TORBAY & DISTRICT LEAGUE  NEWS

Season 2007/2008

Animations - chess-01

CELEBRATING THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR FORMATION

Links to other news pages etc

 Please click below for contents of this page

League Officers 2007/2008
Extract from September Newsletter
The Fiftieth Anniversay Match
League Tables
Lastest TCL Report from Tony Tatam

 

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

The 41st. Torbay League Congress was held at the Belgrave Hotel, Seafront, Torquay, from 23rd. to 25th. 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 41st. Torbay Congress. He reported that this years Congress was special as it is in the 50th 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.

Highest Scoring Torbay league player in each section.

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.

Highest Scoring Devon Player Across all Sections.

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

 

FINAL POSITIONS

OPEN

1st Equal

S. Dilleigh  (181)  (Horfiels, Bristol)  4/5

 

D. Littlejohns  (166) (Taunton)

3rd Equal

A.L. Therrien (193) (Exeter, Devon) 3˝/ 5

 

I. Ponter (170) (Downsend & Fishpond)

 

M.J. Yeo (186) (Wessex 4NCL & Lymington)

 

P. Helbig (177) (Keysham, Bath)

Note: There were no senior players who scored more than 70% in the Open Section.

Grading Prizes Under 175. Ian Ponter (170) Downsend & Fishponds. 3.5 / 5

Grading Prize Under 160. R.J. Webster (157) Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. 3 / 5

MAJOR (Under 155)

1st

R. Thompson (121 Junior)* (Newton Abbot, Devon) 5 / 5

Equal 2nd.

S. Schofield (136) (Newton Abbot) 4 / 5

 

W. Drennan (137) (Battersea)

 

 

Grading Prizes

 

 Under 126 - 135.

D. Rogers (127) Exmouth. 2˝ / 5

 

C. Sellwood (133) Camborne.

 

M. Cresswell (130) East Ham

 

L. Fursman (129) Tewkesbury

 

P. Halmkin (131) Teignmouth

 

R. Spence (133) Malvern

 

I. Annetts (135) Tiverton

 

J. Nielsen (132) Wimborne

Grading Prizes Under 125.

T. Stephenson (122) Exeter 2.5 / 5

INTERMEDIATE  (Under 125)

1st

J. Symons (114) (Salisbury) 4.5 / 5

Equal 3rd

R.G. Wilby (116) (Totnes, Devon) 4 / 5

 

H. Mann  (119 Junior) (Newton Abbot, Devon)

 

N.F. Tidy (99) (St. Marychurch, Devon)

 

T.V. Greenaway (110) ( Reading)

MINOR (Under 100)

1st

A. Fraser (87) (Beckham & Bromley) 5 / 5

Equal 2nd

M.J. Cuggy (95) (Brixham, Devon) 4 / 5

 

G. Darling (76 Junior) (Torquay B.G.S., Devon)

 

J. Maloney (85) (Exeter, Devon)

 

J. Clark (98) (Droitwich, Worcs)

 

P. Ruszelak (97) (St. Marychurch, Devon)

Grading Prizes Under 84.

R. Hood (83) (ISCA) 3˝ / 5

 

P. Gwynne (80) (Teignmouth)

Grading Prizes Under 72.

I. Bowman (55) (Corwall) 3 / 5

Torbay Congress 2008 will take place on 21, 22 and 23 November 2008, at the Belgrave Hotel.

 

For database of Open games  CLICK HERE

For a selection of games played in the Intermediate - CLICK HERE

Torbay Open 2007 (Amended 7/11/07)

