Telepost B get off the mark - 20/11/2014
Telepost B picked up their first Shropshire Chess League division two win of the season thanks to a 3-2 win over fellow strugglers Wellington B.
Despite Keith Tabner's surprise defeat to John Lenton on top board, the Abbey Foregate side claimed victory thanks to wins for Alasdair Benjamin and Vinnie Crean on boards two and five. Elsewhere John Westhead drew with Colin Mace on board three and Kate Walker shared the spoils with Derrick Powell on board four. Telepost remain fifth in the seven-team table, a point clear of the relegation zone but now also one point off second placed Shrewsbury B.
But their clubmates Telepost C were unable to follow their lead, slipping to a first defeat of the season in division three with a 3-1 loss at home to Newport C. Charles Micallef beat Paul Broderick on top board, but Nick Holmes, Shane Sweeney and Dean Pinnington all lost. The C team lies in mid table with one win, one draw and one defeat from three league outings.

In division one of the rapidplay league, Shrewsbury A recovered from a poor start to the campaign to move top of the fledgling able with two wins out of three in the latest round of matches played at Priorslee Lions. All six teams are on four points after two rounds of fixtures, although Shrewsbury and Church Stretton A have played three games more than their rivals.
Shrewsbury had started the season with three defeats, but avenged an earlier loss to Church Stretton A with a 3.5-0.5 win. Francis Best, David Everington and Ian Davies were the winners. They then beat newly-promoted Priorslee Lions A 3-1 thanks to victories for Everongton, Dan Lockett and Davies, before narrowly losing 2.5-1.5 to town rivals Telepost A. Best lost to Nigel Ferrington on top board, and Lockett lost to Matthew Clark on board three, meaning Everington's draw with Richard Bryant – back in the Telepost line-up for the rapidplay league – and Davies's win over John Bashall on bottom board were not enough.
Telepost enjoyed a successful night, bouncing back from a narrow 2.5-1.5 loss to Priorslee – Ferrington picking up their only victory – by defeating Church Stretton A 4-0 thanks to wins for Ferrington, Bryant, Clark and Bashall.
But Church Stretton, table toppers at the start of the night, lost all three matches, completing the set with a 3.5-0.5 defeat at the hands of Priorslee Lions.
In division two of the rapidplay league, Telepost B lie second after one win, one draw and one loss from their opening three fixtures. But Shrewsbury B were unable to raise a team and defaulted all four of their matches.

Shropshire to host 4NCL - 13/11/2014
National league chess is set to return to Shropshire for the first time in more than a decade, the Shrewsbury Chronicle can exclusively reveal.
The Four Nations Chess League has agreed to hold a full season of fixtures in division three south and division four at the Park Inn in Telford from autumn 2015. Eleven rounds will be played over five weekends. Dates have been provisionally announced for the 1015/16 season, although contracts are yet to be signed with the hotels hosting matches.
It is expected to be a boost for local players, especially as the Shropshire 4NCL team is likely to be playing in one of the divisions based in Telford next season.
The top two divisions, which often feature some of the top players in Britain and Europe, will be played  at the Holiday Inn at Birmingham Airport.
The last 4NCL matches played at Telford's Park Inn took place in 2004, and league fixtures have since been played at venues in the East Midlands and southern England. But following the end of a deal to hold league matches over weekends at hotels in Hinckley and Daventry, league organisers have agreed to return to the county.
Matches will be played on November 14 and 15 2015, January 16 and 17 2016, February 13 and 14, March 26 and 27 and April 30 to May 2.

In an email to team captains, Mike Truran, the 4NCL's finance director, said: "I thought you might like early warning of the likely 2015/2016 arrangements – ‘likely' because although they have been the matter of extensive negotiation over the last six months or so, contracts are still to be signed with the hotels. I expect these to be signed by the end of November at the latest.”

Meanwhile, in the Shropshire chess League both Telepost A and Shrewsbury A lead the chasing pack in division one after victories on the road in their latest matches.
Telepost won 3-2 at Ludlow to go third in the table. Nigel Ferrington and Phil Zabrocki did the damage with wins on the top two boards, and despite Steve Kempsell's loss to Paul Munday on bottom board it wasn't enough for the hosts. John Bashall and Peter Crean drew their games on boards three and four.

Shrewsbury A won 3.5-1.5 away to Telford A thanks to wins for avid Everington and Dan Lockett. Everington clinched his third win in four matches by beating Stefan Tennant on board three, and Lockett secured his first win of the season on board two with victory over Stuart Ross.
Captain Francis Best drew with Dave Gostelow on top board, and Ivor Salter shared the spoils with Windsor Peck on bottom board to seal the match in Shrewsbury's favour. Peter Kitchen had to settle for a draw in time trouble against Richard Thompson on board four despite being on top for much of the game.

In division three, Church Stretton B are two points clear at the top of the table after a 3-1 win at Priorslee Lions C. Graham Shepherd and Joihn Casewell secured the victories to maintain the visitors' four game unbeaten run.

Church Stretton are tops - 06/11/2014
Church Stretton A have moved two points clear at the top of division two of the Shropshire Chess League and maintained their perfect start to the season after a 3-2 win at Priorslee Lions B.
Trevor Brotherton, Michael Bukojemski and Graham Shepherd got the victories as Stretton edged a tight match against opponents who were also relegated from the top flight last season. But while Priorslee are yet to win in the second tier with two draws and a defeat so far, Steve Rooney's side have three wins from three and have laid down a marker to the chasing pack.
Brotherton defeated Andy Tunks on top board, while Bukojemski and Shepherd won their matches on the bottom two boards. The hosts's scores came through Munroe Morrison's win over Karl Wakefield on board two and Gary White's victory over David Hodge on board three.

Shrewsbury B are second and also unbeaten after three matches following a 2.5-2.5 draw away to Telford B.  The visitors enjoyed success on the bottom boards, with captain ian Davies beating Windsor Peck on board four and Tony Purser defeating Roger Brown on bottom board. But the home side fought back in the middle order – Norman O'Connor lost to Stuart Ross on board two and Ivor Salter was beaten by Richard Thompson on board three. Mark Smith drew with Steve Tarr on top board.
Shrewsbury have won one and drawn two of their three fixtures so far – and will welcome Church Stretton for a tasty looking derby in their next match on November 14.

