This has been without doubt one of the busiest seasons on record for the school chess club with lots of activity at all levels.  We have had teams playing in two divisions of the TORBAY LEAGUE, one team in the DEVON CHESS ASSOCIATION,s Junior Division, one team in the ECF National School's Cup together with the usual Millfield Tournament, the UK School's Championships at Brean Sands, Somerset, a visit from a junior team in Kiev, Ukraine, a Spring term coaching programme, the annual UK Challenge tournament and the ever-popular House Chess competition which involved over 220 boys.  In addition a number of our squad members have achieved great things in outside events at Area, County and National level.

The first big event of the season, as for the past 20 years, was the Millfield School's Team Tournament.  As usual, we took two teams of 12 thus enabling a substantial number of boys to experience the high standard at this event.  Our A team did very well to win the Major Section outright and we had the unprecedented sight of no less than 6 Board Prizes being awarded to TBGS players: Harry Darling, Laurens Stigink, George Darling (100% score), Alex Billings, Oliver Demeger and Sam Head.   ............

In March we hosted a visit by a party of young chess players from Kiev in the Ukraine who were playing a series of matches in south Devon.  Two of the visitors were of near master standard but the remainder found themselves well matched against the TBGS squad in an all-day tournament held in LA8.     ..............

The annual tournament for the "UK CHESS CHALLENGE" proved as popular as ever with 30 entries.  It was won this year by Callum Picken (11H) who can call himself the School champion for 2008.  A number of the boys qualified for the Regional Mega-Final and a few hope to reach the National Giga-Final of what is claimed to be the world's largest chess event.  ........................

As in 2006 and 2007 a group of Under 14 players is travelling with Mr. Thynne to Dubai in July to compete in an international tournament.  This year three year 8 boys, George Darling, Sam head, and Charlie Rochford together with Freddie Sugden and Ed Woolcott from year 9, are representing the school as part of a larger group of top English juniors.   ...........

Torquay 25th June 2008

Prize Winners

1st =

3rd

Grading Prize (U100)

Junior Prize

TORBAY CONGRESS 2007

The Torbay League Congress of 2007 - a year that celebrated the 50th anniversary of its formation- was held in the Belgrave Hotel on the Torquay sea-front over the week-end of 23rd/25th November 2007. This date was contrived to go back-to-back with the Beacon Seniors held during the preceding week, in order to cut the escalating costs of visitors travelling to our West Country chess events.

Once again, Ray Chubb organised a magnificent congress in the congenial surroundings of this superb hotel fronted on Torbay.  The aim of all congresses held in the West Country is to provide pristine playing conditions, even if this is at the expense of congress finances.  Ray managed to do this despite an overwhelming demand for entry. 

Chess Devon intends to give a full account of this event by providing the games from all sections, but in the meantime we offer our sincere thanks and appreciation of Ray's hard work and dedication.

Following is his report on the event. 

Report on the 41^st. Torbay Chess Congress held at the Belgrave Hotel, Seafront, Torquay.

The 41^st. Torbay League Congress was held at the Belgrave Hotel, Seafront, Torquay, from 23^rd. to 25^th. November 2007. This Torbay Congress was the second to be held at the Belgrave Hotel and was again found to be excellent and very popular with all the players. The venue has been booked for both the 2008 and 2009 Congresses.

Thanks must be given to our local Torbay League players John Ariss and Tony Tatam for giving up there weekend to arbitrate and control at this event.

Trefor Thynne, Torbay League President, opened the Congress by welcoming the players to the 41^st. Torbay Congress. He reported that this years Congress was special as it is in the 50^th Year of the start of the Torbay Chess League. There had been a 46 board commemorative match played earlier against the counterpart East Devon League. Trefor concluded by wishing the players an enjoyable congress.

