Tuesday 27 September 2011

More News from Leyland

Julie van Kemenade also played in the Fide rated tournament at Leyland, achieving 2 out of 6, despite being second lowest rated player. Unfortunately this included a full point bye in the 2nd round. Unfortunate because it means you get an even stronger opponent in the next round. However Julie clocked up a win in that next round, though against an opponent without a FIDE rating. She then came up against a promising junior, Henry Broadley, a member of the England U18 squad, rated FIDE 1860 and ECF 2090. A complex game ensued where Henry just managed to escape from an inferior position with the resource of a backward B move.

Overall though Julie managed to gain two points on her Welsh grade from the tournament.

[Report by Rudy]

Henry Broadley - Julie van Kemenade 1-0

Monday 26 September 2011

Leyland and Leek Report

Both Mark Talbot and Rudy van Kemenade played in two recent congresses in Leyland and Leek recently.The Leyland one, over 6 rounds in the late August bank holiday, was a FIDE-rated tournament.Mark, after a bye in round one, and a second round loss, recovered well to finish on 4 points overall, Mark beating Rudy when they met in round 4 with a complex Petroff defence,winning a pawn, and,after Rudy failed to make the most of his dark square compensation, winning the R vs B endgame comfortably.

Rudy had a decent tournament, notwithstanding missing draws in two games and a win in another, to finish on 3 out of 6, all against higher graded players. Hence an enhanced FIDE and Welsh grading result.

At Leek Mark chose to play in the Major but had a difficult time defending against the lower graded opponents, finishing on 2½ from 5 (with a first rd ½-point bye). Rudy, playing in the FIDE-rated section,had a reprise of Leyland. Again the 50% score was good for enhanced points against the higher grade opposition, 2½ from 5 (with a first round 1/2 bye). The featured game was a successful positional game to avenge a loss from a winning position against the same opponent at Leyland.

[Report by Rudy]

Rudy van Kemenade - Paul Isherwood 1-0

Friday 23 September 2011

Fixture List

Here are the club's matches for the forthcoming season of the Dyfed League. Monday and Wednesday matches will be played at the Emlyn Cafe, Tanygroes, while Tuesday matches will be played on our home territory, the St David's Club, Aberystwyth. For these home games, players not involved in the match are welcome to turn up. All matches begin at 7.30.

Monday 3/10/2011 Haverfordwest A - Aberystwyth B
Tuesday 4/10/2011 Aberystwyth A - Cardigan B
Tuesday 18/10/2011 Aberystwyth B - Gwyddbwyll.com
Wednesday 19/10/2011 Haverfordwest B - Aberystwyth A
Monday 31/10/2011 Carmarthen - Aberystwyth B
Wednesday 2/11/201 Aberystwyth A - Haverfordwest A
Tuesday 8/11/2011 Aberystwyth B - Cardigan B
Wednesday 9/11/2011 Carmarthen - Aberystwyth A
Tuesday 15/11/2011 Aberystwyth A - Aberystwyth B
Monday 5/12/2011 Aberystwyth B - Haverfordwest B
Tuesday 6/12/2011 Aberystwyth A - Cardigan A
Wednesday 11/1/2012 Gwyddbwyll.com - Aberystwyth A
Monday 23/1/2012 Cardigan A - Aberystwyth B
Monday 30/1/2012 Cardigan B - Aberystwyth A
Monday 6/2/2012 Aberystwyth B - Haverfordwest A
Wednesday 8/2/2012 Aberystwyth A - Haverfordwest B
Wednesday 15/2/2012 Haverfordwest A - Aberystwyth A
Monday 20/2/2012 Aberystwyth B - Carmarthen
Wednesday 29/2/2012 Gwyddbwyll.com - Aberystwyth B
Monday 12/3/2012 Cardigan B - Aberystwyth B
Wednesday 14/3/2012 Aberystwyth A - Carmarthen
Tuesday 20/3/2012 Aberystwyth B - Aberystwyth A
Monday 26/3/2012 Cardigan A - Aberystwyth A
Monday 2/4/2012 Haverfordwest B - Aberystwyth B
Tuesday 17/4/2012 Aberystwyth B - Cardigan A
Tuesday 24/4/2012 Aberystwyth A - Gwyddbwyll.com

Monday 19 September 2011

AGM Minutes

Aberystwyth Town Chess Club

Annual General Meeting

The 65th AGM of the Aberystwyth Town Chess Club was held in the first floor meeting room St. David’s Club, Eastgate St, Aberystwyth, 7:30 pm on Tuesday 13th September 2011.

Present: M. Francis [in the chair], A. Geraghty, Secretary /Treasurer, I. Finlay, J. Basterfield, R. van Kemenade, J. van Kemenade.

1. Apologies for absence. None.

2. Minutes of the previous AGM were accepted.

3. Matters arising. None.

4. The chairman reported the club on the whole had a successful year. We entered two teams in the Dyfed League and fulfilled our fixtures without a default. The Club Championship, now established as a weekend tournament, had, with the co-operation of members, been played as a seven match round-robin, which was won by Mark Talbot.

The chairman also congratulated members for some fine individual achievements. Rudy and Julie van Kemenade both represented Wales at International level. Rudy also retained 1st place at the Dyfed Closed Championship. Mark Talbot won 1st place at the Heywood Congress. Rudy, John Basterfield and Georgina Gray all won grading prizes during the season.

5. Secretary/Treasurer's report. Tony Geraghty reported the club was in good financial order. The rent to the St David's Club was paid for the next two months and there is £102.00 in the bank. The secretary reminded members that the WCU £10.00 and Dyfed league £5.00 fees are now due. He also took the opportunity to remind team players to share the travelling cost on match nights.

6. Match Captains’ reports. Rudy van Kemenade reported that the A team had a very good season finishing in second place to champions Cardigan despite beating them twice. Alas, points dropped in other games decided it.

Ian Finlay reported that the B team had finished 4th in the league despite a poor start to the season and only failed to retain the Iolo Jones trophy by ½ a point.

7. Any other matters.

The need to attract new members was discussed. Matthew Francis agreed to continue match reports to the Cambrian News, put posters up at the university and maintain the Blog.

8. Election of Officers.

The following were elected:

Chair – Matthew Francis

Secretary and Treasurer – Anthony Geraghty

Match captains:
A Team – Rudy van Kemenade
B Team – Ian Finlay

Blogmaster – Matthew Francis.


Anthony Geraghty, Club Secretary.

Sunday 18 September 2011

Penarth and New Season

The new season has started and the AGM was last week. I will post the minutes when I have them. I am also expecting some games and tournament news, but meanwhile I can report on my own rather patchy performance in the Major section of the South Wales Autumn Congress at Penarth, where I scored 1½/4. Here are two of my games, both featuring nice sacrificial finishes - the winner of the second was eleven years old!

Simon Blackmore - Matthew Francis 0-1

Matthew Francis - Nyasha Katsande 0-1