Meanwhile, Shrewsbury A got off to the worst possible start in the opening round of fixtures in division one of the rapidplay league.
With captain Francis Best and Peter Kitchen missing, an under-strength Shrewsbury outfit lost all three matches. They lost 3.5-0.5 to surprise early pacesetters Church Stretton A. Dan Lockett's draw with Karl Wakefield averted the whitewash, but David Everington lost to Trevor Brotherton, Ivor Salter was beaten by Steve Rooney and Tony Purser lost to David Hodge.
A narrow 2.5-1.5 loss against Wellington A followed, with Salter's defeat against Toby Neal the only decisive result. But Shrewsbury's evening ended badly – they were soundly beaten 3.5-0.5 by Newport A with Everington's draw against Athar Mehmood their only notch on the scoreboard.

Church Stretton lost 2.5-1.5 to Newport A, with defeats for Brotherton against Gavyn Cooper and Hodge versus Nathanael Paul proving decisive despite Bukojemski's win over Chris KLewis on bottom board.
But they beat Wellington A 3-1 in their final match thanks to wins for Brotherton, Wakefield and Bukojemski.

Telepost A and newly-promoted Priorslee Lions A will play their first matches in the second round of fixtures at Priorslee on Monday (NOV 10), while the first division two fixtures were taking place this week.
Rapidplay league games are played at considerably faster time controls than regular league matches, allowing several games to be played in one evening.

Derby win for Telepost - 30/10/2014
Telepost A picked up their first Shropshire Chess League win of the season – at the expense of their fierce town rivals Shrewsbury A. The defending champions won the town derby 3.5-1.5 to finally get their campaign up and running after two defeats.
The return of Phil Zabrocki on board two beefed up the home side's line-up, and they were always in control against a visiting side without regular board two Ed Goodwin.
John Bashall gave the hosts the lead, taking advantage of an error by Peter Kitchen to win swiftly on board four.  Mark Smith brought Shrewsbury level with a win over Peter Crean on bottom board, but Nigel Ferrington restored Telepost's lead by defeating Francis Best on top board. David Everington sacrificed a pawn to put Matthew Clark under pressure on board three, but the Telepost captain defended well to secure a draw. Zabrocki then sealed the win by beating Dan locket on board two.
Both sides are among a group of sides with one win and two defeats, already well adrift of early division one pacesetters Wellington A and Priorslee Lions A.

In division three, Church Stretton B maintained their unbeaten start and stayed top of the pile after drawing their clash away to fellow fast starters Newport B 2-2. David Hodge beat Athar Mehmood on top board and Eric Elwell won against Chris Paul on bottom board, but the hosts won the two games on the middle boards – Graham Shepherd was beaten by Stuart Ross on board two and John Westhead was beaten by Danny Griffiths on board three.
Telepost C are third in the table and also unbeaten after a 2-2 draw at home to Oswestry B. Nick Holmes won his game on board two but Shane Sweeney lost to Alf Evans on board three. Quentin Mills and Alan Cliff drew their games on boards one and four.

Shrewsbury B win town derby - 09/10/2014
Shrewsbury B secured local bragging rights with a convincing 4-1 win over Telepost B in the first Shropshire Chess League division two town derby of the season.
Ian Davies' side ran away with the match after two earlier draws to ensure they remain among the early season pacesetters. But Telepost are still searching for their first points of the campaign after a second straight loss.
Shrewsbury's Andrew Lewis and Telepost's Charles Micallef drew on board for and Mark Smith and Keith Tabner also shared the spoils on top board. But it was all Shrewsbury from then on. Ivor Salter beat Quentin Mills on board three, before Ian Davies turned around a difficult position to defeat John Casewell on bottom board. Norman O'Connor completed a good night's work for the home side by beating Alasdair Benjamin on board two.
Davies said: “It was not Telepost's full strength team, but it was still a great result for us.

Church Stretton A top the table with two wins from two after a 5-0 win away to Telford C. Trevor Brotherton, Steve Rooney, Karl Wakefield, David Hodge and Eric Elwell all won their games.
Captain Rooney said: “To be fair, we did outgrade our opponents on all the boards but it was satisfying to get a clean sweep and you never know if it might come in handy for points difference at the end of the season. “It is a good start, but there's no time for complacency as there are some tough matches to come with several teams that will provide strong opposition.”

Star player makes his move - 25/09/2014
Former Telepost A captain has revealed a desire to cut down on travelling during evenings was behind his decision to quit the club in favour of a move to Shropshire Chess League division one rivals Oswestry A.
Bryant, who has left the Abbey Foregate side after 14 years as captain, has lived in the Oswestry area for several years and said he was looking forward to a new challenge of helping his new side compete in the top flight. Bryant, who is retired, said he had feared travelling from his home to Shrewsbury for home matches and further afield for away matches around the county had started to have an effect on his game.
He had helped Oswestry gain promotion from division two last season while playing for Telepost in division one, but as league rules allow players to play for one club in the same division he was forced to choose allegiances before the start of the new campaign. He said: “I live just a few minutes from Oswestry's venue and it will be a lot more convenient for me. But I've really enjoyed being Telepost's captain and wish them well.”

Meanwhile, the new season in division two got off to a dramatic start when Shrewsbury B pinched a point at the death away to Priorslee.
Mark Smith won on time against Andy Tunks on top board - despite falling into a losing position in the time scramble – to level the scores at 2.5-2.5. Some members of the home club had claimed Smith should have been recording his moves as his clock ticked down, believing he was gaining an unfair advantage. But Smith said he had followed FIDE rules which state players are not obliged to write moves down when they are in their final five minutes of thinking time.
Earlier Ivor Salter had lost to Gary White on board three and Andrew Lewis was beaten by George Viszokai on board four. New captain Ian Davies had got Shrewsbury on the board with victory over Marvin Carbin on bottom board and Norman O'Connor drew with Munroe Morrison on board two before the late drama on top board.

