The results to date for the U160 team
U160 Team Results
2011- 2012 Season
I wish to start this report by stating a big thank you to all who played for Herts U160 in the match at Wanstead yesterday afternoon. This match has been a problem from the moment wrangling started over the date in pre-season, through contacting a total of 48 players in an effort to field a complete team, to the moment we arrived at the venue yesterday to be told the match was supposed to start at 1.30 pm. Nobody had bothered to tell Hertfordshire. I am therefore delighted to report that despite our depleted resources, we pulled off an excellent 10 - 6 win against Essex
Bruce Toper was an early winner, and although Essex had an early success of their own, the indications round the room were favourable for Herts. Alan Gore put us ahead, only for Essex to draw level again. Some games were looking less certain, so each half-point could prove vital. Wins for Jon Barnes and Simon Charles put us two up, only for Essex to reduce the arrears to one with the score now 7 - 6. A win for Paul Kenning took us to 8 - 6, and we needed a half-point from the two remaining boards, featuring Lara Osiyemi and Chris Russell, who were both playing their first match for Herts U160. Lara's game was fluctuating in fortunes, but was now in real danger of being lost. His opponent had the advantage of a bishop, but Lara had a pawn on the seventh rank that could not be taken without the help of the King. Could Lara move his king across to win the remaining white pawns? Chris meanwhile had one of those rook and pawns end games that was level, but could swing either way. With the clock approaching 6.30 pm, Chris delivered the winning point as his pawn was set to queen first, and Lara then finally reaped the rewards for his bold pawn play as his rook's pawn became unstoppable.
Our final match is home to Surrey on Saturday 24th March at Harpenden Seniors Club. Much depends on Surrey's intervening results against Middlesex and Kent, but with Essex having completed their matches with just one win, it is likely that a win would be sufficient to see us qualify in third place for the national ECF QF with an away match against the Midlands champions. If Surrey lose to Middlesex and Kent, even a narrow defeat might be enough!
Another date for the diary is the SCCU Jamboree, which this year is to be held at Wanstead on Saturday 14th April, when I shall be organising a team of six for the U150 section. I can confirm that the eligible gradings will be the new January gradings which were released yesterday.
I shall be in touch in early March to arrange the team for the Surrey match, but if you are aware that you are unavailable for this date, please let me know soonest.
| Board | Essex | Grade | Score | Herts | Grade | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malcolm Kingsley (B) | 159 | 0.5 | Mark Topham | 155 | 0.5 |
| 2 | Peter Laundy | 158 | 0 | Paul Kenning | 155 | 1 |
| 3 | Tom Winter | 155 | 0 | Bruce Toper | 155 | 1 |
| 4 | Ian Morgan | 153 | 0.5 | Ian Cross | 154 | 0.5 |
| 5 | Ken Clow | 151 | 0.5 | Stephen Leadbetter | 150 | 0.5 |
| 6 | John Wright | 149 | 0 | Lara Osiyemi | 149 | 1 |
| 7 | David Smith | 149 | 0.5 | Mark Harris | 145 | 0.5 |
| 8 | Ken Groce | 147 | 0 | Jon Barnes | 145 | 1 |
| 9 | Keith Cook | 143 | 0.5 | Mike Price | 144 | 0.5 |
| 10 | Ian Woodward | 142 | 0 | Simon Charles | 144 | 1 |
| 11 | Paul Kellett | 140e | 0 | Alan Gore | 143 | 1 |
| 12 | Sean Carew | 139e | 1 | Patrick Fitzgerald | 141 | 0 |
| 13 | Trevor Dickerson | 137 | 0.5 | Steve Dicks | 137 | 0.5 |
| 14 | Daniel Hardy-Wallace | 136 | 0 | Chris Russell | 136 | 1 |
| 15 | Alan Riddoch | 128 | 1 | Andrew MacLaren | 128 | 0 |
| 16 | Peter Nickals | 128 | 1 | Dave Belton | 141 | 0 |
| Board | Middlesex | Grade | Score | Herts | Grade | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ray V Harper | 156 | 1 | Barry Lane | 159 | 0 |
| 2 | Jonathan Kay | 155 | 0.5 | Brian Judkins | 159 | 0.5 |
| 3 | Greg Breed | 153 | 1 | Bruce Toper | 155 | 0 |
| 4 | Barnaby Graff | 152 | 0 | Ian Mutton | 155 | 1 |
| 5 | Simon Healeas | 151 | 0 | Paul Kenning | 155 | 1 |
| 6 | John Woolley | 151 | 0.5 | Ian Cross | 154 | 0.5 |
| 7 | Nigel Colter | 151 | 0.5 | Stephen Leadbetter | 150 | 0.5 |
| 8 | Richard Thursby | 147 | 1 | Simon Morris | 149 | 0 |
| 9 | Michael Price | 147 | 1 | Allan Hutton | 149 | 0 |
| 10 | David Razzell | 147 | 1 | Paul Laskier | 147 | 0 |
| 11 | Steve Sonnis | 141 | 0.5 | Mark Harris | 145 | 0.5 |
| 12 | Frank Zurstiege | 140 | 0 | Jon Barnes | 145 | 1 |
| 13 | Keith Jones | 140 | 0.5 | Simon Charles | 144 | 0.5 |
| 14 | Peter Morton | 140 | 0.5 | Mike Price | 144 | 0.5 |
| 15 | Martin Leanse | 138 | 0 | Alan Gore | 143 | 1 |
| 16 | Richard Dunn | 135 | 1 | Patrick Fitzgerald | 141 | 0 |