Caergwrle Chess Club

The club plays at the British Legion, Pen-y-ffordd.
Caergwrle chess club meets on a Wednesday night, the venue is in Pen-y-ffordd near the Millstone pub. Those wishing to join can ring club secretary Dave Parker-Williams on 01978 761153. The chess season begins in September.
The Caergwrle tournament has a website, click here for this. Dates for the 2010 tournament are June 26-27.
The website now has an archive click here for that, Click here for chess positions.
WIRRAL LEAGUE first team win last two games click here for results. KNOCKOUT Caergwrle win against Formby in final.
CHESTER LEAGUE first team finishes mid-table, click here for results, KNOCKOUT Caergwrle lose in final on 2010.04.27 click here for information.
Click here for Bobby Fischer Remembered

Tournaments For 2010

Chester the 2010 tournament is played on 2010.06.26 and 2010.06.27 click here for directions to venue.
South Wales International starts on 2010.07.10 and finishes on 2010.07.15 click here for contacts.
British Championships begin on 2010.07.25 in Canterbury this year, click here for a list of entrants.

Anand Wins World Title Match

Vishy Anand has retained his world title after defaeting Veselin Topalov in the match in Sofia, Bulgaria, click here for news on tournament page. Click here for official website.

Caergwrle Through To Semi-finals

Caergwrle are through to the semi-finals of both the Wirral league knockout and the Chester league knockout. In the Wirral knockout there was a 6-1 win against Buckley-Mold in the quarter-final and the next opponents are Pensby. Rhyl conceded in their match in the Chester knockout, Caergwrle will play Corwen & Ruthin away on 2010.03.03.

London Tournament

Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen won the tournament after drawing with fellow grandmaster Nigel Short in the final round. The tournament finished on 2009.12.15, click here for official website.

John Gorman Wins Wrexham Rapidplay

John Gorman won the tournament run by Wrexham chess club, which was played on 2009.11.01, Dick Martin also won a prize. The two captains won the prizes, John Gorman captained Caergwrle to the Wirral league title in the 2008-2009 season, the first Welsh side to do so. Another local tournament is the Chester league individual championship which will be played 2009.11.28 and 2009.11.29 at the Town Crier opposite Chester railway station.

Azerbaijan European Champions

Azerbaijan are the 2009 European chess champions finishing ahead of Russia whilst Ukraine took the bronze. Russia won the women's event, Georgia took the silver and Ukraine the bronze. Click here for official website, and click here for news on tournament page.

Caergwrle Chess Club Has Moved

Caergwrle are now playing in Pen-Y-Ffordd, with effect from 2009.09.14. The new venue is the British Legion in Pen-Y-Ffordd, there is a spacious room, so we should easily have room for all our fans. There is sky sports in the bar, so if you get bored with the chess you can always have a look at the football.

Pat Ridley and Paul Watson are running the tournament this year. An entry form can be obtained on the Chester chess league website, click here for that.

Chester League Fixtures

Caergwrle first team play league champions Wrexham in their first game in division 1 of the Chester chess league. The first game is at home on 2009.09.09, followed by an away game against Chester on 2009.10.06, click here for fixtures. There are six teams in the first division this season, Caergwrle, Chester, Colwyn Bay, Holywell, Rhyl and Wrexham.

British Championship

Grsndmaster David Howell is the 2009 British chess champion, after drawing with Gary Lane in the final round, round 11. Click here for official website, and click here for tournament news. The 2010 British chess championships will be held in Canterbury, Kent.

Richard Dineley And Mike Surtees Win Caergwrle Tournament

The Chester tournament run by Caergwrle chess club finished on 2009.06.28 at Cheshire View, Plough Lane, Christleton near Chester. The co-winners were Richard Dineley and Mike Surtees with 4/5. Richard captained Wrexham chess club to the Chester league title in the 2008-2009 season, and was playing in his first tournament for years. Click here for some news on the Rhyl tournament played in May on the Rhyl chess club website.

