Wednesday 20 December 2017

Rounding off the year with our Winter Handicap Chess Tournament.

Photo by HeyDere (CC: BY NC Flickr)
Our last match before the end of year has now been played. Our last meeting was Monday with a four way split of first place in the mini-tournament between Simon, Jamie, David and Nicola. (Simon won the prize on a card draw - free entry to next's Warwickshire Chess Championship in May.)

Bob (President) came along to confer festive greetings on us all, Nigel (Chair) organised the handicapping and ran the tournament, Chris distributed puzzles and sweets. Sadly there was only one Christmas sweater in play (Nalin we missed you!). Thank you to everyone who played. Particular congratulations to Tom and Jonty who had not played in tournaments before and are very new members of the club.

Just to remind you that the next club meeting will be on 15th January 2018 (as 1st January is a Bank Holiday).  Hope to see you then,meanwhile happy holidays everyone. 


Tuesday 11 July 2017

Rapidplay Congress on 10 September, 2017 

Four sections of play, so something for everyone.
An incentive to brush up on your chess over the summer.

28th Leamington Rapidplay Congress

Organised by the Leamington & District Chess League
leamingtonchessleague.org.uk

Four ECF and Fide Rated sections: Open, Under 170, Under 140 and Under 110
Date: 10th September 2017.
Venue: The SYDNI Centre, 24 Cottage Square, Leamington Spa CV31 1PT (limited free parking is available at the venue, other free parking is available in the surrounding streets.)

Chief Organiser: Ed Goodwin
Arbiters:  Matthew Carr (Chief Arbiter) and Thomas Thorp

Entry fee: £20 (adults) and £15 (juniors born on/after 1 July 1999)
Additional £7.50 fee for Bronze ECF members or non-members
Prizes (all sections): £150 (1st), £90 (2nd), £50 (3rd), £30 (grading).

Play schedule: Round 1 (10.00-11.00), Round 2 (11.15-12.15), Round 3 (12.45-13.45), Round 4 (14.00-15.00), Round 5 (15.15-16.15), Round 6 (16.30-17.30)

Deadline for entry: 12 noon 9th September 2017

Entry form and further details are downloadable from Leamingtonchessleague.org.uk 
or you can use these direct links ... (WORD format)  (PDF format)

Wednesday 28 June 2017

Silverware and smiles #2

As promised here is another picture showing off some newly acquired silverware for the club, this time for last season's achievements in the Leamington League.


The Rugby team competed at 4th Division level last season and won 12 of 14 games, finishing some way clear at the top of the table with 24 points (nearest rivals Daventry B and Solihull E each won 7 games and finished with 16 points). The team trophy was an attractive chess board admired here by Malcolm Harding, the captain of our Leamington League team.

The Rugby team is now promoted to Division 3 for the 2017/18 season and we will also next season be fielding a Rugby team in Division 2 (to be captained by Simon Turner). Wishing both teams and captains a successful season.

The other items of silverware shown off here are the two individual cups that Rugby players won. The KO Open cup (won by Patrick Reid) and the KO under-100 cup (won by John Hall). Very well done. Not only cups but medals await you guys.

Friday 16 June 2017

Silverware and smiles #1

Last Tuesday was the Coventry and District Chess League AGM and both Simon Turner (Captain of Rugby A) and John Hall (Captain of Rugby B) were there to collect trophies on behalf of their team. Simon's trophy will need to be extended before the team name can be added (and a touch of repair may be required). But nice to have some silverware for our teams. I thought you might like a picture!

Also part of the business of the meeting was the election of a new League Secretary (on the retirement of Mike Johnson) and our own Malcolm Harding was elected to this role. Rugby Chess Club Chair Nigel Malka was elected to the role of Grading Secretary (one of the roles Mike J has now retired from). Congratulations on these election successes.

Note: This post is titled #1 (Part 1) because its Leamington League AGM next week and we have further trophies to collect at that meeting.

Friday 26 May 2017

Bob Wildig is new President of Rugby Chess Club

This week we had out AGM and also saw Bob Wildig formally stand down as our secretary and then stand up again to become our President. If you have access to the Rugby Advertiser (25th May edition) there is a short article and a big picture about the occasion (page 60). That photo and the one below were taken by Nicola Carrouche.


In the above photo Bob has just awarded the Jonathan Payne Trophy for most committed player in the 2016/17 season to Nalin Kadodwala.

The club presented Bob with wine and a heavily customised card recording memories from his years as secretary (from winning awards, our exhibition in the museum and nights down the Merchants playing chess, through to teaching juniors and Christmas parties).  We hope he will be playing chess and doing less paperwork as our new President in the new season.

Chris Pegler as the new Secretary has taken on the paperwork (look out!), Nalin will continue teaching juniors in Bob's stead, working with Nigel Stanley. Reminder that our next meeting is on Monday, 5th June, and this time there will be more chess and no paperwork!

Thursday 4 May 2017

A successful season (well done everyone)

With one Leamington League game yet to play we have a bevy of fine results and some silverware for the club. Really an excellent season for all our players, with over 260 games played and a fine way to celebrate our 140th anniversary (the club was reputedly established in 1877).

RUGBY A,  captained by Simon Turner, this season won both the Coventry and District Chess League (CDCL) KO Cup, and also the CDCL Divisional Cup (A).
RUGBY B also did very well, finishing in top place in Division 2 of the CDCL and their Captain, John Hall, also had personal success in the Leamington League. He won the Individual KO contest for under-100 rated players. Patrick, who played for both A and B teams during the season won the Individual KO Open in the Leamington League.


RUGBY C played in both the CDCL Division 3 and in Divisional Cup (B) under Captain Nicola Carrouche. While this team may not have brought home any silverware the players had some very interesting chess moments!

As well as the individual player successes in the LEAMINGTON LEAGUE we also had team success. New Captain Malcolm Harding steered us to the top of Division 4 when we still had four games left to play! This league draws players from across all levels in the club and next season we expect to be promoted to Division 3, which gives our players more games in this league.

Well done everyone.