Church Stretton A started life back in the second tier with a 3.5-1.5 win away to Telepost B. New signing Davoid Hodge gave the visitors the lead with a win over Kate Walker on board four, and after John Westhead and Karl Wakefield drew on board three Francis Rooney increased the advantage with victory over Vincent Crean on bottom board.
Alasdair Benjamin brought the hosts back into contention by beating Steve Rooney on board two, but Trevor Brotherton beat Keith Tabner in an endgame as the clocks ticked down on top board to secure the win.
Church Stretton captain Steve Rooney said: “It was a decent result, particularly given the fact that half way through there was little advantage showing for our players.”

In division three, Telepost C got off to a winning start by beating Newport Juniors 3-1. Charles Micallef, Nick Holmes and Shane Sweeney all won their games, but Quentin Mills lost to Lewis Clarke on top board.
*See next week's Shrewsbury Chronicle for a round-up of the opening fixtures in division one.

New season kicks off - 18/09/2014
Defending champions Telepost A have been handed the toughest possible start to the new Shropshire Chess League season – and have lost their long-serving captain Richard Bryant to newly-promoted Oswestry A.
The Abbey Foregate side will host last season's runners up and deposed title holders Newport A on Monday (Sept 22) before travelling to Wellington A on October 8 – the team they beat in a final round decider to clinch the title. They will then host Shrewsbury A in the first town derby of the season on October 20.
And Telepost have been dealt a blow before a move has been made with the news Bryant has opted to join Oswestry after 14 years as Telepost A skipper.
Bryant played for Telepost in division one last season and Oswestry in division two, but as league rules state he can only play for one team in a division he has been forced to choose following Oswestry's promotion. He has been replaced as captain by Matthew Clark, but his departure will significantly weaken the top end of the Telepost team.
Keith Tabner, Telepost club secretary, said: “Unfortunately both Telepost and Oswestry now in division one so Richard has opted to play for them in the league this season. “We have thanked him for 14 successful years as captain of our A team.”

Shrewsbury A will also face a difficult start to their division one campaign. They travel to Priorslee Lions A, who were in contention for the title until the final weeks of last season, on Monday before hosting Newport and travelling to Telepost. The return town derby at Shrewsbury will take place on February 6.

The first round of fixtures in division two were being played this week. Telepost B were hosting Church Stretton A in a match between two teams fancied to challenge for promotion, while Shrewsbury B were travelling to Priorslee Lions B.
In division three, Telepost C were facing Newport Juniors this week, while Church Stretton B will travel to Oswestry B on Monday.
Both divisions two and three have been reduced in size from eight teams to seven following the withdrawal of Shrewsbury C and Telepost D.
Meanwhile, Church Stretton have returned back to the town after a season away at Condover – and dropped the village from their club name. They will play their matches at their former venue, Church Stretton District Club, on Thursday evenings.
Club captain Steve Rooney thanked John Caswell and the Condover club, which enables people to play thee game socially, for accommodating them during the 2013/14 season. He said Casewell would remain a member of the club's B team competing in division three.

Derby win for Telepost A - 30/01/2014
Telepost A maintained the pressure on leaders Newport A at the top of division one of the Shropshire Chess League thanks to a convincing 4.5-0.5 derby win at Condover & Church Stretton A.
The Abbey Foregate side ran out comfortable victors thanks to wins for Nigel Ferrington, Richard Bryant, Matthew Clark and Keith Tabner. Michael Bukojemski helped the hosts avoid a whitewash by drawing with Phil Zabrocki on board three. The result leaves Telepost a point adrift of defending champions Newport and at the head of a queue of three sides on 12 points.
But Shrewsbury A's disastrous start to 2014 continued with a 3.5-1.5 loss at Priorslee Lions A. Shrewsbury were top of the league at Christmas but now lie fifth after two straight defeats. Their cause was not helped by the availability of Jamie Hopkins and Ed Goodwin, while Peter Kitchen was absent through illness.
The visitors failed to register a win on the night. David Everington fell victim to a stunning performance by William Bates on board two, while Ivor Salter was beaten by Glyn Pugh on board three. Francis Best, Norman O'Connor and Ian Davies all drew their games.
In division three both Condover & Church Stretton B and Shrewsbury C are in the thick of a four-way promotion battle.
Condover lie second in the table behind leaders Telford C on points difference after a 2.5-1.5 win at Telepost D. Francis Rooney and Shane Sweeney won for the visitors while Kate Walker replied for the hosts with a win on top board.
Shrewsbury are fourth and just one point adrift after a 2-2 draw at fellow challengers Newport C. Captain Ian Davies won his game on top board but Eric Inglis lost on board three and both Andrew Lewis and Tony Purser drew their games.

A much needed win for Shrewsbury B - 23/01/2014
Shrewsbury B got their Shropshire Chess League division two campaign back on track with a 3.5-1.5 win over Newport B. The victory brought to an end a run of two straight defeats which had left Matt Best's side hovering dangerously above the relegation zone.
Best himself led the way with a notable victory on top board over Athar Mehmood - who had finished among the prizewinners in the major section of the recent Shropshire Chess Congress – to give the hosts an early lead. And although the visitors stayed in touch throughout the match, Dan Lockett won the final game to finish against Stuart Ross on board two to seal the win. Ivor Salter, Mark Smith and Norman O'Connor all drew their games.
Shrewsbury now lie fourth in the table, one point and one place behind town rivals Telepost B after they defeated clubmates Telepost C 3.5-1.5. Vinnie Crean, John Westhead and Alasdair Benjamin were all winners for the B team, while John Casewell replied for the Cs with victory over Quentin Mils on bottom board. Peter Crean and Charles Micallef drew on top board.
Meanwhile, in division three south of the Four Nations Chess League, Shrewsbury's Peter Kitchen was beaten by Jeff Dawson as his Celtic Tigers 2 side was beaten heavily 5-1 by Broadland. A Shropshire side featuring players based in the Telford area lost 3.5-2.5 to MK Phoenix 2 but defeated Bucks Juniors 6-0 the following day.

