Author Archives: Chris G
Division 2 is completed!
As we’ve known for a long time, Leam Lane Comets and Gosforth Regents take the two promotion places. Morpeth B and Gateshead Knights both won games in hand to finish third and fourth. Jesmond Sharks and Newcastle University each get one end of a wooden spoon.
I have agreed with Gateshead Knights that, as a result of them unavoidably running out of players and having to use first teamers, they will not be eligible for promotion should a vacancy arise in Division 1. This follows the precedent set last season with Forest Hall B/C. If this means that no team can be found to fill the vacancy, Gateshead A will remain first in line to be reprieved from relegation.
Jesmond Sharks 2-3 Alnwick
Andy Trevelyan 0-1 Mike Trolan
Dave Walshaw 1-0 Rob McEwan
Chris Wilson 1-0 Christopher Cox
Sam Trevelyan 0-1 Richard Perry
default 0-1 Vincent Cowley
Wednesday 1st May 2013
Gateshead Knights 3-2 Jesmond Wasps
Bill Noble 0-1 Zheming Zhang
Peter Wells 0-1 James Moreby
Kevin Cox 1-0 Kurt Moreby
Alex Johnson 1-0 Bobby Green
Robin McKay 1-0 Arif Alam
Monday 29th April 2013
Gateshead Knights 4-1 Forest Hall B
Bill Noble 1-0 Jeff Bentham
Peter Wells 1-0 Jeff Baird
Kevin Cox ½-½ Steve Bowey
Alex Johnson ½-½ Phil Walker
Robin McKay 1-0 default
Monday 22nd April 2013
Forest Hall A 5d0 South Shields A
Default conceded by South Shields A due to lack of available players.
Forest Hall B 5d0 Jesmond Wasps
Default conceded by Jesmond Wasps due to a lack of available players (they were all playing Forest Hall A).
Forest Hall A 3½-6½ Jesmond Wasps
Tim Wall 0-1 Zheming Zhang
Martin Seeber 1-0 James Moreby
Rolf Millar ½-½ Kurt Moreby
Roy Perrier 0-1 Bobby Green
John Wall 1-0 Keshav Krishnan
Tania Kisseljov 1-0 Liam Hide
Johnny Wall 0-1 Rohan Rawat
Dennis Shippen 0-1 Peter Owen
Dylan Shone 0-1 Harshith Chakka
Sofia Kisseljov 0-1 Weiming Xu
Monday 22nd April 2013
Heed gan doon
As if the Regents’ promotion chase wasn’t providing enough tension at Gosforth, their first team the Empire finished their own season with their 1st Division status hanging by a thread. Tynedale Tans had already pulled off a miraculous series of results to overtake them, and Gateshead A needed only one win – or a draw and some game points – from their three matches in hand to do likewise.
Unfortunately for Gateshead, the three matches in hand were against Tynemouth Hobbits, Durham City and Morpeth A. They lost all of them, and will return to the 2nd Division next season.
The final Division 1 leaderboards have been published. Paul Robson of Durham City takes the hotly contested silver medal.
Newcastle 2½-2½ Tynemouth Trojans
John Wheeler ½-½ Dave Henderson
Gary Murphy ½-½ Mick Riding
Michael McBeth ½-½ Gary Cornwall
Nigel Villalard 0-1 Dave Jarema
Andrew Robinson 1-0 Dave Hair
Tuesday 16th April 2013
South Shields A 3½-1½ Tynedale Reivers
Kevin Rowden ½-½ Peter Crichton
Ian Maughan 1-0 Dave Foster Sr
Stan Johnson ½-½ Steve Larkin
Olaf Eriksson ½-½ Dave Foster Jr
Jack Burnett 1-0 Damian Rudge
Thursday 18th April 2013
Tynedale Reivers 4-1 Jesmond Sharks
Derek Blair 1-0 Andy Trevelyan
Steve Larkin 0-1 Dave Walshaw
Dave Foster jr 1-0 Peter Owen
Damian Rudge 1-0 Abel Harvie-Clark
Dave Scott 1-0 Sam Trevelyan
Tuesday 16th April 2013
Gateshead A 1½-3½ Morpeth A
Robin Horner 1-0 Roger Coathup
Gagik Abaryan 0-1 Mike Smyth
Peter Wells 0-1 Phil Eastlake
Bill Noble 0-1 Geoff Loxham
Alex Johnson ½-½ Dennis Patterson
Monday 15th April 2013
Regents handed promotion as three rivals stumble
It’s been a waiting game for Gosforth Regents for the last few weeks. After a rocky start to the season they recovered brilliantly and at the conclusion of their own slate of fixtures found themselves behind only runaway leaders Leam Lane Comets. But no fewer than three teams below them – Forest Hall A, Morpeth B and Jesmond Wasps – had a chance to steal that second promotion place by winning their games in hand.
