Inter County U-150 team 2008/9

Team Captain: Alan Thomason.

MCCU Inter-Counties Under-150 Championship

Staffordshire 13 - 3 Leicestershire
Match played 21 February 2009 at Newcastle Bridge Club.

Match report by Alan Thomason:
We put out a very strong side, although on grading Leicestershire were close, we did not lose on a single board – that is a tremendous result (10 wins, 6 draws).

Good play from everybody – after near misses at Manchester & Warwickshire, we were ready for a win – and what a win!  I was also pleased to maintain regular players in the side – with only two new ‘first time this season’ players – Martyn and Kevin , both of whom added to the team strength – and two points to the bottom line!

Newcastle UL Bridge Club has to be the best venue in Staffs – there were many favourable comments from both Leicestershire and Staffordshire players – thanks to Martyn for arriving early and getting things setup.

It is always difficult to make a final selection when you have a strong squad to pick from - so thanks to all who played on Saturday and to those who did not play on Saturday but play our previous matches (Nottingham/Manchester/Warwickshire).

Given the result, it is difficult to single out any individual board - I would just like to mention Mike Groombridge’s draw on board 11 which could so easily have been a win if the Leicestershire player (C.Tipper) had not found the knight promotion which just kept him in the game – who else missed that?  I did!

I don’t know whether or not we have done enough to qualify for the next round until all of the results are in – in any case, we have the makings of a very strong U150 squad for next season – and hopefully we will be able attract other Staffordshire players in the 130+ bracket who would like to join us and share our celebration of future victories.

Greater Manchester 9 - 7 Staffordshire
Match played 10 January 2009.

Match report by Alan Thomason:
The match was a close fought contest, and after 12 games we were down by 1 point, with 11 others having been drawn.  That was the measure of the match....too close to call, with both teams battling hard for every point, as they approached the final hours play.

Bill Armstrong achieved a well deserved draw on board 3 .......middle game saw both players attacking Kings on opposite wings...Rooks and Queens figuring prominently in the action.  Bill looked to be losing at one point, with his opponents' strong attack on the Q-side looking to be within a whisker of a mating attack...but a draw ensued after Bill engineered good counter-play with Q +R attack on the K-side in a see-saw battle.

Our only win on the day (12 draws, 1 win, 3 losses) was William Rea against David Newell - well done William.

Regards, Alan

Bd	Grade	G Manchester	Score	Score	Staffordshire	Grade
1	147	John Reed	½	½	Philip Porter	145
2	137	David Knox	½	½	David Daniels	144
3	135	Andrew Sainsbury	½	½	Bill Armstrong	144
4	142	Ghassan El Gehani	½	½	John Staniforth	142
5	142	Mark Roberts	½	½	Steve Hill	137
6	142	Alan Beresford	1	0	Peter Leary	136
7	133	Mitchell Burke	1	0	Ben Zitha	135
8	135	James Murphy	1	0	Stephane Pedder	135
9	137	Graham Ball	½	½	Mike Groombridge	131
10	136	Jon Lonsdale	½	½	Derek Perks	130
11	131	Mick Connor	½	½	Richard Parker	130
12	129	David Newell	0	1	William Rea	129
13	128	Jim Nicolson	½	½	Alan Thomason	117
14	125	Thomas Clements	½	½	Max Wootton	116
15	117	David Kierman	½	½	Geoff Lee	113
16	113	Ray Sumner	½	½	Ken Francis	110
		TOTALS	9	7

Alan told me the game against G Manchester was painfully close.  With the U150 team having 2 wins and such a close result, the final match against Leicester could secure the team a place in the national stages.  This will be a home fixture, so if you're available and interested please get in touch with Alan.

Warwickshire 8½ - 7½ Staffordshire
Match played 22 November 2008 at Warley Quinborne Chess Club, Quinton, Birmingham.

Bd	Grade	Warwickshire	Score	Score	Staffordshire	Grade
1	149	Adam Draper	0	1	D Daniels	144
2	147	Mark Cundy	1	0	B Armstrong	144
3	147	Richard C Reynolds	1	0	J Staniforth	142
4	144	Tom Robinson	½	½	D Gibson	138
5	143	Robert Reynolds	½	½	S Hill	137
6	140	Darren Lee	½	½	M May	137
7	139	Gary Hope	½	½	P Leary	136
8	139	Mike Maher	0	1	B Zitha	135
9	139	Phil  Bull	½	½	M Groombridge	131
10	137	Rob Wallman	½	½	D Perks	130
11	137	Simon Smith	1	0	R Parker	130
12	136	John Fahy	½	½	W Rea	129
13	134	Trevor Holt	1	0	S Harris	126
14	131	Alan Burnet	0	1	M Wootton	116
15	129	Jon Turner	1	0	G Lee	113
16	127	Chris Evans	0	1	K Francis	110
		TOTALS	8½	7½

Nottinghamshire 7½ - 8½ Staffordshire
Match played 25 October 2008 in Nothinghamshire.

Bd	Grade	Nottinghamshire	Score	Score	Staffordshire	Grade
1	147	Kevin Harvey	½	½	Philip Porter	145
2	144	Brian Hayward	½	½	David Daniels	144
3	143	Will Place	½	½	John Staniforth	142
4	142	Drag Sudar	0	1	Frank Wood	141
5	141	Graeme Jennings	0	1	Diarmid Gibson	138
6	138	Steve Hunter	½	½	Steve Hill	137
7	137	John Collins	1	0	Martin May	137
8	135	Neil Graham	½	½	Peter Leary	136
9	125	Keith Brameld	0	1	Ben Zitha	135
10	123	John Tassi	½	½	Mike Groombridge	131
11	122	Norman Davies	1	0	Derek Perks	130
12	121	Marcel Taylor	1	0	William Rea	129
13	120	Phil Court	½	½	Alan Thomason	117
14	120	Dave Flynn	½	½	Max Wootton	116
15	116	Graham Gibson	0	1	Geoff Lee	113
16	109	Benny Lim	½	½	Ken Francis	110
		TOTALS	7½	8½