Big win for Condover & Church Stretton - 16/01/2014
Condover & Church Stretton A ripped up the form book and picked up their biggest win of the  season, knocking Shrewsbury A off the top of division one of the Shropshire Chess League with a 4.5-0.5 victory. Steve Rooney's side completely outplayed their depleted hosts to clinch only their third win of the season. The result also ended Shrewsbury's 100 per cent home record.
And after Telepost A's 3.5-1.5 win at struggling Telford A, the top five teams in the division are now separated by a single point.
Newport Aare the new leaders on 11 points, while four teams – Telepost, Shrewsbury, Wellington A and Priorslee Lions A – are all on 10 points. Condover & Chiurch Stretton are just two points further adrift and have now opened up a five point gap to Telford, who lie in the relegation zone.
There had been little sign of what was to come in the Shrewsbury-Condover match when Norman O-Connor and Eric Elwell shared the spoils on board four. But the visitors quickly opened up a two point lead – Francis Rooney took advantage of overambitious play from Mark Smith to win on bottom board and Graham Shepherd beat Peter Kitchen on board three.  Trevor Brotherton defeated Francis Best on top board to seal the match and Steve Rooney ground down David Everington to add a final flourish.
Steve Rooney said: "We were very pleased. We start the second half of the season by playing the top three teams in Shrewsbury, Telepost and Newport – it is a tough run but it was nice to start with a win. “We are determined to remain a division one side and I think we can give any side in the division a match on our day. Against Shrewsbury everything went right for us. “I don't think we are safe yet – we probably need to pick up another three points – but hopefully we should do well in the run-in.”
Telepost's win at Telford was built on the foundation of a strong top order – top three boards Nigel Ferrington, Richard Bryant and Keith Tabner all won their games. Vinnie Crean drew against Richard Szwajkun on bard four and John Westhead lost to Steve Szwajkun on bottom board. It means Telepost have moved up to second in the table on points difference, ahead of town rivals Shrewsbury.
Shrewsbury C have moved into the promotion places in division three after starting the new year with a 2.5-1.5 win over Oswestry B. Ian Davies and Tony Purser picked up the wins and Andrew Lewis drew as Shrewsbury went second in the table, behind leaders Newport C on points difference.
Meanwhile, Telepost's Nigel Ferrington was the star performer of players from the Shrewsbury area at this year's Shropshire Chess Congress. Ferrington scored 4/5 to finish third in the open section – ahead of the likes of international master John Cox. His score saw him lift the Shropshire Trophy for the highest placed competitor from the county, and he sealed his prize by beating his club captain Richard Bryant in the final round.
Kate Walker of Telepost won the grading prize in the minor section after finishing joint seventh on 3.5/5. Her score was also matched by Shrewsbury's Ian Davies and Telepost's John Westhead.
Condover & Church Stretton's Graham Shepherd also enjoyed a strong weekend, finishing joint fourth in the major section on 3.5/5.The event, which was held at Wrekin Housing Trust's headquarters in Telford, attracted a record 140 entrants from across Britain.

Rapidplay race hots up - 09/01/2014
Telepost A remain in control of the race to win the inaugural Shropshire Chess Association rapidplay league – but have left their nearest rivals Newport A with a chance of catching them after suffering their first defeat of the season.
Richard Bryant's side are six points clear at the top of division one after they picked up two wins from the latest round of fixtures at Telepost Social Club. But they lost 2.5-1.5 to Newport A – meaning the east Shropshire outfit can catch them if they win their three games in hand.
Telepost will sit out the final night of three matches at Newport in April – meaning they will look to seal the title when the league resumes at Shrewsbury on March 9.
Telepost beat Condover & Church Stretton 2.5-1.5 thanks to wins for Nigel Ferrington against Trevor Brotherton on top board and for Bryant against Graham Shepherd on board three. Francis Rooney replied for Condover by beating Peter Crean on bottom board, while Phil Zabrocki and Steve Rooney shared the spoils on board two.
In the second round of fixtures, Steve Rooney's draw with Gavyn Cooper averted a whitewash in a 3.5-0.5 defeat against Newport, while Ferrington, Zabrocki, Bryant and the returning John Bashall all won in a 4-0 win over Telford A.
In the final games of the night, Bryant's win over Nathanael Paul and Zabrocki's draw with Cooper were not enough for Telepost against Newport, as Ferrington lost to Nick Rutter on top board and Crean was beaten by Chris Lewis on bottom board. But Condover beat Telford 4-0 thanks to wins for Brotherton, Steve Rooney and Shepherd and a bottom board default.
Shrewsbury sat out the latest round of fixtures but remain third in the table, two points clear of Condover & Church Stretton.
In division two, Shrewsbury B slipped to third place after two defeats in three games – while Telepost B remain bottom of the table despite picking up their first win of the campaign.
The two county town sides shared the points in a 2-2 draw in the opening game. Telepost's Shane Sweeney beat Norman O'Connor on board two, while Ian Davies replied with victory over Alan Cliff on bottom board.
Shrewsbury then lost 3-1 to Wellington A, with Davies the only winner against Derrick Powell on bottom board, while Telepost drew with Telford B thanks to wins for Kate Walker and Quentin Mills on boards three and four.
The elusive victory finally arrived for Telepost during the final round of the night against Wellington. Matthew Clark and Quentin Mills both won and Wellington defaulted board three.
But Shrewsbury went down 3-1 against Telford, despite Davies completing a fine evening with his third straight win.
The regular league was this week resuming after the Christmas break. In division one Shrewsbury A will host Condover & Church Stretton A tomorrow (Fri Jan 10) in a local derby as they bid to stay top of the division, while Telepost A were travelling to struggling Telford A.

