |
| 2 | 1677/ - | Hayles, Robin | 1 - 0 | Soszynski, Marek | 1724/1900 |
| 3 | 1479/ - | Kirkland, Arnold | 0 - 1 | Hayden, Lawrence | 1762/1743 |
| 4 | - /1323 | Berry, Simon | 0 - 1 | Oliver, Peter | 1507/1525 |
| Result | 1 - 3 | ||||
| 5 | 1556/ - | Cleak, David | 0 - 1 | Lake, Andrew | 1728/1705 |
| 6 | 1677/ - | Hayles, Robin | ½ - ½ | Soszynski, Marek | 1724/1900 |
| 7 | 1479/ - | Kirkland, Arnold | 0 - 1 | Hayden, Lawrence | 1762/1743 |
| 8 | - /1323 | Berry, Simon | 0 - 1 | Oliver, Peter | 1507/1525 |
| Result | ½ - 3½ | ||||
| Board | Rating | Worcester 2 | 7 Jan | Stourbridge | Rating |
| 1 | 1673/ - | Hayles, Robyn | 0 - 1 | Sharratt, Paul | 1802/ - |
| 2 | 1507/ - | Kirkland, Arnold | 1 - 0 | Wilson, Julie | 1705/ - |
| 3 | 1561/ - | Cleak, David | ½ - ½ | Foxall, John | 1614/ - |
| 4 | - /1323 | Berry, Simon | ½ - ½ | Humphries, Jeremy | 1529/ - |
| Result | 2 - 2 | ||||
| 1 | 1673/ - | Hayles, Robyn | 0 - 1 | Sharratt, Paul | 1802/ - |
| 2 | 1507/ - | Kirkland, Arnold | 0 - 1 | Wilson, Julie | 1705/ - |
| 3 | 1561/ - | Cleak, David | 1 - 0 | Foxall, John | 1614/ - |
| 4 | - /1323 | Berry, Simon | ½ - ½ | Humphries, Jeremy | 1529/ - |
| Result | 1½ - 2½ | ||||
| Board | Rating | Lichfield | 17 Dec | Worcester 2 | Rating |
| 1 | - / - | Keaveney, John | 1 - 0 | Gardner, Matt | - / - |
| 2 | 1707/ - | Hoare, Michael | 0 - 1 | Collett, Ray | 1737/1848 |
| 3 | - / - | Willett, Peter | 1 - 0 | Hayles, Robin | 1673/ - |
| 4 | 1412/1465 | Sawyer, Ray | 1 - 0 | Kirkland, Arnold | 1507/ - |
| Result | 3 - 1 | ||||
| 5 | - / - | Keaveney, John | 1 - 0 | Gardner, Matt | - / - |
| 6 | 1707/ - | Hoare, Michael | 0 - 1 | Collett, Ray | 1737/1848 |
| 7 | - / - | Willett, Peter | 1 - 0 | Hayles, Robin | 1673/ - |
| 8 | 1412/1465 | Sawyer, Ray | 1 - 0 | Kirkland, Arnold | 1507/ - |
| Result | 3 - 1 | ||||
| Board | Rating | Worcester 2 | 10 Dec | Kidderminster | Rating |
| 1 | 1737/1848 | Collett, Ray | ½ - ½ | O´Dell, James | - / - |
| 2 | 1673/ - | Hayles, Robin | 0 - 1 | Varilone, John | - / 1608 |
| 3 | 1561/ - | Cleake, David | 1 - 0 | Riley, Mark | - / 1638 |
| 4 | - /1323 | Berry, Simon | ½ - ½ | Henry, Cameron | - / - |
| Result | 2 - 2 | ||||
| 5 | 1737/1848 | Collett, Ray | 0 - 1 | O´Dell, James | - / - |
| 6 | 1673/ - | Hayles, Robin | 0 - 1 | Varilone, John | - / 1608 |
| 7 | 1561/ - | Cleake, David | 0 - 1 | Riley, Mark | - / 1638 |
| 8 | - /1323 | Berry, Simon | 1 - 0 | Henry, Cameron | - / - |
| Result | 1 - 3 | ||||
| Board | Rating | Isle of Wight | 3 Dec | Worcester 2 | Rating |
| 1 | 2016/ - | Wrench, John | ½ - ½ | Collett, Ray | 1737/ - |
| 2 | - / - | Charalambous, Charles | 0 - 1 | Kirkland, Arnold | 1507/ - |
| 3 | 1634/ - | Stevens, Phil | 1 - 0 | Cleak, David | 1561/ - |
| 4 | 1208/ - | Boyalakuntia, Siva | 0 - 1 | Berry, Simon | - / - |
| Result | 1½ - 2½ | ||||
| 5 | 2016/ - | Wrench, John | 1 - 0 | Collett, Ray | 1737/ - |
| 6 | - / - | Charalambous, Charles | 1 - 0 | Kirkland, Arnold | 1507/ - |
| 7 | 1634/ - | Stevens, Phil | ½ - ½ | Cleak, David | 1561/ - |
| 8 | 1208/ - | Boyalakuntia, Siva | ½ - ½ | Berry, Simon | - / - |
| Result | 3 - 1 | ||||
| Board | Rating | Worcester 2 | 26 Nov | Longbridge 2 | Rating |
| 1 | - / - | Gardner, Matt | ½ - ½ | Shaw, Steve | - / - |
| 2 | 1807/1846 | Collett, Ray A | 1 - 0 | Whitten, AS | - / - |
| 3 | 1689/ - | Hayles, Robin | 1 - 0 | Rowe, Matthew | 1252/ - |
| 4 | 1533/ - | Kirkland, Arnold G | 0 - 1 | Ellis, Ian | 1687/ - |
| Result | 2½ - 1½ | ||||
| 5 | - / - | Gardner, Matt | 0 - 1 | Shaw, Steve | - / - |
| 6 | 1807/1846 | Collett, Ray A | ½ - ½ | Whitten, AS | - / - |
| 7 | 1689/ - | Hayles, Robin | 1 - 0 | Rowe, Matthew | 1252/ - |
| 8 | 1533/ - | Kirkland, Arnold G | 0 - 1 | Ellis, Ian | 1687/ - |
| Result | 1½ - 2½ | ||||
| Board | Rating | Mutual Circle | 12 Nov | Worcester 2 | Rating |
| 1 | 1637/1728 | Wells, P | 0 - 1 | Gardener, Matthew | - / - |
| 2 | 1609/ - | Ogeleye | 1 - 0 | Kirkland, Arnold | 1533/ - |
| 3 | 1577/1555 | Leaper, Richard | ½ - ½ | Cleak, David | - / - |
| 4 | 1539/ - | Singhal, Saket | 1 - 0 | Berry, Simon | - /1323 |
| Result | 2½ - 1½ | ||||
| 1 | 1637/1728 | Wells, P | 0 - 1 | Gardener, Matthew | - / - |
| 2 | 1609/ - | Ogeleye | 1 - 0 | Kirkland, Arnold | 1533/ - |
| 3 | 1577/1555 | Leaper, Richard | 1 - 0 | Cleak, David | - / - |
| 4 | 1539/ - | Singhal, Saket | 1 - 0 | Berry, Simon | - /1323 |
| Result | 3 - 1 | ||||