Worcestershire Chess Association |
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| Worcs CA | Over-the-board League | WMA Online League | ||
West Midlands Area Online LeaguePublished 19 January 2021 | ||||
7 Jan. Worcester, Redditch and Longbridge lead into the New Year. In Division 2, Mutual Circle lead. Of county teams, Stourbridge, Kidderminster and Lonbridge are competitive, but Worcester props up the table.
8 Oct. Sutton Coldfield were champions and Solihull runners-up in Division 1. The highest placed county team was Greenlands. In Division 2, Warwick University Alumni were champions and South Birmingham runners-up. The highest placed county team in DSivision 2 was Stouirbridge in fourth position.
13 Aug. In the first round Division 1 matches, Worcester achieved 4 match points against Warwick University Alumni and the other two Worcestershire clubs had byes and start their campaigns next week. Division 2 has a new team Lichfield for the Summer Season. In Division 2, all Worcestershire teams opened their accounts. Greenlands whitewashed Solihull, Stourbridge bagged 4 points, Kiddermister’s first outing achieved 2 points, and Worcester scored 1.
10 Aug. Kidderminster have confirmed their entry to the online league in division 2 and Stourbridge have downsized to a single team.
25 Jun. Worcestershire teams payed second fiddle to clubs from the south Birmingham conurbation with Worcestershire teams occuping the bottom three places. In Division 2, Stourbridge 2 were the highest placed Worcestershire team. See results for the first season
Nigel Towers (Redditch) took up the challenge to get members playing online after the country closed down for the Covid-19 pandemic. His work was supported by WCA when Worcestershire CA officials urged clubs to field teams in an online league. Although Nigel was not able to replicate the missing Worcestershire over-the-board league, he widened the net by asking clubs in neighbouring leagues to participate. The first 'practice' matches using a board board team playing two rapidplay games with the same opponent were played in mid-April and the first league matches on 16 April. There were sufficient team entries that the league was run in with two divisions.
Apr 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic originated in China probably in the last part of 2019. The spread of this respiratory infection was declared a global health emergency late in January 2020 and the first UK cases were detected about the same time. In February, more and more case were reported in England and hospital intensive care capacity was full leading to calls for the Government to take action in early March. Several clubs had already closed their doors by the second week in March and WCA suspended all play in the Worcestershire League on 14 March. A week later the UK Government imposed a 'lockdown' prohibiting all but essential travel.
Greenlands, Redditch, Stourbridge, and Worcester City played in the first online season, Spring 2020. Worcester City players were joined by members from Droitwich and the league itself included an off-shore guest, the Isle of Wight Chess Club organised by former Worcestershire team captain John Wrench. Clubs from outside the county that joined the first season were: Coventry Chess, Mutual Circle, Rugby, Solihull, South Birmingham, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield and Warwick University.
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