Defeats for the town's B teams - 19/12/2013
Telepost B and Shrewsbury B both suffered their second successive defeats to lose further ground in the Shropshire Chess League division two promotion race – and are now anxiously looking over their shoulders at the drop zone. The two county town sides were setting the pace early in the season, but have now slipped to third and fourth in the table at the halfway stage of the season.
Telepost lie two points behind leaders Ludlow but only two points clear of seventh placed Telford B after going down 4.5-0.5 at midtable Newport B. John Westhead's draw with Danny Griffiths on board three averted a whitewash.
And Shrewsbury are one point worse off after going down 3.5-1.5 at Ludlow. Missing regulars Norman O'Connor and Mark Smith, Shrewsbury were quickly in trouble when Ian Davies misplayed a level ending to lose against Robert Woodley on board four and captain Matt Best was beaten by Robin Croot on top board. Draw specialist Andrew Lewis shared the spoils again – but only after initially turning down the offer of a truce from Paul Munday before later ceasing hostilities. Ivor Salter and Dan Lockett drew their games against John Whittaker and Joe Watson on boards two and three.
Telepost C remain in deep trouble seven points from safety and yet to pick up a point after their seventh straight defeat, this time 4.5-0.5 at promotion chasing Oswestry A. Charles Micallef drew with Keith Grice on top board but the visitors were outplayed on the remaining boards, racking up four defeats.

Christmas number one spot for Shrewsbury A- 12/12/2013
Shrewsbury A will be Christmas number one in the Shropshire Chess League after retaining their place at the top of the charts with a fine 4.5-0.5 win away to struggling Telford A.
With the match finely poised at 1.5-0.5 to Shrewsbury, the visitors picked up victories on the top three boards to ensure they go into the festive break top of the division one table and with a boost to their points difference. Both Jamie Hopkins and David Everington played fine chess despite both being short of time to see off Nazif Nazif on top board and Richard Thompson on board three, while captain Francis Best outplayed the experienced John Footner on board two as the Telford man ran short of time.
Earlier Peter Kitchen and Richard Gillespie agreed an early draw on board four and Dan Lockett beat Brian Malone on bottom board. Best admitted the match had been far closer than the final scoreline suggested, but added he was delighted with his side's efforts.
Shrewsbury have won five of their seven fixtures at the half way stage – a good return considering they have often been missing strong players and were not expected to challenge for the title at the start of the season. They lead the division on points difference from surprise package Wellington A, while defending champions Newport A lie just a point further adrift.
Town rivals Telepost A lie fourth in the table two points off the pace. They lost vital ground as they fell to a surprise 3-2 home defeat against Wellington, but bounced back by matching Shrewsbury's 4.5-0.5 win over Telford A with their game in hand. Without Bryant against Wellington A, the Abbey Foregate side fell short. Top board Nigel Ferrington lost his 100 per cent record for the season and was lucky to scrape a draw against Toby Neal, while Phil Zabrocki shared the spoils with Colin Roberts on board two.
Matthew Clark lost to James Kuczynski on board three and Peter Crean was beaten by Stefan Tennant on board four. John Westhead defeated Ken Hickmott on bottom board but it proved no more than a consolation for the hosts. But Telepost bounced back against Telford with wins for Bryant, Zabrocki, Clark and Keith Tabner, while Ferrington drew with Dave Gostelow on top board.
Condover & Church Stretton A lie sixth after a heavy 4-1 home defeat at the hands of fellow midtable side Priorslee Lions A, but remain three points clear of the drop zone. Trevor Brotherton drew with Adrian Zdanowski on top board and Graham Shepherd agreed a truce with Jim O'Neil on board four. But that was as good as it got for the home side – captain Steve Rooney lost to William Bates on board two, Michael Bukojemski was beaten by Glyn Pugh on board three and Karl Wakefield los to George Viszokai on bottom board.
In division three, promotion contenders Condover & Church Stretton B and Shrewsbury B played out a 2-2 draw in a local derby at Condover Social Club. Chris Pimm-Jones looked to have put the hosts on the way to a victory which would have seen them top the table at Christmas when he turned around a difficult position to beat Tony Purser on bottom board. But Charles Micallef lost to visiting captain Ian Davies on top board to square the match. Earlier Francis Rooney and Andrew Lewis had agreed a draw on board two and Tom Williamson and Eric Inglis halved their game on board three. Condover & Church Stretton B are second in the table behind leaders Telford C on points difference, while Shrewsbury are third a point further back.

Surprise defeats for town's B teams - 05/12/2013
Two surprise defeats saw both Telepost B and Shrewsbury B lose ground in the Shropshire Chess League division two promotion race. Previous leaders Telepost lost 3-2 at home to Oswestry A while Shrewsbury let a 2-1 lead slip to go down by the same score at home to lowly Wellington B. The results allowed Ludlow to leapfrog the two sides to lead the division as the Christmas break approaches.
For Telepost, Peter Crean beat Graham Ives on top board and newcomer Quentin Mills won against Steve Tulett on bottom board to put the hosts 2-0 up. But Vinnie Crean, John Westhead and Alasdair Benjamin all lost to turn the match on its head.
Peter Crean said: “We were quite hopeful at 2-0 up – I won quite quickly and when Quentin also won we were looking good. But we suffered a bit of a middle order collapse and ended up losing.“Quentin turned up at the club a few weeks ago and is ungraded  and will certainly be a useful player to have available.”

Shrewsbury's encounter with Wellington started badly for the home side when Ivor Salter lost against Colin Mace on board three. But Matt Best's side appeared to have turned things around thanks to Mark Smith's win over Rob Nayman on bottom board and Dan Lockett's victory over John Lenton on board two.
The visitors weren't finished though – Richard Gillespie equalised when he benefited from a blunder by Shrewsbury captain Mat Best on top board. Norman O Connor's defeat against Derrick Powell on board four – a week after the two players shared a draw in a division one match – sealed the match in Wellington's favour.
Telepost C capped a miserable week for the county town's teams by also suffering a defeat, going down 4-1 away to Telford B. Mills' triumph on bottom board against Brian Malone proved the only high point for the visitors, as Charles Micallef, John Casewell, Shane Sweeney and Dean Pinnington all lost. The C team has so far lost all six matches during a difficult first half of the season.

