'A' Team Beat Division 1 Champions

The 'A' team pulled off a fantastic win against Holmes Chapel to 'A', the Division 1 Champions, last night. Holmes Chapel had 2 Welsh Internationals on their top 2 boards and, overall, outgraded us by 59 points. Petru was back on form on board 2 and got our first win of the night. Kas followed up with a great win on board 3 to put us 2-0 in front. We were pegged back when Gerald was beaten on board 1, followed by Glyn losing on board 4, in a game that he looked to be winning at one point. With the score level at 2-2 all eyes were on Max on board 5. He was a couple of pawns up but under tremendous pressure from a King side attack and with  less than a minute on his clock. However after some exchanges in a time scramble, he somehow managed to mate his opponent and win us the match. How he did it only he knows !! We are now joint 2nd in the Division, level with Cheddleton 'A' on match points but slightly behind on game points. Our last match is against Newcastle 'A' on the 1st May. Cheddleton 'A' also have play Newcastle 'A' in their final match this Wednesday 27th March. Depending on the result of this match we still have the opportunity to grab the runners-up spot. This is a tremendous achievement for the Club in our first ever season in the top Division. Click here for last night's match score card.

County U140 Match

Max and I both played for the County U140 team against Lincolnshire in their final MCCU Championship match this afternoon, with mixed results. Max had an easy win in 17 moves on board 4. I contrived to throw a winning position away on board 3. I had 2 Knights for a Rook and was about to pick up another couple of pawns when, for reasons best known to myself, I left one of the Knights en prise and proceeded to lose my 3rd game of the week. The team were beaten 9.5 - 6.5. Click here for the full match score card.

Friendly Match

We will be playing a return friendly match against Madeley on Monday 13th May.

'B' Team Whitewashed

The 'B' team suffered their worst defeat of the season last night - a 5-0 whitewash at the hands of table topping Crewe 'A'.  Click here for the match score card. I'd like to say there were some highlights in the match but the sad fact is that there weren't, so the less said about it the better !!

Bad Weekend For Petru

Petru had a bad weekend playing for Cheddleton in 4NCL Division 3 North, losing both of his matches.

Match Default

Unfortunately we have been unable to raise a team for our Major Cup Semi-Final at Crewe tomorrow night. It is far too late to request a postponement so we have conceded the match.

Late News

Apologies for the lateness of some of this news but I've been on holiday for the past week.

Well done to Stuart on his draw on board 1 for the County U100 team against Warwickshire last Saturday. Unfortunately the team took a hammering by 9.5 - 2.5. Click here for the match score card.

The 'B' team got a welcome second win of the season, completing a double over Holmes Chapel Rooks by 3-2. Click here for the match score card.

The 'C' team's both recent matches - against Cheddleton 'E' and Newcastle 'D' - have both been postponed. No new dates have been agreed yet.

Endgame Blunder Costs Us The Match

The 'A' team came away from Cheddleton with a 2.5 - 2.5 draw last night, but it should really have been a 3-2 win. The only reason it wasn't is because yours truly blundered a pawn away in a totally drawn endgame whilst in time trouble. Gerald got a quick Grandmaster draw on board 1 but Cheddleton then took the lead as Glyn lost on board 3. Max got us back in it with an excellent win on board 5 and we then went in front when Petru won his game on board 2. We just needed a draw from my game on board 4 to take the match but time trouble cost me the game. Click here for the match score card.

Fenton Given Stern Test By Madeley

We sent a team of Division 3 strength to play Madeley in our friendly match last night. We came out on top by 3.5 - 1.5, but not without a struggle. Grenville lost very quickly on board 3, despite being the exchange up after a very aggressive opening. He then proceeded to lose twice more, while playing friendly games against the same opponent, before anybody else had even looked like finishing !! Derek brought us level with a win on board 4, followed shortly afterwards by a draw on board 5 for Robert. Our new recruit, Julian Hawthorne, won his game on board 2 on time to put us in the lead, but was in a winning position anyway. Glyn's game also went to the wire before he won on time as well, but his opponent looked to have good drawing chances. Based on their performance last night Madeley will be a very welcome addition to the league next season, should they decide to join. Click here to view last night's score card.

Grenville Draws For The County

Grenville played on board 3 for the County U120 team against Worcestershire yesterday, drawing his game in a match that also ended in a 6-6 draw. Click here to view the match score card.