| Current season news see home page. |
| 6 Aug. Bewdley St Anne's Chess Club held its annual open-air public chess challenge. It was a glorious day and several potential new players tried their hand. |
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14 Aug. David Smith wins at Walsall. At the MCCU congress held at Walsall, David Smith (Redditch) won the minor tournament outright with 4½ points from his five games. Michele Clack, also Redditch, scored 4, Peter Banks (Halesowen) 3 and Colin Vernon 2½ points in the same section. In other tournaments, Worcestershire players were less successful: Ray Collett (Worcester) and Gary Jackson (Shirley & Wythall) scored 2 points in the Major. Jon Asbury (Halesowen) and Sam Bradley (Stourbridge) scored 2½, Steve Crockett (Redditch) 1½, and Mark Riley (Kidderminster) and Arnold Kirkland (Droitwich) ½ points in the Intermediate tournament. |
| 5 Aug. Worcestershire players at the British. In the championship, GM Keith Arkell (Stourbridge) scored 6½, Jeremy Fallowfield (Stourbridge) 5; and Lee Davis (Malvern) 2 points. The new Britsh Open champion is GM Michael Adams (10 points form 11 games) and the Women's champion IM Jovanka Houska (7/11). In the weekend u150 tournament, Steve Crockett (Redditch) was second sharing with five other players. In the five round week 2 morning tournament, Richard Leaper (Mutual Circle) scored 3 points and Stephen Woodhouse (Alvechurch) 2. Malcom Hunt (Halesowen) 4 from 7 games in the Over 50 tournament. Read ECF coverage here. |
| 31 Jul. GM Keith Arkell (Stourbridge) shared second place behind Ameet Ghasi (Grantham) in the British Blitz Championship held at Bournemouth. |
| 25 Jul. Three County players in British Championship. In the main event, Worcestershire has GM Keith Arkell (Stourbridge), Jeremy Fallowfield (Stourbridge), and Lee Davis (Malvern). Rounds start at 2:30pm and live games from the top boards can be viewed here. Other players taking part in other tournaments in Bournemouth are Stephen and Monty Woodhouse, Malcom Hunt (Halesowen) in the 50+ tournament and Steve Crockett (Redditch). |
| 24 Jul. New chess grades published. Find your latest grade on the ECF grading database. |
| 19 Jul, reported on Halesowen website. Tony Evers Match. Stourbridge scored a convicing victory in this annual event winning 11½ - 3½ at Halesowen. |
| 19 Jul. CSC training event held in Worcester. Chess in Schools and Communities CEO Malcolm Pein and trustee Andrew Farthing welcomed ten volunteer trainees to this training event led by John Foley of CSC. The event was organised by John Wrench to help boost the uptake of chess in primary schools in Worcester. See picture and report in Worcester News. |
Worcestershire Under-140 triumph in final
2 Jul 2016. Worcestershire had a comfortable 10-6 victory over Surrey in the national finals at The Trident Centre, Leamington, Warks. This win sealed the county's first ever national county team title.
Worcestershire's winning team
Picture: Ian Hannable (Essex Chess Association)
See also report in Worcester News and full results on the MCCU website. |
13 Jun. Jim Friar. A requiem mass at St Wulstans & St Thomas of Canterbury, Stourport-on-Severn to celebrate his life was attended by well over two hundred mourners. Over twenty chess players from at least three counties went to the wake at the Bewdley Pines Golf Club. Tributes to Jim can be viewed on the ECForum. Our condolences to his wife, Teresa, and gifted chess-playing sons James and Joseph.
27 May. Jim Friar. Very sad news. Jim Friar, 2015-6 captain of Worcestershire's 2015-6 Minor counties team, passed away at home after a short battle with illness. Always courteous he was a true gentleman. Several players have already sent tributes: "He was a knowledgeable, unassuming and helpful a man of great integrity" Richard Turner former county under-120 captain. Former ECF CEO Andrew Farthing wrote Jim was a "positive person, always ready with a friendly smile and a handshake whenever I met him". His loss will be keenly felt in the chess community in Worcestershire and beyond. He leaves wife, Teresa, and two gifted chess playing sons, James and Joseph. Our thoughts are with Teresa and the family. |
In happier times. Gentleman, team
captain and
and chess player. Picture John Wrench.