Missed opportunity for both county town teams - 28/11/2013
Shrewsbury A and Telepost A both missed the chance to take charge of the Shropshire Chess League division one title chase as both fell to narrow 3-2 defeats. Telepost A were defeated away to defending champions Newport A, while Shrewsbury A lost at Wellington A. The results have thrown the championship race wide open – Shrewsbury remain top on alphabetical order from Wellington but are just two points clear of sixth-placed Priorslee Lions A, while Telepost A lie fourth but have a key game in hand on all of the team around them.
The damage was done for Shrewsbury on the top boards, where Francis Best lost to the on-fire Toby Neal on board one and David Everington blundered in a level position to lose on the spot against Colin Roberts on board two. Peter Kitchen could do no more than draw against Stefan Tennant on board three, leaving the Shelton side's two stand-in players Ivor Salter and Norman O'Connor both needing to win to salvage a point for the visitors. Salter did the business by beating Ken Hickmott in a long endgame on board four. But O'Connor was unable to break through stubborn resistance from Derrick Powell on bottom board and had to settle for a draw which sealed the match in Wellington's favour.
Telepost were partially undone by a tactical reshuffle by Newport, who played the county's number one player Nick Rutter on board two. Nigel Ferrington made it five wins out of five for the season by beating Gavyn Cooper on top board. But his teammates couldn't support him – Rutter defeated Phil Zabrocki on board two and John Westhead lost to Chris Lewis on bottom board. Matthew Clark drew with Nathanael Paul on board three and Keith Tabner shared the spoils with Simon Maydew on board four.
Condover & Church Stretton A hauled themselves into the mix at the top end of the table by beating struggling Priorslee Lions B 3-2. Graham Shepherd and the returning Karl Wakefield clinched the crucial wins over Gary White and Marvin Carbin on boards three and four, and although Eric Elwell to George Viszokai on bottom board it proved no more than a consolation for the visitors. Trevor Brotherton was held to a draw by Steve Tarr on top board and Michael Bukojemski drew with Munroe Morrison on board two.
In division three, Condover & Church Stretton B reclaimed top spot after a 2.5-1.5 win away to Oswestry B.Shane Sweeney gained the decisive victory on board three, while Charles Micallef, Tom Williamson and John Casewell drew their games in a tight match.
Shrewsbury C lie third after a 2-2 draw at home to Priorslee Lions C. Ian Davies and Eric Inglis lost their games but Andrew Lewis and Fred Harris won.
Telepost D put up a strong fight before going down 3-1 at home to high-flying Newport C. Kate Walker drew with Dave Lovegrove on board two and Dean Pinnington shared the spoils with Steve Cooper on board three. But Alan Cliff and Ian Durrant both lost their games.
In the Four Nations Chess League, a Shropshire side containing Condover & Church Stretton duo Trevor Brotherton and Graham Shepherd made its first appearance in division three. Brotherton drew on top board and Shepherd lost on bottom board in a 3.5-2.5 defeat to Ashfield-Breadsall in round one. Shepherd also lost on bottom board in round two as his side drew 3-3 with Bristol University.

Town rivals battle for division 2 title - 21/11/2013
Town rivals Telepost B and Shrewsbury B continue to lead the way in division two of the Shropshire Chess League – after both picked up important victories.
Telepost lead the division by a point after overcoming Telford B 3-2, while Shrewsbury remain their closest challengers after a thumping 4.5-0.5 win over a Telepost C side still seeking their first points of the season.
But the two pacesetters haven't been able to break free from the chasing pack, with both Ludlow and Oswestry A close behind.
Wins for John Westhead and Kate Walker on the bottom two boards proved the difference for Telepost B as they edged a tight encounter against Telford B. Westhead beat Brian Malone and Walker defeated Steve Szwajkun on bottom board, while the visitors' pulled one back when Peter Crean lost to Stefan Tennant on board two. Keith Tabner drew with Simon Maydew on top board and Vinnie Crean shared the spoils with Roger Brown on board three.
Shrewsbury B enjoyed a comfortable evening thanks to early wins for Mark Smith and Norman O'Connor on boards five and four against Telepost C and a default by the visitors on board two. Matt Best was held to a draw by Charles Micallef on top board, but Ivor Salter added some gloss to the score by beating Walker on board three.
Meanwhile, in the Shropshire Rapidplay League Telepost A have consolidated their position at the top of division one, opening up a four point lead over Shrewsbury A after the latest round of fixtures played at Condover Social Club. The Abbey Foregate side recorded two wins and a draw from their three fixtures and will look to extend their lead further with Shrewsbury sitting out the next round of matches. In the opening round of the night Telepost defeated Telford A 3.5-0.5 thanks to wins for Nigel Ferrington, Phil Zabrocki and Matthew Clark and a draw for Peter Crean on bottom board.
Shrewsbury A also made a strong start to the evening, beating a Condover & Church Stretton side containing three former Shrewsbury players 3-1. Matt Best beat Francis Rooney on bottom board, and although Francis Best lost to Trevor Brotherton on top board David Everington restored Shrewsbury's lead by beating Steve Rooney on board two. Peter Kitchen then made sure of the win by defeating Michael Bukojemski on board three.
Telepost A then drew 2-2 with Condover & Church Stretton A. The hosts' Brotherton beat Ferrington on top board, but Crean beat Francis Rooney on bottom board to level the scores. The matches between Zabrocki and Steve Rooney on board two and Bukojemski and Clark on board three ended in draws. Shrewsbury A beat Telford A 3-1 thanks to wins for Francis Best over Richard Thompson and for Kitchen over Tennant. Everington and Matt Best drew their matches.
But Telepost A landed a potentially decisive blow in the final round of fixtures, beating Shrewsbury A 3.5-0.5 thanks to wins for Zabrocki over Everington, Clark against Kitchen and Peter Crean against Matt Best. Francis Best and Ferrington shared the spoils on top board.
Condover & Church Stretton ended the evening on a high with a 2.5-1.5 win over Telford A thanks to wins for Brotherton and Bukojemski and a draw for Steve Rooney.
In division two of the rapidplay league, Shrewsbury B lie second but are a massive seven points behind runaway leaders Priorslee Lions A after the latest round of fixtures at Telford.
Shrewsbury beat Telepost B 4-0 thanks to wins for Dan Lockett, Norman O'Connor, Ivor Salter and Ian Davies. They drew 2-2 with Telford B with Lockett and Davies winning their games, but were then whitewashed 4-0 by Priorslee Lions A in their final games.
Telepost B lost narrowly 2.5-1.5 against Priorlsee Lions A, with Jon Westhead's win over Glyn Pugh the highlight while Vinnie Crean drew with Adrian Zdanowski on top board. They drew 2-2 with Telford B in their final match of the night thanks to wins for Vinnie Crean and Shane Sweeney, picking up their first point of the season in the process.

