Those results in full -
Minor | Open | Under_100 | Under_120 | Under_140 | Under_160 | Under_180
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The County Championships Final Stages ended as last year’s, at Moat College in a heat wave!
We were again fortunate to obtaining the services of Sir Peter Soulsby M.P., the member for Leicester South in whose constituency the College is found. His opening speech was the epitome of brevity, wit and awareness of the game of chess. We are grateful for his support of the ECF and its campaign to restore the cuts imposed by the DCMS..
Back to the actual games. In the Open, Lancashire made their traditional pilgrimage to the Finals, and defeated a very strong Sussex team 11-5. An excellent result in the circumstances.
The Minor Counties saw Hertfordshire come with their trophy and defend it successfully against Middlesex 10-6.
The newer grading bands threw up some interesting matches. An all-Midlands match saw Warwickshire clash with Nottinghamshire in a match with no fewer than 8 draws, Warwickshire getting home by 9-7.
Yorkshire were again defending their County 3rd team trophy in the U160s against Suffolk. The East Anglians defeated their higher rated opponents by 9½- 6½.
The U140s was the closest match of all, with Hampshire drawing 8-8 with Nottinghamshire, another match with 8 draws with Hampshire winning on board count.
The U120s was an all SCCU affair, with the men of Kent defeating Hertfordshire 8½- 3½ in a match which ended surprisingly quickly. The “new” u100 saw a weakened Warwickshire team succumb to Essex, also 8½- 3½.
I must thank David Welch, Adrian Elwin, John Shaw and John Wickham for their quiet work as a very good arbiting team. Peter Cresswell worked tirelessly in the back ground, and we thank him. Julie Johnson excelled herself in providing food and drinks for all present. My thanks to Julie, to my friends who attended the finals and to Moat College for their help
- Cyril Johnson