Morpeth B were the first to drop out of the race, going down 4-1 to the Warriors. They recovered from that defeat to extinguish the Wasps’ faint hopes with a draw. Forest Hall A were in the 1st Division last year and looked capable of taking it to the wire, but on Friday they slipped to a 3-2 home defeat by Tynedale Reivers that left the Regents celebrating.
Tynemouth Hobbits 1½-3½ Newcastle
Clive Waters ½-½ John Wheeler
Michael Hubbard 0-1 Gary Murphy
Lara Barnes 0-1 Michael McBeth
Alex MacFarlane 1-0 Nigel Villalard
David Pearson 0-1 Andrew Robinson
Monday 8th April 2013
Forest Hall A 2-3 Tynedale Reivers
Martin Seeber 1-0 Derek Blair
Rolf Millar 0-1 Peter Crichton
John Wall 1-0 Phil Taylor
Dennis Shippen 0-1 Steve Larkin
Johnny Wall 0-1 Damian Rudge
Friday 12th April 2013
Morpeth B 2½-2½ Jesmond Wasps
John Horton 0-1 Zheming Zhang
Geoff Loxham ½-½ James Moreby
Alan Welsh 1-0 Kurt Moreby
James Chadwick 0-1 Bobby Green
Dennis Patterson 1-0 Rohan Rawat
Wednesday 10th April 2013
Gateshead A 1-4 Durham City
Robin Horner 0-1 Graeme Oswald
Gagik Abaryan 0-1 Ken Neat
Peter Wells 1-0 Dave Renton
Bill Noble 0-1 George Gazis
Alex Johnson 0-1 John Findlay
Wednesday 10th April 2013 (at Durham)
RIP Colin Gilroy
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our friend and fellow chess player Colin Gilroy, who passed away in hospital last night having been taken ill at the Durham Congress.
Colin has been a stalwart of the Northumbria League for half a century, most recently with Gateshead Chess Club. He was an avid tournament player who in his prime competed with the county’s top players and scored a famous draw with Kasparov in a simultaneous display in Spain. He also remained, well into his ninth decade, a remarkably energetic and capable captain of Gateshead Knights – he certainly grasped the new eligibility rules as fast as anyone half his age! Indeed, I had a conversation with Colin only last week in which he volunteered to organise Gateshead’s summer knockout entry and had sounded in excellent health.
The thoughts of all of us in the Northumberland chess community are with Colin’s relatives.