  1 2 3 4 5  
1 Dilleigh,S. + ˝/9 - 1/16 + 1/15 - 1/4 + ˝/8 4.0 / 5
2 Littlejohns,D. + ˝/3 - ˝/22 + 1/16 - 1/14 - 1/7 4.0 / 5
3 Yeo,M.J. - ˝/2 + 1/10 - 1/11 + ˝/8 - ˝/5 3.5 / 5
4 Therrien,A. - 1/17 + 1/6 - ˝/8 + 0/1 - 1/10 3.5 / 5
5 Ponter,I. + 1/18 - 0/14 + 1/22 - 1/6 + ˝/3 3.5 / 5
6 Webster,R. + 1/13 - 0/4 - 1/19 + 0/5 + 1/14 3.0 / 5
7 Cannon,R.J. + ˝/15 - 1/9 + ˝/14 - 1/11 + 0/2 3.0 / 5
8 Helbig,P. - 0/12 + 1/19 + ˝/4 - ˝/3 - ˝/1 2.5 / 5
9 Kendall,P.S.N. - ˝/1 + 0/7 - ˝/18 + 1/19 - ˝/13 2.5 / 5
10 Brusey,A.W. + ˝/14 - 0/3 + 1/20 - 1/15 + 0/4 2.5 / 5
11 Wheeler,J.F. + ˝/16 - 1/20 + 0/3 + 0/7 - 1/12 2.5 / 5
12 Bartlett,S. + 1/8 - ˝/13 + ˝/21 - ˝/17 + 0/11 2.5 / 5
13 Homer,S. - 0/6 + ˝/12 + ˝/B - 1/22 + ˝/9 2.5 / 5
14 Burrows,M. - ˝/10 + 1/5 - ˝/7 + 0/2 - 0/6 2.0 / 5
15 Waterfield,J. - ˝/7 + 1/17 - 0/1 + 0/10 - ˝/18 2.0 / 5
16 Dunn,A. - ˝/11 + 0/1 - 0/2 + 1/23 + ˝/17 2.0 / 5
17 Regis,D. + 0/4 - 0/15 + 1/B + ˝/12 - ˝/16 2.0 / 5
18 Burton,R. - 0/5 - ˝/21 + ˝/9 + ˝/B + ˝/15 2.0 / 5
19 Mackle,D. + 1/21 - 0/8 + 0/6 - 0/9 + 1/B 2.0 / 5
20 Abbott,M. + ˝/B + 0/11 - 0/10 - ˝/21 + 1/22 2.0 / 5
21 Beveridge,N. - 0/19 + ˝/18 - ˝/12 + ˝/20 W/D 1.5 / 4
22 Hamilton,S. + ˝/B + ˝/2 - 0/5 + 0/13 - 0/20 1.0 / 5
23 Papier,A.   - 0/16   0.0 / 1

 

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.

 

 

TORBAY CHESS LEAGUE - latest news from Tony Tatam – 27th April 2008

 

TEIGNMOUTH are the TCL CHAMPIONS
 

The final Division 1 fixture of the season saw Newton Abbot defeat previously unbeaten Teignmouth 2˝-1˝ at the Courtney Centre. This result meant that both Clubs finished level on 9 points but it is Teignmouth with a slightly superior games points record who are the TCL Champions. Newton Abbot were leading 2˝-˝ and the final game would decide the Championship. A win for either Club would give them the title and a draw would mean the title would be shared. So no pressure on Charlie Howard and John Gorodi then. With an endgame of Rook, Bishop & Pawn against Rook and Pawn both players went for the win but it was the home player with the pawn advantage whose flag which fell first to give Teignmouth the precious 1˝ games points that enabled them to take the title. And so it was that the TCL Championship was decided in the last game of the last Division 1 match of the season.

The next night the Division 3 title was decided in a similar fashion when Plymouth were leading 2-1 against Totnes. In the last game Plymouth’s Rob Barnes was playing Rob Wilby on Board 1. A win or draw for Plymouth meant they would win the match and take the title. Totnes needed a win to draw the match and take the title. Both players frantically pounded out the moves as the flags hovered. The Totnes flag fell first but several seconds passed before Rob Barnes noticed and claimed the win. And so it was that the Division 3 title was won in the last minute of the last game of the last league match.

Who would have predicted that two of the four leagues would not be decided until the last match of the season and that a different Club would win each of the four leagues,

Division 1 - Teignmouth

Division 2 - St Marychurch

Division 3 - Plymouth

Rapidplay - Newton Abbot

In the other matches played recently, Totnes played three Rapidplay fixtures in the space of just seven days, losing the first 1-7 away to St Marychurch and then winning the next two 7-1 at home and then 7-1 away, to bottom of the table South Hams. In the final Rapidplay match Champions Newton Abbot lost at home 2-6 to St Marychurch who finished as Runners-up.

