OPEN
4 entries (5 last year)
This has changed more than once, but we suspect is now in its definitive form. Firstly the entry deadline was extended to 21st December. Then it was announced on 6th February that three teams had entered, with a Preliminary draw which we didn't really understand. We now hear 14th February from the Home Director that a fourth team has entered, giving rise to a semi-final draw which we do understand. Semi-finals (by 9th June) Wood Green 5½ ½ Mushrooms; Ilford 2½ 3½ Maidstone (originally given as "2 4 unless something very strange happened in the last game after I left, but Maidstone had won by then anyway". Something must have.) Final Wood Green 6 0 Maidstone
MAJOR
15 entries (15 last year) Round 1 (by 16th December) Bedford 2 3 Diss Appointed (Norfolk); Wood Green 2 3 Brown Jack (Swindon); Cosham 2 3 Hackney; London Deaf 1 4 Maidstone; Sidmouth (Devon) 1½ 3½ Gloucester; Tunbridge Wells 2½ 2½ *Hastings & St Leonards; Wanstead & Woodford 1½ 3½ Milton Keynes; Metropolitan v Bye Quarter-finals (by 30th March) Diss Appointed 4 1 Milton Keynes; Hastings & St Leonards 1½ 3½ Hackney; Brown Jack 3½ 1½ Gloucester; Maidstone 2½ 2½ *Metropolitan Semi-finals (by 8th June) Hackney 3 2 Brown Jack; Metropolitan 2 3 Diss Appointed Final Hackney 3 2 Diss Appointed
PLATE Quarter-finals London Deaf 2 3 Wanstead & Woodford; Tunbridge Wells scr w/o Wood Green; byes: Cosham, Sidmouth Semi-finals (by 7th June) Wanstead & Woodford w/o scr Sidmouth; Cosham 1½ 3½ Wood Green Final Wood Green 3½ 1½ Wanstead & Woodford
MINOR
16 entries (22 last year) Round 1 (by 21st January) Ashfield (Notts) 3 1 Bedford; Lancaster 2½ 1½ Bushbury (Staffs); Barton upon Humber (Yorks) 1 3 Alwoodley (Yorks); Maidstone 1½ 2½ Hackney; Milton Keynes w/o scr Newark (Notts); Forest of Dean (Glos) 1½ 2½ Cosham (Hants); Wanstead & Woodford 3½ ½ Tunbridge Wells; Thurrock 2½ 1½ Magdalen College School Quarter-finals (by 31st March) Alwoodley* 2 2 Lancaster; Hackney w/o scr Thurrock; Cosham* 2 2 Wanstead & Woodford; Milton Keynes scr w/o Ashfield Semi-finals (by 31st May) Lancaster 2 2 *Ashfield; Hackney* 2 2 Cosham Final Hackney* 2 2 Ashfield
PLATE Quarter-finals Tunbridge Wells 3½ ½ Forest of Dean; Magdalen College School 1½ 2½ Maidstone; Bushbury 3 1 Barton on Humber; Newark v Bye Semi-finals Maidstone 1½ 2½ Tunbridge Wells; Newark 1½ 2½ Bushbury Final Bushbury 3 1 Tunbridge Wells
Note 14.12.07. We remarked at the outset that Tunbridge Wells's entry seemed to have strayed, and we were pretty sure Wanstead's had. Both are retrieved and the entry, as anticipated, has gone up from 14 to 16. We have inserted the new fixture. Later: and the result, and we rather wish it hadn't happened.
Note 13.1.08 on Thurrock. Until now we have listed this club as "Thubridge" because that's what the Controller called it. We went so far as to surmise that it might be a combined team, Thurrock plus Woodbridge say, except that combined teams are against the rules of the competition. David Payne writes today: "I have no idea where Thurbridge (sic) came from. I can clarify that it is in fact Thurrock Chess Club. I am the captain."
UNDER 100
10 entries (9 last year) Round 1 (by 28th January) Snodland* 2 2 Thurrock; Rainham 1 3 Westcliff Quarter-finals (by 25th February) Rushall (Staffs) 1½ 2½ Buckley / Mold (Cheshire & N Wales); Syston (Leics) 1½ 2½ Forest of Dean (Glos); Maidstone 2 2 *Hastings & St Leonards; Westcliff ½ 3½ Snodland Semi-finals (by 31st May) Buckley / Mold 1½ 2½ Forest of Dean; Snodland 2½ 1½ Hastings Final Snodland 4 0 Forest of Dean
PLATE Quarter-finals (by 27th April) Thurrock v Rainham; Syston v Rushall; byes: Westcliff, Maidstone
Note 7.7.08. The Plate got stuck somewhere round this point. We understand both quarter-finals were defaulted, but don't know by whom. No doubt the semi-finals are paired and arranged, and the Final will be played when it is played. Note 22.11.08. We don't remember seeing it announced, but we have just learnt that the competition will be left where it was and the trophy will not be awarded.
HANDICAP RAPIDPLAY Sunday 20th April 2008 at Magdalen College School, Oxford
John Philpott writes:
The National Club Handicap Rapidplay was a 5-round competition (20 minutes per player per round) for teams of 4. The system applied the previous year was adopted, with the lower-graded team in each match receiving an increment to its score based on the difference between the average grades of the sides:
difference
0-10
10-19
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60+
increment
0
½
1
1½
2
2½
3
The 13 entries necessitated a bye, for which 3 points were awarded in line with the precedent established in 2007.
Final scores:
1 Magdalen College School Blackbirds B (average grade 78) 19
2 Mushrooms (185.25) 17
3 Gloucester (152.5) 15
4 Oxford University 1 (150.5) 13½
=5 Cowley 1 (111) 13
=5 Wilson's School (124.75) 13
7 Watford (148) 12½
=8 Oxford City (107.25) 12
=8 Magdalen College School Blackbirds A (111.75) 12
=8 Oxford University 3 (143.75) 12
=11 Cowley 2 (124.25) 11
=11 Wanstead & Woodford (144) 11
13 Oxford University 2 (143.5) 10½