Leam Lane Comets 3-2 Tynedale Reivers
John Marsh ½-½ Peter Crichton
Robert Forsythe 1-0 Phil Taylor
Alan Young 1-0 Bruce Reed
Dave Stewardson 0-1 Steve Larkin
Colin McGarty ½-½ Dave Foster jr
Tuesday 2nd April 2013
South Shields B 1-4 Gosforth Regents
Ben Wood 0-1 Geoff Harrison
Stan Johnson ½-½ Martin Beardsley
Dave Parlour 0-1 Kristian Mills
Terry Scollan ½-½ Steve Wilde
Adrian Johnstone 0-1 Robert Heyman
Thursday 28th March 2013
Durham City 4½-½ Newcastle
Graeme Oswald 1-0 Gary Murphy
Ken Neat 1-0 John Wheeler
Nathan Huntley ½-½ Michael McBeth
Paul Robson 1-0 Nigel Villalard
George Gazis 1-0 Andrew Robinson
Wednesday 27th March 2013
Morpeth A 1½-3½ Leam Lane Aces
Roger Coathup 0-1 David Eggleston
Mike Smyth ½-½ Nick Tavoularis
George Ellames 0-1 Richard Doyle
Phil Eastlake ½-½ John Marsh
Geoff Loxham ½-½ Robert Forsythe
Wednesday 27th March 2013
Tynemouth Trojans 2½-2½ Jesmond Rookies
David Henderson ½-½ Chris Wardle
Mick Riding 1-0 Robert Archer
Chris Smith 0-1 Tim Adams
Dave Jarema 1-0 Andy Trevelyan
Dave Hair 0-1 Dave Walshaw
Tuesday 26th March 2013
Tynedale Tans 2-3 Jesmond Knights
David Wrigley 0-1 Malola Prasath
Dave Weldon 1-0 Edward Dodds
Jeremy Handley 0-1 John Turnock
Tim Wrigley 1-0 Ron Plater
Derek Blair 0-1 Amarvansh Singh
Tuesday 26th March 2013
Tynemouth Warriors 4-1 Morpeth B
Phil Jackson 1-0 Alan Welsh
Dennis Beagarie 0-1 Dennis Patterson
Alan Harris 1-0 Harry Robinson
Dennis White 1-0 David Watson
Bob Batten 1-0 Alan Hutchinson
Tuesday 26th March 2013
Gosforth Empire 2½-2½ Tynemouth Castles
Michael Yianni ½-½ Dave Jarema
Roy Bagnall 1-0 Dave Hair
Dave Stebbings 0-1 Keith Rockett
Geoff Harrison 0-1 David Pearson
Kristian Mills 1-0 Ray Garside
Monday 25th March 2013
Gateshead A 1-4 Tynemouth Hobbits
Robin Horner 0-1 Clive Waters
Gagik Abaryan 1-0 Antonio Moneva-Jordan
Peter Wells 0-1 Michael Hubbard
Bill Noble 0-1 John Clarke
Alex Johnson 0-1 Lara Barnes
Monday 25th March 2013
Newcastle 2-3 Morpeth A
Gary Murphy 0-1 Roger Coathup
John Wheeler 0-1 Mike Smyth
Michael McBeth ½-½ George Ellames
Nigel Villalard ½-½ Phil Eastlake
Andrew Robinson 1-0 David Watson
Tuesday 19th March 2013
Morpeth B 1-4 Leam Lane Comets
Phil Eastlake 0-1 John Marsh
Alan Welsh 0-1 Robert Forsythe
James Chadwick 0-1 Alan Young
Dennis Patterson 0-1 Dave Stewardson
Harry Robinson 1-0 Colin McGarty
Wednesday 20th March 2013
Alnwick 3-2 Tynemouth Warriors
Mike Trolan 1-0 Phil Jackson
Ralph Firth ½-½ Alan Harris
Rob McEwan ½-½ Dennis White
Christopher Cox 0-1 Bob Batten
Richard Perry 1-0 Peter Combellack
Wednesday 20th March 2013
Tynedale Reivers 4-1 South Shields B
Phil Taylor 1-0 Ben Wood
Bruce Reed 0-1 Stan Johnson
Dave Foster sr 1-0 Terry Scollan
Alex Ashworth 1-0 Jack Burnett
Peter Booker 1-0 default
Tuesday 19th March 2013
Gosforth Regents 3-2 Forest Hall A
Dave Stebbings 0-1 Alan Harvey
Geoff Harrison 0-1 Mike Smith
Noel Boustred 1-0 John Wall
Martin Beardsley 1-0 Keith Brooks
Steve Wilde 1-0 default
Monday 18th March 2013
Jesmond Wasps 0d5 South Shields A
Default conceded by Jesmond Wasps due to a lack of available players.
South Shields A 1½-3½ Gateshead Knights
Ian Maughan 1-0 Bill Noble
Kevin Rowden ½-½ Kevin Cox
John Jobling 0-1 Colin Gilroy
Jack Burnett 0-1 Alex Johnson
Mark Rowden 0-1 Robin McKay
Thursday 14th March 2013
Shock and surprise at both ends of Division 1
Congratulations to Leam Lane Aces who, in a move predicted by nobody at all, have wrapped up their fourth successive Northumbria League title.