In Division 2, Teignmouth won their final match 2˝-1˝ against the youngsters from Torquay BGS who had to settle for bottom spot. And in the final Division 2 match Plymouth won away to Brixham to snatch the Runners-up spot away from Teignmouth on games points.

St Marychurch drew their third consecutive Division 3 match when they were held at home by the Newton Abbot Pawns who were fresh from their whitewashing of the Champions elect. Teignmouth completed their Division 3 fixtures with a win over Torquay BGS and the Division was set for the top of the table showpiece title decider between Plymouth and Totnes.

The season is all but complete, as the only fixture now remaining is the KO Cup Final, Newton Abbot v Plymouth, which will be played on the 7th May.

Regards to all,

Tony

 

 

 

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 30˝ points, Exeter and District 15˝.  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.

 

 

Our thanks to Tony Tatam for providing the following tables.

 

TORBAY CHESS LEAGUE 2007-08

Division 1

 

Division 3 continued

13-Nov-07

Teignmouth

2˝-1˝

South Hams

 

11-Dec-07

TBGS

0 - 4

Ntn.Ab.Knights

22-Nov-07

Newton Abbot

4 - 0

South Hams

 

11-Dec-07

Teignmouth

3 - 1

Totnes

12-Dec-07

Newton Abbot

2˝-1˝

St Marychurch

 

13-Dec-07

Plymouth

3 - 1

Ntn.Ab.Pawns

13-Dec-07

St Marychurch

2 - 2

Teignmouth

 

18-Dec-07

TBGS

1 - 3

Ntn.Ab.Pawns

10-Jan-08

St Marychurch

2 - 2

Newton Abbot

 

20-Dec-07

Ntn.Ab.Knights

3 - 1

Teignmouth

15-Jan-08

Teignmouth

3˝-˝

Newton Abbot

 

02-Jan-08

Ntn.Ab.Pawns

2˝-1˝

St Marychurch

17-Jan-08

South Hams

1 - 3

St Marychurch

 

07-Jan-08

Totnes

1 - 3

Plymouth

24-Jan-08

South Hams

˝-3˝

Teignmouth

 

15-Jan-08

Teignmouth

3 - 1

TBGS

28-Feb-08

St Marychurch

3 - 1

South Hams

 

16-Jan-08

Ntn.Ab.Knights

1˝-2˝

Ntn.Ab.Pawns

18-Mar-08

Teignmouth

2˝-1˝

St Marychurch

 

24-Jan-08

TBGS

1˝-2˝

Totnes

27-Mar-08

South Hams

1 - 3

Newton Abbot

 

31-Jan-08

St Marychurch

2 - 2

Plymouth

23-Apr-08

Newton Abbot

2˝-1˝

Teignmouth

 

07-Feb-08

Plymouth

2 - 2

TBGS

 

11-Feb-08

Totnes

4 - 0

Ntn.Ab.Knights

Division 2

 

13-Feb-08

Ntn.Ab.Pawns

1 - 3

Teignmouth

10-Oct-07

TBGS

0 - 4

Plymouth

 

21-Feb-08

Ntn.Ab.Knights

1˝-2˝

Plymouth

16-Oct-07

Teignmouth

3 - 1

Newton Abbot

 

25-Feb-08

TBGS

2 - 2

St Marychurch

23-Oct-07

Brixham

1˝-2˝

Totnes

 

03-Mar-08

Totnes

2˝-1˝

Ntn.Ab.Pawns

15-Nov-07

St Marychurch

3 - 1

Brixham

 

04-Mar-08

Teignmouth

3 - 1

St Marychurch

28-Nov-07

Newton Abbot

3˝-˝

TBGS

 

12-Mar-08

Ntn.Ab.Knights

˝-3˝

TBGS

04-Dec-07

Teignmouth

˝-3˝

St Marychurch

 

13-Mar-08

St Marychurch

2 - 2

Ntn.Ab.Knights

04-Dec-07

TBGS

4 - 0

Totnes *

 

13-Mar-08

Plymouth

1 - 3

Teignmouth

06-Dec-07

Plymouth

2˝-1˝

Newton Abbot

 

20-Mar-08

Ntn.Ab.Pawns

˝-3˝

TBGS

10-Dec-07

Totnes

1˝-2˝

Teignmouth

 

