I am the ECF’s controller for the County & District Correspondence Chess Championships. While I have maintained cross-tables for the various competitions on the CDCCC section of my own website, it has occurred to me that there is often a story behind what is going on that is not adequately conveyed by the bare statistics. I have therefore decided that starting with the run-in for the 2009/10 competitions (for which the adjudication date has been extended to 31 July 2010 to compensate for the delayed start), I will be maintaining a blog on these events.
The state of play on 5 July was as follows:
Ward-Higgs
The Ward-Higgs is the championship event, contested by 12 teams over 22 boards. The Hutton pairings give each team one White and one Black against each of the other Counties. 11 boards (designated as E1 to E11) are required to be conducted by e-mail: the remaining boards (designated as N1 to N11) are conducted by post unless the players agree mutually to play by e-mail, as an increasing number seem to do. For the first time this season, games are being graded, and there are straws in the wind to migrate some of the boards to the ICCF webserver.
In recent seasons the event has been dominated by Yorkshire, who have won the last three competitions and seven of the last nine. While Yorkshire have again performed well, the leaders almost throughout the season have been Sussex, who were last champions in 1999/2000. At times Sussex have threatened to extend their lead decisively, but both Yorkshire and Essex have kept up their pursuit, and after Essex inflicted Sussex’s first defeat of the season on board E4, matters have become exceptionally tight. Leading scores are currently:
Sussex 14½/19
Essex and Yorkshire 14/19
Warwickshire 10½/16
Although Warwickshire are some way behind, two of their games still in play are against Sussex, and these are likely to go a long way towards deciding the title. There is also an Essex v Yorkshire game in play.
Sinclair
The Sinclair is also conducted over 22 boards and is in essence a qualifying competition to enable teams to gain promotion and play in the Ward Higgs with which, at least in theory, a two up two down principle should apply. Sadly the competition is a shadow of its former self, and only has five entrants this season: three first teams (Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Middlesex) who are eligible for promotion and two second teams (Essex and Warwickshire) who are not. It is the second teams that are currently leading the way: Essex with 12/16 have their noses in front from defending champions Warwickshire who have 11/16.
Butler Thomas
This is a 10 board event, which was reintroduced in 2005/6 as an experimental all e-mail event, and has attracted 6 entries this season. Bedfordshire, who were champions in the inaugural season and in 2007/8, are close to clinching the title with 7½/9, although Suffolk with 5½/8 are not yet mathematically out of it.
Brown Pond
This was an established event that was reduced to 10 boards with no mandatory e-mail in 2005/6 as a sister competition to the Butler Thomas. There are five teams participaring. Defending champions Berkshire, with 5½/6. are well placed to retain their title.
The County whose first teams score most points in the Butler Thomas and Brown Pond combined is awarded the Minor Counties title. Defending champions Cumbria face are battling with Dorset for this title.
18 July 2010 update
One title has been resolved: Bedfordshire are the winners of the Butler Thomas as the draw on board 9 between Suffolk and Herts 2 means that their score can no longer be equalled.
No new results for the three leaders in the Ward-Higgs, although Warwickshire inch closer on 11½/17 after a win on board E9.
Essex 2 continue to shade the Sinclair with 12/16, as a draw on board E7 has left Warwickshire 2 on 11½/17.
19 July 2010 update
Three new results in the Sinclair enable Essex 2, who score 2½ points, to tighten their grip on the title. Essex 2 now have 14½/19 to Warwickshire 2′s 11½/17.
21 July 2010 update
Sussex captain John Dodgson leads from the front in the Ward Higgs by winning his game on board N2 to take his team to 15½/20, with Essex and Yorkshire still on 14/19. He communicated the result to his team with a characteristic Shakesperian quote:
“Cry ‘Havoc!’ kings; back to the stained field…”
26 July 2010 update
In the Sinclair, the board E11 game between M Nevin (Warwickshire 2) and D Eustace (Essex 2) ends in a draw, leaving Essex 2 even nearer to clinching the title.
27 July 2010 update
A loss on board N2 means that Warwickshire are now mathematically out of contention for the Ward-Higgs, but with two games in play against Sussex and one against Yorkshire the County still has a big part to play in determining the eventual winners.
At the other end of the table Nottinghamshire, who had seemd clear favourites for the wooden spoon, have reported wins on boards N1, N4 and N6, which will have other struggling teams looking anxiously over their shoulders.
29 July 2010 update
In the Ward Higgs I manage to win my own game for Essex on board N11 against Terry Cowling of Hampshire, while Alan Heaton of Yorkshire can only draw against Ashraf Syed of Hampshire. With two games each to go, the leading scores are now Sussex 15½/20, Essex 15/20 and Yorkshire 14½/20. The uncompleted games for the leaders are:
E2 Donald Macfarlane (Sussex) v Chris Shephard (Warwickshire)
E8 Steve Williams (Essex) v Peter Catt (Yorkshire)
N2 Paul Byway (Hertfordshire) v Jon Manley (Essex)
N3 Stan Grayland (Warwickshire) v Phil Stimpson (Sussex)
N7 Mel Suffield (Yorkshire) v J S Hart (Warwickshire)
1 August 2010 update
Play should have ceased!
6 August 2010 update
A win for Colin Ramage on board N5 mean that Essex 2 have clinched the Sinclair.
9 August 2010 update
Yorkshire agree draws in their final two Ward Higgs games, one of which is against Essex, and given the board count situation can no longer retain the title. Leading scores Sussex 15½/20, Essex 15½/21 and Yorkshire 15½/22.
15 August 2010 update
A draw is agreed on board E2 of the Ward Higgs between Donald Macfarlane (Sussex) and Chris Shephard (Warwickshire). With one game to go, Sussex on 16/21 have their noses in front of Essex on 15½/21, but Essex have the superior board count.
20 August 2010 update
This is the deadline for adjudication claims to be sent to the Controller. The outcome of the Ward Higgs will depend upon the adjudicator’s decision: Sussex are claiming a draw in Grayland v Stimpson and Essex are claiming a draw in Byway v Manley.
Meanwhile, Berkshire are confirmed as winners of the Brown Pond and Dorset as the Minor Counties champion.
31 August 2010
After some chasing up, all results are in bar the two key adjudications on the Ward Higgs and one adjudication in the Sinclair.
14 September 2010
The adjudication results are in:
Ward Higgs N2 Paul Byway (Herts) 1 – 0 Jon Manley (Essex)
Ward Higgs N3 Stan Grayland (Warks 1) 1 – 0 Phil Stimpson (Sussex)
Sinclair N3 R J McNally (Warks 2) 1 – 0 John Knee (Worcs 1)
Sussex win the Ward-Higgs by ½ point – the County’s first success in this competition since 1999/2000. Many congratulations to John Dodgson and his team.
Thoughts now turn to next season. Geoff Harrison and Eric Nowell have stood down as captains of Northumberland and Greater Manchester respoectively, and the controller is keeping his fingers crossed that successors will emerge shortly. Cumbria have withdrawn their Butler Thomas team, but there will be a Yorkshire 2 playing in this division for the first time.
Hi John
the last two Yorkshire games have ended in draws