Even more impressively, the 3-2 wins that they snatched from the jaws of equality against Newcastle and Durham City mean that they take a 36-match winning streak into the final game of the season against Morpeth A. Should they win that one too, they will usurp the late-80’s Sunderland dynasty to become statistically the most dominant team in Northumbria League history. Between 1986 and 1990 Sunderland also won four successive titles without defeat, but drew two matches along the way – Leam Lane have so far drawn only one.
At the bottom of the table, Tynemouth Castles teased us all by winning their first match of the season against established 1st Division opponents. But that was as good as it got for the Crystal Palace of Northumberland chess, who for the third time this century bow out of the top flight after a single season.
Leam Lane Aces 4-1 Gosforth Empire
Jonathan Hawkins 1-0 Michael Yianni
Kyril Gara ½-½ Paul Sumner
Richard Doyle 1-0 Dave Stebbings
Robert Forsythe ½-½ Geoff Harrison
Alan Young 1-0 Shakti Sood
Tuesday 12th March 2013
Tynemouth Castles 1½-3½ Gateshead A
Dave Jarema ½-½ Robin Horner
Dave Hair 0-1 Gagik Abaryan
Keith Rockett 0-1 Peter Wells
Dave Mear ½-½ Bill Noble
Dave Pearson ½-½ Alex Johnson
Tuesday 12th March 2013
Tynemouth Hobbits 2-3 Tynedale Tans
Clive Waters ½-½ David Wrigley
Antonio Moneva-Jordan 0-1 Dave Weldon
Michael Hubbard 0-1 Jeremy Handley
John Clarke ½-½ Tim Wrigley
Lara Barnes 1-0 Derek Blair
Monday 11th March 2013
Jesmond Sharks 2-2 Forest Hall B
Joseph Dalton 1-0 Jeff Bentham
Abel Harvie-Clark 0-1 Jeff Baird
Peter Owen 1-0 David A. Turner
Andrew Dalton 0-1 Dennis Shippen
Friday 8th March 2013
Jesmond Rookies 2-3 Durham City
Chris Izod ½-½ Graeme Oswald
Chris Wardle 0-1 Ken Neat
Robert Archer ½-½ Dave Renton
Steven Aitchison 1-0 Mike Ayton
Stephen Wardle 0-1 Geoff Knapton
Friday 8th March 2013
Board 3 result corrected 14th March.
Jesmond Knights 3-2 Tynemouth Trojans
Malola Prasath 0-1 David Henderson
Ed Dodds ½-½ Gary Cornwall
John Turnock 1-0 Chris Smith
Kurt Moreby ½-½ Dave Mear
James Moreby 1-0 Dave Pearson
Friday 8th March 2013
South Shields B 0-5 Morpeth B
Ben Wood 0-1 Les Whittle
Stan Johnson 0-1 Alan Welsh
Terry Scollan 0-1 Harry Robinson
Olaf Eriksson 0-1 David Watson
Adrian Johnston 0-1 Alan Hutchinson
Thursday 7th March 2013
Newcastle University 0d5 Alnwick
Default conceded by Newcastle University due to lack of available players.
Leam Lane Comets 3-2 Tynemouth Warriors
John Marsh ½-½ Richard Oxnard
Robert Forsythe 1-0 Phil Jackson
Alan Young ½-½ Dennis Beagarie
Dave Stewardson ½-½ Alan Harris
Colin McGarty ½-½ Dennis White
Tuesday 5th March 2013
Gateshead Knights 2-3 Gosforth Regents
Bill Noble 1-0 Kristian Mills
Kevin Cox ½-½ Noel Boustred
Colin Gilroy 0-1 Robert Heyman
Alex Johnson ½-½ Steve Wilde
Robin McKay 0-1 Brian Ord
Monday 4th March 2013
Human chess board at Monument, Saturday 9th March!
On Saturday 12 noon the Newcastle University Chess Society are running an event at Grey’s Monument in Newcastle featuring a live human chessboard where local children are the pieces. Click here for an event poster.
Lateefah is still looking for youngsters to be pieces. If your child would like to be a chess piece, grab a consent form here. (Contact details for Lateefah and the Society are all there on the form.)
If you don’t know any small people that would like to be chess pieces, come along anyway and buy a raffle ticket.