Shrews beat champions - 14/11/2013
Shrewsbury A have gone top of division one of the Shropshire Chess League in style by defeating defending champions Newport A.
The Shelton-based side pulled off a dramatic 3-2 victory thanks to Mark's Smith's victory over Chris Lewis in the final game to finish on bottom board. The win was all the more impressive for the hosts as they were without regulars Jamie Hopkins and Peter Kitchen against their opponents, who were at full strength.
It was the visitors who took the lead when Nick Rutter beat Shrewsbury captain Francis Best on top board, before Matt Best and Simon Maydew agreed a draw on board four. But Ed Goodwin hauled Shrewsbury level with a fine win over Gavyn Cooper on board two, and although David Everington let a good position to slip to draw with Nathanael Paul on board three, Smith outplayed Lewis at the death to send Shrewsbury to the top of the pile.
The result saw Shrewsbury overtake town rivals Telepost A, who had gone top of the table four days earlier with a convincing 5-0 win away to Priorslee Lions B. Nigel Ferrington, Richard Bryant, Phil Zabrocki, Matthew Clark and Vinnie Crean all won their games.
But Condover & Church Stretton A were left frustrated after seeing a potential win slip through their fingers away to Telford A. Graham Shepherd upset John Footner on board three and Francis Rooney doubled the visitors' lead by beating Tim Skidmore on bottom board. Trevor Brotherton drew with Dave Gostelow on top board to move Stretton to the brink of victory. But Eric Elwell lost on time against Richard Gillespie on board four and Steve Rooney saw his promising position disintegrate in a time scramble before losing against Nazif Nazif on board two, leaving the match all square.

In division three, Condover & Church Stretton B lost top spot after going down 2.5-1.5 away to Newport C. Tom Williamson beat Will Gormley on board three, but Francis Rooney lost to Steve Cooper on board two and John Casewell was also beaten on bottom board. Charles Micallef drew with Dave Lovegrove on top board.
Shrewsbury C picked up three points from two matches in the space of a week. They beat Newport Juniors  4-0 thanks to wins for Ian Davies, Andrew Lewis, Tony Purser and Fred Harris.
It was followed up with a 2-2 draw with Newport C. Eric Inglis lost to Cooper on board three, and after Davies draw with Paul Broderick and Lewis drew with Lovegrove on the top two boards Purser beat Gormley to ensure a share of the spoils.
Telepost D continue to struggle at the wrong end of the table and were beaten 4-0 away by new leaders Telford C. Alan Cliff, Dean Pinnington and Ian Durrant all lost, and the visitors had to default bottom board.

Title race wide open - 07/11/2013
This season's Shropshire Chess League division one title race will be the most open in years, according to Telepost A captain Richard Bryant.
Bryant said there was currently no stand-out side in the county's top flight this season and that he believed several sides were capable of mounting a challenge. He made the comments after his side defeated early-season pacesetters Shrewsbury A 3.5-1.5 in the first town derby of the season to haul themselves into the mix at the top end of the table.
Neither defending champions Newport A nor last season's runners-up Telepost have started the season well, while newly-promoted Wellington A are currently the surprise early season leaders.
Bryant said: “It is a very open league this season. Newport are not crushing anyone and even though Wellington are top they have only won two of their four games. I would not have predicted they would be up there at the start of the season. “Us beating Shrewsbury has made the whole thing wide open – it is very interesting. “As always against Shrewsbury, the games were all very close and interesting and I was very pleased with the final result.”
Telepost were this week hoping to keep up their momentum away to struggling Priorslee Lions B, while Shrewsbury A will tomorrow (FRI) host Newport A. Condover & Church Stretton A were last night due to travel to Telford A.

Meanwhile, in division two it was a case of déjà vu for the town's two clubs as Telepost defeated Shrewsbury – this time 3-2 in a clash between the clubs' B teams. After Keith Tabner and Dan Lockett drew on top board, Telepost took control of the match thanks to Kate Walker's win against Mark Smith on board four and Peter Crean's victory on time against Ivor Salter on board two. The match was sealed in the hosts' favour when Vinnie Crean held Norman O'Connor to a draw on board three, meaning Andrew Lewis's win over Carl Barlow was no more than a consolation.

Telepost C remain bottom of the table after a heavy 4-1 loss away to Ludlow A. Steve Rooney lost to Richard Croot on top board, Shane Sweeney was beaten by John Whittaker on board three and John Casewell came off second best against Paul Munday on board four. Charles Micallef drew with Graham Shepherd on board two and Alan Cliff shared the spoils with Keith Thompson on bottom board.

Telepost A make rapid start - 24/10/2013
Telepost A have stolen a march on the opposition after racking up three straight wins to storm to the top of division one of the new Shropshire Chess Rapidplay League.
Richard Bryant's side defeated Newport A, Shrewsbury A and Telford A to establish a healthy three point lead after the opening night of matches. Bryant himself led the way with wins over Newport's Tony Holdford, Shrewsbury's Peter Kitchen and Telford's Stefan Tennant on board three.
The games were played over a drastically reduced 20 minutes thinking time per player, with an alternative of 10 minutes thinking time with an extra 10 seconds granted per move. Telepost beat an under-strength Newport 2.5-1.5 before defeating town rivals Shrewsbury 3-1. They then edged past Telford – who endured a miserable night with three defeats – 2.5-1.5.
Shrewsbury had started the evening well with a 3-1 win over Telford, and despite losing to Telepost captain Francis Best picked up a notable win over Nigel Ferrington on top board. They took the lead against Newport in their final match of the night thanks to a fine win for Matt Best over Danny Griffiths, but Francis Best and David Everington both lost against Nick Rutter and Nathanael Paul, leaving Kitchen to salvage a 2-2 draw thanks to victory over Tony Holdford.
Shrewsbury lie third in the table behind Newport on points difference. Condover & Church Stretton will start their campaign in the competition – which will see each team play 12 matches over five match nights – at the next round in December.
Shrewsbury B lie second in division two of the rapidplay league after one win and two defeats from their opening three matches. A 3.5-0.5 win over Telford B was followed by a narrow 2.5-1.5 loss to a Priorslee Lions A side which has already established a four point lead at the top of the table. Shrewsbury lost their final match of the night against Wellington A 3-1.
Telepost B did not play in the opening round but will start their campaign in December.