26-Mar-08

Ntn.Ab.Pawns

4 - 0

Plymouth

21-Jan-08

Totnes

3 - 1

Plymouth

 

31-Mar-08

Totnes

2 - 2

St Marychurch

22-Jan-08

Brixham

1˝-2˝

Teignmouth

 

01-Apr-08

Teignmouth

1 - 3

Ntn.Ab.Knights

24-Jan-08

St Marychurch

2 - 2

TBGS

 

10-Apr-08

St Marychurch

2 - 2

Ntn.Ab.Pawns

12-Feb-08

TBGS

1˝-2˝

Brixham

 

15-Apr-08

TBGS

1˝-2˝

Teignmouth

18-Feb-08

Totnes

1 - 3

St Marychurch

 

24-Apr-08

Plymouth

3 - 1

Totnes

21-Feb-08

Newton Abbot

3 - 1

Totnes

 

06-Mar-08

St Marychurch

2 - 2

Newton Abbot

 

Rapidplay

10-Mar-08

Plymouth

1 - 3

St Marychurch

 

17-Oct-07

Newton Abbot

6 - 2

Totnes

13-Mar-08

Plymouth

3˝-˝

Teignmouth

 

18-Oct-07

St Marychurch

3 - 5

Brixham

20-Mar-08

Newton Abbot

1˝-2˝

Brixham

 

31-Oct-07

Newton Abbot

5˝-2˝

South Hams

08-Apr-08

Teignmouth

2˝-1˝

TBGS

 

01-Nov-07

South Hams

4˝-3˝

St Marychurch

15-Apr-08

Brixham

1 - 3

Plymouth

 

06-Nov-07

Brixham

2˝-5˝

Newton Abbot

* exceeded grading limit

 

19-Nov-07

Totnes

6 - 2

Brixham

Division 3

 

17-Dec-07

Totnes

2 - 6

St Marychurch

03-Oct-07

Ntn.Ab.Pawns

2 - 2

Ntn.Ab.Knights

 

03-Jan-08

St Marychurch

3 - 5

Newton Abbot

04-Oct-07

St Marychurch

3 - 1

Totnes

 

15-Jan-08

Brixham

2 - 6

St Marychurch

15-Oct-07

Totnes

4 - 0

TBGS

 

28-Jan-08

Totnes

7 - 1

Newton Abbot

25-Oct-07

Plymouth

2 - 2

St Marychurch

 

30-Jan-08

Newton Abbot

6 - 2

Brixham

25-Oct-07

Ntn.Ab.Knights

1˝-2˝

Totnes

 

07-Feb-08

St Marychurch

7˝-˝

South Hams

29-Oct-07

Totnes

3 - 1

Teignmouth

 

19-Feb-08

Brixham

4˝-3˝

South Hams

30-Oct-07

TBGS

1 - 3

Plymouth

 

26-Feb-08

Brixham

4 - 4

Totnes

30-Oct-07

Teignmouth

3 - 1

Ntn.Ab.Pawns

 

06-Mar-08

South Hams

3 - 5

Newton Abbot

06-Nov-07

Teignmouth

1˝-2˝

Plymouth

 

13-Mar-08

South Hams

2 - 6

Brixham

08-Nov-07

St Marychurch

3 - 1

TBGS

 

03-Apr-08

St Marychurch

7 - 1

Totnes

15-Nov-07

Plymouth

3˝-˝

Ntn.Ab.Knights

 

07-Apr-08

Totnes

7 - 1

South Hams

22-Nov-07

Ntn.Ab.Knights

1˝-2˝

St Marychurch

 

10-Apr-08

South Hams

1 - 7

Totnes

22-Nov-07

Ntn.Ab.Pawns

0 - 4

Totnes

 

23-Apr-08

Newton Abbot

2 - 6

St Marychurch

06-Dec-07

St Marychurch

3 - 1

Teignmouth

 

updated 25 April 2008

Division 1

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

Teignmouth

6

4

1

1

15˝

8˝

9

Newton Abbot

6

4

1

1

14˝

9˝

9

St Marychurch

6

2

2

2

13

11

6

South Hams

6

0

0

6

5

19

0

Division 2

P

W

D

L

F

A