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| 21 May. Worcestershire under-140 team in their quarter final match thumped Kent 12½ - 3½ and progress to an all-Midlands semi final match against Nottinghamshire. Full results on the MCCU website. |
| 13 May. At the 2016 annual meeting Jeff Heath (Redditch) was made a Life Vice-President of the association to recognise his many years work for chess in Redditch and the county association. Jeff was Worcestershire Champion in 1974 and 1975 and first team captain between 1975 and 1982. The meeting asked the secretary to organise a closed championship tournament to be run late in August at Worcester. With the exception of first team captain Jim Friar, who has had to step down to vice-captain because of ill-health, all officers were re-elected. John Wrench takes over from Jim. |
| 24 May. Mercia win Wheatley Cup. New team Mercia beat Worcester B on handicap in the final at Greenlands |
| 21 Apr, ECF website reports. Alex Holowczak (Warley Quinborne) has been appointed match arbiter for the FIDE Olympiad to be held at Baku. |
| 18 Apr, ECForum reports. Stourbridge players shine in Nottingham. GM Keith Arkell was first in the Open tournament and in the shared second place were brother Nic Arkell, and Jeremy Fallowfield. |
| 17 Apr. ECF Finance Council Meeting. Perhaps following Worcestershire's lead, the ECF also decided not to increase fees next year. Funds for new initiatives will be taken from reserves. Read summary of the meeting and download the presented slideshow from the ECF website. |
| 16 Apr. WCA executive recommends no increase in fees for next season. The association's executive committee met at Droitwich. Only one change in officers or delegates is to be recommended to the AGM. The EC will propose that John Wrench (Kidderminster) be captain of the first team because Jim Friar (Kidderminster) is unwell. The treasurer thanked VPs for their generosity and stated that the financial position was sound. The ECF safeguarding policy, procedures and code of conduct were approved. The secretary was asked to bring plans to the AGM for a Worcestershire closed congress to be held in the summer. |
| 11 Apr. Triple-tie for top spot in Dudley & District League. All three first division teams scored 4 match points and Stourbridge with 9½ game points will be league champions. |
| 10 Apr, Dan Lambourne reports. Redditch Club win TWO national titles! Redditch entered two four-player teams into the national club team championships held at Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport Hotel. They won the Intermediate (average grade below 151) and Minor (average grade below 125) competitions. Read Dan Lambourne's report here. |
| 6 Apr. Cyril Johnson. I have been informed of the death of Cyril Johnson of Leicestershire CA. He will be known to many county players for his arrangement of neutral venues in Leicestershire and provision of equipment at Syston for many Worcestershire county matches. He is survived by his wife Julie to whom I have sent condolences on behalf of the county association. There are short notices on the MCCU and ECF websites. |
| 28 Mar, ECF website reports. Two Stourbridge players were in the prize list for the WECU championships held at Exeter: GM Keith Arkell (Stourbridge) 1st on 6½ and Jeremy Fallowfield shared 3rd place on 4½ points. |
| 18 Mar. Halesowen I clinch League Championship. Malvern put out their strongest team against the league leaders to draw, leaving Halesowen I certain to become champions. |
| 15 Mar, Olton website reports. Olton A third in Birmingham & District team lightning Tournament. Olton A in the top section scored 9½ points. |
| 15 Mar. Semi-finals of the Team Handicap KO (Wheatley Cup) competition, Worcester B play Redditch and Shirley & Wythall play Mercia. |
| 14 Mar. Olton win Division II in the county league with two games in-hand. |
| 14 Mar. County GM wins two first places. Keith Arkell (Stourbridge) shared first places at the East Devon Congress at Exeter on 14 March. On February 28th he also bagged a shared first place at the Bristol Spring congress. |
| 7 Mar. Under-140 Team takes Midland counties third place in the finals. The quarter final fixture against the Southern Counties champions is likely to be on 23 April. |
| 5 Mar. Under-120 Team lose to Staffordshire. Worcestershire lost 4-8 at Newcastle-under-Lyme. |
| 27 Feb. Worcestershire just fail to topple Midlands county champions Nottinghamshire. In a closely fought match and using two late substitutions, Worcestershire lost narrowly 7-9 to Nottinghamshire who had already won the Midlands title. At the same venue, Worcestershire under-120 team lost 3-9 to Warwickshire at Olton, Birmingham. |
