The 2024/25 Club Championship is nearing completion with the cut-off date approaching. This was set for 31st May, but as some key games still need to be played this has been extended two weeks to Tuesday 10th June.
Division 1 has seen Harry Gardiner lead the pack from the outset, and he is on the verge of winning his 3rd club title in 4 years since the Covid pandemic. With a phenomenal unbeaten record of 9/10 he needs one point from his two remaining games to clinch the trophy. Harry won last year too without losing a single game and it is now over two years since anyone beat Harry in the club championship. Richard Lee is also unbeaten this year but has drawn 5 of his 11 games, so trails by half a point with just one game left to play. Andy Raeburn has put in a stellar performance to complete the campaign with 8.5/12 for a tourney rating of 2000. At the foot of the table Pawel Stanny has just scored one draw so far but with numerous games to play will be hoping to avoid the dreaded drop to Div 2.
Division 2 is headed by our younger members. 13 year old Jamie Roberts sits top of the table with 6.5 pts having played all 9 games, and is just ahead of 12 year old Oskar Jarzynski who is on 6/7 with two games to play. In 3rd place is George Bulbeck with 5.5/7 and has the same two opponents to play as Oskar, so it’s all to play for. The winner will be promoted to division 1. There is a real dog fight to avoid relegation with Doug Barnett and Kumar Saravanan just above the drop zone for now with 2 pts each, while we have 3 members on just one point each and all of these have games to play, while Doug has played all his games.
Division 3 is too close to call at top and bottom ! Mal Green is currently in the lead on 6pts but has completed all his games, with Mario Scarpa also completed on 5.5pts. The battle is between 17 year old Nathan Fourie and newcomer Keith Dudeney to potentially win the division and secure promotion with both players on 5/7 who have to play each other and Mike Keenan to complete the section. Mike is involved in a 3-way scrap at the foot of the table sitting on 2.5 pts with the two title chasers to play, while George Jelliss and Peter Kanalos both share the same score of 2.5 pts and have to play each other in their final game. So with just 4 games remaining everything is still up for grabs in div 3.
In division 4, 13 year old Tommy Cooke has blazed away to score 10/11 and is 3 points clear of the field and so cannot be caught. Tommy will be promoted and may even jump to division 2 if his rating justifies this choice at the start of next season. Gerald Parton and David Taylor have both performed well and are currently joint 2nd on 7pts each but only have a game or two left so cannot catch Tommy.
Overall the club championship divisions have proved a resounding success this season and while some members are no longer able to participate, there was a total of 50 members involved.
Looking ahead the annual Swiss Rapidplay is to start on 27th May with Rounds 1 and 2, followed by two more rounds each on June 17th and 24th. Please let David Hulme know if you wish to play in this event which has increased to 3 sections from 2 last year due to the increased membership.
The Summer knockouts will start in July.