The Congress, with additional seating, was again full and some prominent players had to be turned away. Entries were from all parts of the UK. The number of entries for each Section and the names of local players in the Torbay League who competed are: Open 24 entries (A. Dunn, A. Brusey and Dominic Mackle); Major 48 entries (I. Annetts, J. Gorodi, P. Halmkin, W. Ingham, R. Thompson, A. Pinkerton, S. Scofield); Intermediate 44 entries (R. Barnes, C. Doidge, R. Greenhalgh, H. Mann, J. Parker, j. Robson, G. Rosser, N. Tidy, C. Southall, R. Wilby); Minor 50 (R. Ballentyne, C. Blamey, J. Britten, M. Cuggy, G. Darling(J), P. Gwynne, S. Howard, W. Hume, D. Orton, C Picken(J), M. Rickard, C. Rochford(J), P. Ruszelak, F. Sugden(J)). The total entry of 166 played 830 games.

Open. Alan Brusey, Teignmouth and Newton Abbot. Winner of the Basil Wallis Cup.

Major. Robert Thompson, Newton Abbott.  Winner of the challenge shield.   A junior player of 14 years achieving a remarkable performance playing in a section above his current English Chess federation grading.

Intermediate. Rob Wilby, Totnes. Winner of the Intermediate Cup for second successive time.

Minor. George Darling winner of the Candidates Cup on Tiebreak with Mike Cuggy, Brixham.

Robert Thompson, from Kingskerswell, Devon. Winner of the Ralph Newman Cup for 2007 for the highest score achieved across all graded sections.

SUCCESS FOR DEVON JUNIOR

The 14 strong England Junior Squad that attended the Guernsey International Festival, included Robert Thompson a pupil at Torquay Boys' Grammar school.  He played in the Holiday section and finished as outright winner with six points from seven games.

THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION MATCH

The 50th Anniversary of the Torbay League was celebrated by a match against Exeter and District played at the Torbay Boys' Grammar School on Sunday 30th September.  Originally it was planned as a 50 board match but, unfortunately, Exeter were unable to raise the requisite number of players and eventually with the help of extra Torbay players a match of 46 boards was arranged.

Trefor Thynne, the President of the Torbay League and captain of the league side, welcomed all players with a short account of how the league was formed and drew attention to copies of the minutes displayed that recorded the meeting at which the league was initially established..  In particular he welcomed Ken Bloodworth, now working on his centenary, to the match.  Ken was mentioned in the minutes and must now be the oldest surviving member of the league.  The captain of the league team that won the WECU graded tournament the week before, Rob Wilby, was presented with the WECU cup and a personal award for his efforts in the preceding season.  Bill Ingham won a similar award.

Bob Jones, as the visiting captain, responded to Trefor's welcome and offered congratulations and well wishes from Mrs Jones, the wife of Eddy Jones, who had been a prime mover in the formation of the league, and Gary Lane, who had been the most prominent player in the league.  Writing from Australia, where he has now settled with his family, Gary's message was :-

"I wish to offer my congratulations on the Torbay League's 50th anniversary. This was a great environment in which to practice my chess and left many fond memories. It was invaluable to play against such experienced players as Ivor Annetts, for example, Peter Halmkin, Bill Frost, John Gorodi and Alan Brusey. However, my memory must be fading, because since then, all of them claim to have beaten me!

Have a great time, and I hope Torbay wins".

Play started at three o'clock and at the close the official result was Torbay League 30½ points, Exeter and District 15½.  There is no evidence that Torbay members playing for Exeter artificially assisted such a massive victory.

A rather sumptuous tea was provided and as a memento of the occasion, each player received an inscribed pen.

Victor Cross, as arbiter, was given the invidious task of arranging the pairings at short notice and must be cleared of any hint of partisanship.

All thanks are due to Trefor Thynne for planning and organising the event together with a handful of helpers on the day.

Footnote.

Of the 46 games played, 35 were between Torbay and Exeter players.  This match was won by Torbay with 25 points against 10. 

Torbay winners in this "match" were D. Mackle, E. Walton, T. Thynne, C. Howard, J. Gorodi, H. Mann, R. Barnes, R. Wilby, C. Doidge, A. Tatam, N. Tidy, P. Ruszelak, m. Fisher, M. Chester, J. Ariss, A. Hatch, R. Chubb, J. Doidge, P. Gwynne, and S. Howard.  Drawn games were played by W. Ingham, S. Schofield, P. Halmkin, A. Clarke, E. Smith, M. Quinn, K. Bloodworth, W. Frost and M. Cuggy.