Meanwhile, in the longer form of the game Shrewsbury B have gone top of division two of the Shropshire Chess League after a 3-2 home win over fellow high-flyers Oswestry A.
The visitors took an early lead when David Bennion beat Shrewsbury captain Matt Best on top board, but after Andrew Lewis and John Davies shared the spoils on bottom board Norman O'Connor hauled Shrewsbury level with a fine win over Keith Grice on board three. Dan Lockett survived a tricky ending to draw with Graham Ives on board two, and Ian Davies held his nerve to see off a late do-or-die attack from Ashley Peile to win on board four and seal the match in Shrewsbury's favour.
Telepost B went down to their first defeat of the season, returning from the long trip to face Ludlow A empty handed after a 3-2 loss. Keith Tabner lost to Richard Croot on top board and Vinnie Crean was beaten by John Whittaker on board three, meaning Alasdair Benjamin's victory over Paul Munday on bottom board was in vain. Elsewhere, Peter Crean drew with Joe Watson on board two and John Westhead and Richard Woodley shared the spoils on board four.
Condover & Church Stretton B have gone top of division three after inflicting a 4-0 whitewash on struggling hosts Newport Juniors. Francis Rooney, Tom Williamson, Shane Sweeney and John Casewell all won their games.

Michael Adams to take on Shropshire's finest - 11/10/2013
Britain's top chess player Mickey Adams will be coming to Shropshire to take on up to 40 players at once, the Chronicle can exclusively reveal.
Adams – who returned to the top 12 in the world after winning the Sparkassen super-grandmaster event in Dortmund in August – will take part in a simultaneous display at Wrekin Housing Trust's headquarters in Telford on March 1 next year. He is also expected to give a lecture to those taking part in the day before playing 40 games at the same time against players of all strengths.
And it has emerged Adams agreed to come to the county after an approach by Condover and Church Stretton's latest signing Michael Bukojemski, who sent a congratulatory message to Adams following his Dortmund success along with an invitation to come to Shropshire.
It follows on from a similar event attended by former world championship contender Nigel Short two years ago and represents a major coup for the Shropshire Chess Association.
Adams has been in the higher echelons of the chess-playing elite for the past 20 years and has reached a high of fourth in the world rankings. He recently described his success at Dortmund – where he triumphed ahead of stars of the game including former world champion Vladimir Kramnik – as the best achievement of his career.
Francis Best, president of Shropshire Chess Association, said: “It is great news that Mickey Adams will be coming to Shropshire, and a lot of credit must go to Michael Bukojemski for making the initial approach. It is something we are all really looking forward to.”
Full details of how to sign up for the simultaneous display and lecture will be announced shortly.

Meanwhile, Telepost B have moved to the top of division two of the Shropshire Chess League after a 3.5-1.5 win away to Wellington B. Despite Keith Tabner's reverse against Richard Gillespie on top board, the visitors proved too strong and came away with the points thanks to victories for Peter Crean, John Westhead and Alasdair Benjamin. Vinnie Crean drew with Derrick Powell on board three. The result puts the Abbey Foregate side top of the table with a 100 per cent record on points difference ahead of a resurgent Oswestry A side which has started the season strongly after promotion from division three last season.

Shrewsbury B remain unbeaten and third in the table after a 2.5-2.5 draw at home to a Telford B side which is expected to challenge for promotion to the top flight. The first three games all ended in draws – Matt Best shared the spoils with Simon Maydew on top board, Norman O'Connor agreed a truce with Windsor Peck on board four, and Dan Lockett and Stefan Tennant drew on board two. Mark Smith gave Shrewsbury the lead when he beat Andy Jones on bottom board, but the visitors hit back when Richard Szwajkun beat Ivor Salter in the final game to finish on board three. It marks the end of a fine start to the season for the Shrewsbury club, which had racked up four wins between its three teams before the B team's draw.

New Shrewsbury Town Champion - 30/08/2012
Telepost's Nigel Ferrington has capped a memorable chess season by winning Shrewsbury Town Championship for the first time.
Ferrington won the crunch clash against Shrewsbury's top board and 2010 champion Jamie Hopkins to make it four wins out of four and ensure that even if he loses his final match he will take the title on tie break. He becomes the first Telepost player to win the tournament, which had previously been won by Shrewsbury duo Hopkins and David Everington in its first two years. And Ferrington will be a heavy favourite to become the first player to win all five games as he has the black pieces against tournament surprise package Ian Davies in the final round.
The result was a disappointment for Hopkins, who was attempting to become the first player to retain the trophy and had chances early in the game against Ferrington. He faces a tough match with Telepost's Richard Bryant in the final round in a bid to clinch the runners-up spot.
Keith Tabner, tournament controller, said: “With 4/4 Nigel cannot be caught - even if he loses his final round game he will win on a sum of progressive scores.”
Davies, the captain of Shrewsbury C who play in division three, has so far scored 3/4 with his best result being a surprise win with the black pieces against A team colleague Peter Kitchen, who missed an instant checkmate in time pressure while trying to win a position which looked drawn. Kitchen bounced back in the following round with a win against club captain David Everington in a wild and open game.
Meanwhile, Shrewsbury's Francis Best has won Shrewsbury Club Championship with a round to spare. Best finished on 4/5 after a draw with Dan Lockett in his final game, but his draw with Hopkins in the previous round had secured the title for the first time in four years after a fine start to the tournament which included wins over defending champion Kitchen and Everington.