| 20 Feb. Worcestershire u140 beat Lincolnshire 9-7 at Syston Leics. |
| 13 Feb. Under-120 Team lose to Midlands champions Nottinghamshire. In a home match played at Redditch, Worcestershire lost 3½ - 8½. |
| 31 Jan. Steve Crockett 2nd in Notts Rapidplay Intermediate Tournment with 5 points from 6 games. |
| 26 May. Geoff Harris passed away peacefully. Geoff passed away at Russells Hall Hospital aged 86. He was a member of Stourbridge and former county champion, and represented England in international matches in the 1950s. See report of memorial service held 12 January 2017. |
| 12 Dec. Worcestershire-Nottinghamshire under-140 match postponed. The home team had insufficient players, but were very generously let off by opponents Nottinghamshire and it is hped to play the fixture early in the new year. |
| 5 Dec. Worcestershire under-120 lost to Lincolnshire heavily in the Midlands Counties match played in Leicestershire. Full details on the MCCU website. |
| 28 Nov. Worcester Winter Junior Chess Congress. Ben Fuller (Worcester Sixth Form College) won the Premier tournament, The event was held at The King's School Worcester. |
| 21 Nov. Worcestershire lost to Leicestershire narrowly in the Minor Counties home match at Tibberton, Worcester. Full details on the MCCU website. |
| 10 Oct, Jim Friar reports. Worcs beat Warks away. The new captain opened Worcestershire's accout with a win over old foes Warwickshire in the first match of the Midland Counties' team Tournament. Despite being marginally outgraded, Worcestershire started the season with a win. Being captain and playing isn't conducive to preparing a report as I found out very quickly. For a long time the boards all looked fairly equal no-one with no real advantage. First to finish was Peter Kitson (Worcester) who agreed a draw in locked position. A number of draws followed. First to win was myself, with a black side of a complicated Two Knights Defence. Shortly afterwards Maurice Bissell (Kidderminster) pushed home his advantage with two connected passed pawns. Joe Friar (Kidderminster) got into his usual time trouble with 25 moves to make in 2½ minutes. He went on a king hunt and mated his opponent with seconds to spare with a pawn on b5. A few more draws followed. Nigel Towers (Redditch) infiltrated his opponent's position on the kingside who was then powerless to stop devastating pins, and having to capitulate. Kevin Hurney (Halesowen) then accepted a draw to put Worcestershire on 8 points. We needed a half point from 4 games. The only trouble was they all looked losing. Players became short of time, allowing Gary Jackson (Redditch & Banbury) found a perpetual despite being some pawns down in a queen ending. Shortly after Brian Turner drew a minor piece ending ending two pawns down by sacrificing his knight for one of the pawns leaving his opponent5 with a rook pawn and the wrong coloured bishop. So the final result was 9 -7 To Worcestershire. Well done team! |
| 20 Sep. Hagley Chess Club. Although the club are not entering a team this season, Bill Sitch (Asst Secy 01562 730 776) tells me new players are welcome on Tuesday evenings at 7:30pm. |
| 19 Sep. GM Keith Arkell made a clean sweep at Paignton. Keith (Stourbridge) won the Paignton tournament for the 22nd time with a crushing 7 points from 7 games. In the Walker Minor tournament at Paignton, Stephen Chadaway (Olton) shared 3rd prize. |
| 4 Sep. Worcester & District Chess League. At the annual meeting held at Calines, Worcester, Mercia CC based in Sedgley, Dudley, were admitted to Division 2 of the League. There were no changes in senior officers. |
27 Aug. Vacant posts filled and three Worcestershire County teams. At the county EGM the decisions taken at the May meeting were confirmed. Ray Collett (Worcester) was elected as secretary to fill the vacant post Jim Friar (Kidderminster for the minor team) and Paul Sharratt (Stourbridge for the u140 team) stepped forward to captain teams and Worcestershire have entered the minor, u140 and u120 of the Midland Counties competitions. Richard Collett (Greenlands) leads the u120 team as last year. Jim Keene (Worcester) was awarded the Woodcock Prize for the 'most enterprising game' played by a Worcestershire player in 2014-5 for his win against Brian Turner (Malvern).
27 Aug. Worcester Chess League. Kidderminster A, last season's Division 2 champions, took promotion to Division 1 at the annual fixtures meeting. Olton elected to play in Division 2 for thier first season in the county league. |
| 20 Aug. Worcester City CC raise money for Maggs' Day Centre, in Worcester as part of the Worcester Festival. |
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