2023 Summer
League Report
For the second
year running, the summer league attracted a larger than usual number of
entrants. Before Covid there would normally be 13 to 15 teams, spread over
three divisions. This year 22 teams took part, spread over four divisions.
This provided 100 matches and, because many were five or six board matches,
there were well over 400 games.
Chesterfield
A romped away
with the division 1 title. They gained 14 points from 12 matches and finished
a clear 5 points above Nomads A. Nomads had however split their forces and were
fielding a second team in the same division, otherwise the race for the top
spot would have been much closer. But the summer league is not all about
winning titles and by entering two first division teams, Nomads B filled a vacant
slot in the division.
SASCA
A won division 2
with 14 points from 8 matches. They were undefeated and finished 4 points
above D&H A. With hindsight, placing SASCA A in division 1 and
Rotherham in division 3 would have made the second division a closer
affair. However, when compiling the divisions, I didn’t realise that SASCA
A would be so strong or that Rotherham would find the division such a struggle.
Yet, as Chesterfield B drew both their matches against SASCA and Rotherham
only lost each of theirs by one game point, it was perhaps closer than it
looked.
Woodseats
A won division 3
with 14 points from 10 matches. Despite gaining only one point from their
first three matches, they slowly and quietly crept up the table. Then, in
their very last match, they overtook Nomads C by one point to go top.
Nomads
D won division 4
with 13 points from 10 matches. They were looking like comfortable winners until
they lost their two penultimate matches and were overtaken by Sheffield
Deaf. In their final match they needed a win over Woodseats B, who would also
go top, along with Sheffield Deaf, if they won. But Nomads gained a
convincing win, to take the title by one point.
Like
last year, not only did the summer league prove popular because it provided
clubs with the means to maintain interest over the summer, many clubs used it
to introduce new players to competitive over the board chess. Consequently,
I think, yet again the summer league has made an important and useful contribution
to what the S&DCA provides.
Alan
McIntosh.
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