Merseyside Chess Association

Division 2

Greetings again to all Captains and their teams – best wishes for Easter and good luck for the run-in to the end of the season.

Attached for each of the Captains are

-                     the League Table

-                     Player of the Year Contenders

-                     All the results from all the games since the previous update

-                     A summary for your team

(note these are elsewhere on the website)

 As ever, all the information including the summaries for all the teams is kept on the website at

www.wallaseychess.btinternet.co.uk/merseyside_division2.htm

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The Division is now split into two very distinct parts – the promotion challengers and the relegation candidates – nobody is excluded! It’s a bit like the football Premiership, the top 3 then the rest.

 The Top

Formby 1 are still first on 18 points and since Christmas have won 3 and lost one, against second placed Widnes 1. Widnes and Southport 1 have both been in first class form and have won 3 and drawn one, against each other. They are now only 2 and 3 points respectively behind the leaders. A crucial match looks to be that on the last night of the season between Southport and Formby. Widnes appear to have the easiest run-in and Formby are now without their Board 1, with the lamented departure of Peter Bond to southern climes. Southport have 2 of their remaining matches at home, where they have a formidable reputation. So Formby have the points in the bag but the 3 forthcoming matches will be very tense affairs and it looks probable that it won’t be decided until the last night.

Formby            18 points          Board Difference          +12

Widnes 16 points          Board Difference          +11

Southport          15 points          Board Difference          +9

 The Bottom

In my Christmas update, I said that for Atticus 3 “a comfortable mid-table slot seems assured”. I was wrong! Since then Atticus have played 4 lost 4 and are deep into the relegation battle. On the other hand I said about the then bottom club, Wallasey B, that they “will be very depressed at their position” so of course they have played 4 won 3 since then.

Wallasey B are the only team showing any sort of form in the lower portion of the Division. Since Christmas, Wallasey C, EEC 1 and Liverpool 2 have each only managed to gather 2 points.

The first match after this update is Liverpool v Atticus and it could be a key fixture. Wallasey C have still to play Formby and Widnes so their slight edge in terms of points already gained may be vital.

The important relegation matches on the final night of 15^th April, when all 8 teams play, are Wallasey B v Atticus 3 and EEC 1  v Liverpool 2. So, as with the fight for the title it will all go to the wire. Very exciting for my first season as a controller – I hope it’s like this every year! (Though the Captains probably don’t.) Will Liverpool ’s better board difference prove a factor in their chase of Atticus and Wallasey B?

Wallasey C       9 points            Board Difference          -2

EEC 1              8 points            Board Difference          -3

Atticus 3           8 points            Board Difference          -8

Wallasey B       8 points            Board Difference          -13

Liverpool 2       6 points            Board Difference          -6

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The contest for Player of the Year looks now to be in the hands of P Stephenson of Liverpool. He has gone from strength to strength with 3½/4 since Christmas and has set too hot a pace for his rivals. He is undefeated all season and is on 9½/11, all on Board 1 – a very impressive performance. Knowing Paul, I am sure, however, that he will take small satisfaction in it if his team is relegated.

S Potter ( Widnes ) has come storming through with 4/4 since the last update and is in second place on 8/11. There are 3 players on 7½ points, the long-standing challenger C Atako (Atticus) has now been joined by P Brocklebank and G Sage (both Southport ). R Platt (Formby) is on 7/10 and there are then 3 players on 6½ - W Melia (EEC) and A Smith and M Fraser (both Formby). The attached update lists all those on 5½ points or more.

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Once again good luck and good chess to all teams. If Captains can continue to get results in promptly (an e-mail in advance of the card by post would help) then I will try to keep the league table on the website bang up to date.

Regards

Dave Farley

Division 2 Controller

10th March 2004