Individual competitions and awards
Updated 14 April and orrected 24 April 2024
Worcestershire Chess Association |
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| Worcs CA | League | Teams | Clubs |
Updated 14 April and orrected 24 April 2024
On the merger of the district league with the county association prior to the 2022-3 season it was agreed that the competitions for the Bennett Cup and the Ball Cup should continue. The Bennett Cup is an open competition. The Ball Cup is for players rated below 1650. Traditionally games have been played throughout the season by arrangements between players. Recently both competitions have been arranged with two all-pay-all groups in the preliminary stages followed by progression of four semi-finalists into a knock-out stage. Entries for the 2022-3 season were lower than usual, probably because many players were still uncertain about risks from Covid. The controller for these competitions in 2023 is Brian Turner.
The championship has been decided at a weekend congress in recent years. The last championships were held in August 2023. The county individual champions are
Read and see more about 2023 championships.
See results of congresses linked from the congress web page and winners from 1895 in the archive.
Semi-finals: Collett vs Clarke and Davis vs Friar. Colours TBA.
There were ten entries for this competition. Preliminary group stage results:
| Pool A | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Club | EH | LD | RC | DW | SO | Totals |
| Edward Higgs | Worcester | x | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Lee Davis | Malvern | ½ | x | 1 | 1 | ½ | 3 |
| Ray Collett | Worcester | ½ | 0 | x | 1 | 1 | 2½ |
| David Waud | Kidderminster | 0 | 0 | 0 | x | ½ | ½ |
| Scott Oxtoby | Worcester | 1 | ½ | 0 | ½ | x | 2 |
| Pool B | |||||||
| Player | Club | JF | CL | IC | AG | JV | Totals |
| Joe Friar | Kidderminster | x | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Chris Lee | Worcester | 0 | x | 0 | 0 | w | 0 |
| Ian Clarke | Malvern | 1 | 1 | x | 1 | ½ | 3½ |
| Aiden Griffiths | Worcester | 0 | 1 | 0 | x | 0 | 1 |
| John Varilone | Kidderminster | 0 | b | ½ | 1 | x | 1½ |
The all-play-all stage was won by Ed Higgs who won all 7 games. Peter Hughes, Chris Lee and John Varilone were all on 3½ points as runners-up. On Gelbfuss tie-break, John Varilone, the current trophy holder, goes through to play Ed Higgs in the final.
There were seven entries. Preliminary group stage results:
| Player | Club | PH | CL | CV | GS | JV | EH | AG | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Hughes | Longbridge | x | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 3½ |
| Chris Lee | Worcester | 1 | x | 1* | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 3½ |
| Colin Vernon* | Worcester | 0 | d | x | 0 | 0 | d | d | 0 |
| Giles Stanton | Redditch | 0 | 1 | 1 | x | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| John Varilone | Kidderminster | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | x | 0 | ½ | 3½ |
| Ed Higgs | Worcester | 1 | 1 | 1* | 1 | 1 | x | 1 | 6 |
| Aiden Griffiths | Worcester | 0 | 0 | 1* | 0 | ½ | 0 | x | 1½ |
| * Withdrew after playing 3 games. | |||||||||
Sat & Sun 26 & 27 Aug. Peter Kitson (Worcester) won the individual Worcestershire Chess Championship competition. The other winners were: Julie Wilson (Stourbridge) Women's champion; Joshua Clarke (King’s School Worcester and Mavern) Junior champion; Darren Whitmore (Shirley & Wythall) Senior (50+) Champion; Lee Davis Veteran champion (65+); and Chris Lee (Worcester) Minor (u1650) champion.
This award was generously donated by Jim's family. Rather that it being awarded solely on the basis of performance in a competition, it is warded to a player who has contributed chess in Worcestershire over an extended period of time taking into account organisational contributions as well as playing ability.