Chess WITH THE KNIGHT Gosforth teams dominate Summer Handicap
WHETHER it is the football Euros or the T20 Cricket World Cup, the group stages of any sporting competition are all about the hope and the glory. The underdogs hope of qualifying, while everyone wants the glory of ultimate victory.
After three out of five World Cup-style group stage rounds of Northumberland Chess Association’s Summer Handicap, the favourites to qualify are emerging, with four Gosforth teams in the running for a total of eight Cup and Plate semi-final places.
In the Handicap, lower-rated teams are given extra points to balance out the matches, so a higher-rated team may often have to win 3.5-0.5 or 4-0 to win the match.
Group A is being led by three teams on 4 match points: Gosforth Empire (who play in Division 1 in the Northumbria League), Gosforth Regents (a Division 2 side) and Forest Hall Magpies (a third-division team this season).
In Group B, Gosforth Salters (a Division 2 team) are on 6 points, with their nearest rivals Forest Hall Badgers (a Division 5 team) on 4. The dark horse for a qualifying spot is Newcastle A, currently on 2 points from two matches, who faltered against a strengthened Newcastle University team in Round 2.
Group C, which only has four teams, has been won by Morpeth A on 6 match points. The lowest rated of Alnwick, Tynemouth or
Morpeth B (who all scored 2 points) now go into a play-off match for a Plate semi-final place with the highest scoring third placed team in the other three groups.
In Group D, it’s a tie so far on 6 points between 4th Division Gateshead and 3rd Division Gosforth Centurions, clearly ahead of South Shields, Leam Lane and Tynedale on 2, and Newcastle B on 0.
Two Group A matches and one Group B match were due to be played on Thursday evening at the Punch Bowl Hotel in Jesmond.
One of the outstanding matches had been rearranged from Monday to accommodate
football-mad players from Forest Hall, who went to see England beat Bosnia 3-0 at St. James’ Park on Monday.
The fourth round of the Summer Handicap takes place in the week beginning June
24.
Entries are still being accepted for the upcoming Northumberland & Durham
Rapidplay Championships, which take place at Forest Hall Social Club on Saturday, June
15.
The Open & Major, Minor and Junior tournaments start at 11am and run until 5pm.
Entries are being taken online at https:// northumbriamasters.com and via email by writing to: timpeterwall@gmail.com. Cash entries will also be accepted on the day.