Author: Ken

Tim Wall has asked me to mention that the Northumberland Rapidplay Championships will be held on Saturday 5th February. For full details go to:

https://northumberlandchess.com/

Thirteen teams have entered this season, six in Division 1 and seven in Division 2. The full fixture list can be found here:

https://ecflms.org.uk/lms/node/82180/home

Darlington Chess Club are hosting a simultaneous display by grandmaster Keith Arkell on Tuesday16th November. Contact Carl Stephens on 07581 069 774 if you would like to take part.

An online meeting of the Durham County Chess Association will be held on Wednesday 15th September at 7.30 p.m. The link and the relevant papers will be published nearer the date.

From Tim Wall:

Forest Hall Chess Club is happy to announce its first major over-the-board event this summer: the Forest Hall Summer Rapidplay, on Saturday 31 July at Forest Hall Social Club, Great Lime Road, Palmersville NE12 9DQ. Start: 11:00am, Finish: 6pm.

Entry forms are available via the club website:

https://foresthallchess.org.uk

Very sad news – I’ve been informed that Fred Stobbart passed away on 14th June, after a short cancer-related illness.

For a long time Fred was the backbone of the Hetton Lyons Chess Club, and for many years he organised the annual Durham County Congress, as well as numerous smaller events.

If anyone would like to send their condolences to the Stobbart family, this is the address:

4 Woodlea Close, Hetton-le-Hole, Houghton-le-Spring, Co. Durham. DH5 9NT.

The final round of matches in the third season produced the following results:

Division 1. Forest Hall A 2 Durham City A 2; South Shields 2½ Jesmond 1½; Gosforth Empire 2½ Leeds 1½.

Division 2. Thornaby 1½ Durham City B 2½; Forest Hall B 3 Darlington 1; Tynemouth & Morpeth Boatmen ½ Gosforth Nomads 3½.

Division 3. Tynedale 1½ Gosforth Ivy 2½; Durham City C 2½ Forest Hall C 1½; Forest Hall D 2 Billingham Synthonia 2.

Division 4. Tynemouth & Morpeth Colliers 1 Forest Hall E 3; Durham City D 4 Bishop Auckland B 0; Bishop Auckland A 2 Forest Hall F 2.

Here are the results of the fourth round of matches:

Division 1. Durham City A 1 Gosforth Empire 3; Leeds 2 South Shields 2; Jesmond 1 Forest Hall A 3.

Division 2. Durham City B 1½ Tynemouth & Morpeth Boatmen 2½; Gosforth Nomads 1 Forest Hall B 3; Darlington 3½ Thornaby ½.

Division 3. Gosforth Ivy 2 Forest Hall D 2; Billingham Synthonia 3 Durham City C 1; Forest Hall C 1 Tynedale 3.

Division 4. Forest Hall E 2 Bishop Auckland A 2; Forest Hall F 1 Durham City D 3; Bishop Auckland B 1 Tynemouth & Morpeth Colliers 3.

An announcement by Tim Wall:

Entry forms are now published for the 2021 Northumbria Masters (August 26-30), which is going ahead over-the-board at a brand new Covid-secure venue, Marriott MetroCentre in Gateshead. The congress, generously supported by Chess in Schools and Communities, includes a GM norm all-play-all and an IM norm all-play-all, as well as the Northumbria Masters (Open to all); Challengers (Under 2000); Major (Under 1750); and Minor (Under 1500).

Further details are available here:

Here are the results of the third round of matches:

Division 1. Jesmond 1 Durham City A 3; Forest Hall A 2½ Leeds 1½; South Shields 2 Gosforth Empire 2.

Division 2. Darlington ½ Durham City B 3½; Thornaby 0 Gosforth Nomads 4; Forest Hall B 1 Tynemouth & Morpeth Boatmen 3.

Division 3. Forest Hall C 2 Gosforth Ivy 2; Tynedale 3½ Billingham Synthonia ½; Durham City C 2½ Forest Hall D 1½.

Division 4. Bishop Auckland B 2½ Forest Hall E 1½; Tynemouth & Morpeth Colliers 4 Forest Hall F 0; Durham City D 2½ Bishop Auckland A 1½.