History has been made in the Shropshire Chess League with the playing of the first hybrid match, with a mix of games played face-to-face and online.
The county chess association’s annual meeting passed a motion that allowed Blue Badge holders to play their matches in the regular season online, as long as the opposing captain agreed and could field a suitable opponent. The Telepost B v Telepost D in-house club derby was the first time the rule had been enacted, with the four games played face-to-face augmented by an online encounter between Rob Nield and John Casewell. Originally the intention was for the online game to be played at the same time as the others but in the end, due to family circumstances, and with the league controller’s consent, the online match was played the following evening and turned out to be crucial to the result. With the running score at 2.5-1.5 in favour of the D team, Nield won the online game to secure a 2.5-2.5 draw.
Shrewsbury chess club is struggling in the Shropshire league, but has been handed out some good news – it has found a new home. For many years the club met at the former Shelton Hospital, and then at its successor the Redwoods Centre, but after the return following the long pandemic lay off it found that that venue was no longer available, leaving the Shrewsbury club homeless and having to play its home matches at the away venues. However club officials have negotiated a deal to be based at the Nerdy Café in Mardol in the county town, meeting on the second and fourth Fridays of each month, and they hope to stage their first league match at their new home in January.
Both Shrewsbury B and Newport B have withdrawn from Division Two.
RESULTS
Division One
Oswestry A 0.5, Maddocks A 4.5: T McMahon 0, A Zdanowski 1; R Bryant 0, A Grillage 1; C Lowick Higgie 0, G Pugh 1; A Bailey 0.5, T Preece 0.5; D Thomas 0, S Tarr 1.
Division Two
Telepost B 2.5, Telepost D 2.5: D Hodge 0.5, V Crean 0.5; R Nield 1, J Casewell 0; K Walker 0, F Bench 1; S Kempsell 0, S Wilson 1; G Shepherd 1, S Sweeney 0.
Division Three
Newport C 2.5, Telepost E 1.5: W Gormley 0.5, F Bench 0.5; M Price 1, A Brims 0; J Greenwood 1, M Ayres 0; J Greenwood 0, B Rose 1.