March summary

The current top ten players in the club grand prix are:

		Points	Percentage
1st	Nathan Barnes	11	79
2nd	Eldar Lachinov	10.5	95
3rd	Peter Smith	9	75
4th=	Brian Remmer	8.5	77
	Mike Wagstaff	8.5	77
6th	Phil Daley	7	70
7th	Martin Harris	6	55
8th=	Clive Bellinger	4.5	64
	John Duff-Cole	4.5	56
	Mark Johnson	4.5	50

Games played in the club championship, Tony Locke rapidplay and the NECL league/knockout count for points in the grand prix. Wins by default in NECL matches do count for points.

In the club championship the top two in each group are currently: Eldar Lachinov, Martin Harris (group 1), Pete Smith, Dimitrios Kolomvas (group 2), Nathan Barnes, Mark Johnson (group 3) and Brian Remmer, Phil Daley (group 4). There are two weeks left for group stage games to be played, this means that four players have already qualified for the knockout rounds - Pete Smith, Nathan Barnes, Brian Remmer and Phil Daley.

All group games in the club championship need to be completed by Wednesday 2nd April. At the end of the evening the draws for the first knockout round and the plate competition will be made. Where group games have not been completed the tournament controller will make any decisions regarding the awarding of wins by default.

Currently unbeaten (minimum 4 games):

• Mike Wagstaff - standard play with White pieces (5 games), NECL league matches (10 games)
• Eldar Lachinov - standard play (11 games), 100% with White (6 games)
• Dimitrios Kolomvas - standard play with Black pieces (6 games)
• Dave Chatfield - club championship (4 games)
• Clive Bellinger - standard play with Black pieces (4 games)
• Nathan Barnes - standard play with Black pieces (8 games), 100% in club championship (4 games)

NECL update

After three disappointing results (the B team drawing with Billericay B and losing to Chelmsford D; the A team losing narrowly to Braintree B), the A and B teams have got back on track with three 4-0 whitewashes. The A team beat Dunmow and Witham B, the B team beat Chelmsford C.

Date: 20-Mar-2014
NECL League: Division 3
Brd	Col	CHELMSFORD C	Result		COLCHESTER B	Col
1	b	John Constantine (123)	0	1	Nathan Barnes (e145)	w
2	w	Peter Brander (118)	0	1	Mike Wagstaff (145)	b
3	b	Elliot Cocks (100)	0	1	Phil Daley (124)	w
4	w	Mario Cassar (76)	0	1	Peter Smith (122)	b
		(avg=104)	0	4	(avg=134)

 

Date: 19-Mar-2014
NECL League: Division 2
Brd	Col	WITHAM B	Result		COLCHESTER A	Col
1	w	Peter O'Malley (116)	0	1	Javier Ruano Marco (e189)	b
2	b	Barrie Quin (115)	0	1	Ian Gooding (176)	w
3	w	Barry Mitchell (111)	0	1	Eldar Lachinov (e155)	b
4	b	John Staplehurst (110)	0	1	Michael Wagstaff (145)	w
		(avg=113)	0	4	(avg=166)

 

Date: 10-Mar-2014
NECL League: Division 2
Brd	Col	DUNMOW	Result		COLCHESTER A	Col
1	b	John Bradley (119)	0	1	Ian Gooding (176)	w
2	w	Derek Jones (125)	0	1	Eldar Lachinov (e155)	b
3	b	William Attwood (115)	0	1	Aleksander Orava (e155)	w
4	w	Eric Page (86)	0	1	Mike Wagstaff (145)	b
		(avg=111)	0	4	(avg=157)

The position below is from Barnes - Constantine. White to play, Black has just played 9...c5 - solution in the comments.