Nalchik

Grandmaster Levon Aronian won the tournament in Russia run by FIDE (International chess federation) click here for official website.

Welsh Chamionship

The Welsh chaqmpionship was played at Easter from 2009.04.10 to 2009.04.13 in Whitchurch, Cardiff. Ioan Rees and Richard Jones shared the title. Click here for games on Britbase on the bcmchess website. Click here to get tournament news.

Dresden Olympiad

The 2008 chess olympiad was played in Dresden, Germany. Armenia came first while Georgia won the women's event, click here for more details.

World Championship

Anand v Kramnik

Vishy Anand has won his world title match against Vladimir Kramnik in Bonn, Germany, click here for official website. The eleventh game was drawn giving him a 6½-4½ winning margin.
After 10 games Vishy Anand is leading 6-4, Vladimir Kramnik has had his first win.
After 6 games Vishy Anand has 3 wins, winning games 3, 5 and 6, the other 3 being draws.

Dave Dickson Gets Award

Dave Dickson
Dave Dickson, founder of Caergwrle chess club is to recieve an award from the English Chess Federation (ECF), click here for some news on that. He has contributed more to north Wales chess than anybody, and you can say that without much fear of condradiction. He has helped with clubs in Buckley and Ruthin, as well as other things too numerous to mention. His latest brainchild is the summer tournament played in Christleton near Chester, which has raised over two thousand pounds for charity, click here for some information on that. Dave has been involved in chess for over fifty years, and we still cannot get rid of him, and I think it is good that the ECF honour people while they are still alive.

4NCL First Weekend

The first two rounds of the 4NCL or national league were played Saturday 2008.10.04 and Sunday 2008.10.05, click here for official website.

Your webmaster plays for the South Wales Dragons, organised by Charles Morris, who also plays for Wrexham. The first team plays in division 1, and has drawn its first two matches, click here for table. The second team plays in division 2 and has lost its first two matches.

European Union Individual Championship

The European Union Championship finished Thursday 2008.09.18 at Liverpool World Museum, grandmaster Jan Werle was the winner, click here for more information.

Women's World Championship

Grandmaster Aleksandra Kosteniuk is the women's world championship for 2008 winning in Nalchik, Russia, click here for more information.

British Championships

Stuart Conquest Champion

Grandmaster Stuart Conquest is the British champion for 2008 after defeating fellow grandmaster Keith Arkell in the play-off, click here for further details.

Steve Lloyd Wins British U125 Title

Steve Lloyd of Chester chess club has won the u125 title played Monday to Friday in the first week of the British championships, 2008.07.28 to 2008.08.01, click here for more details.

Chester Tournament

Grandmaster Nigel Davies was the winner of the Chester chess tournament, run by Caergwrle chess club. It was played 2008.06.28 and 2008.06.29 at Christleton near Chester, click here for more details.

Chester League Meeting

The Chester league annual general meeting was held 2008.06.25 at Holywell's venue. It was decided that in division three the number of boards would be reduced from five to four. Holywell have gone up to the first division and nobody has been relegated. The composition of the first division one should be, Caergwrle, Chester 1, Chester 2, Colwyn Bay & Llandudno, Holywell, Rhyl and Wrexham. Dick Martin declined to accept the award for most improved player, his team, Caergwrle 2, have gone up to division 2.

Ructions At The English Chess Federation

There have been resignations at the English Chess Federation(ECF). There is talk that the northern counties(NCCU) will break away, click here for some views on this.

South Wales International

The South Wales International begins 2008.07.05 at the university of Glamorgan in Trefforest, Pontypridd.

Dick Martin Most Improved Player

Dick Martin is the most improved player in the Chester league for the 2007-2008 season, Dick has seen his eightyeth birthday, just think what he will be like when he gets a bit older. He was almost also division three top scorer but lost to Jim Hanson in the last game of the season. Jim was the top scorer with 10/12, I do not know how old he is but I would not bet on him being younger than Dick. Player of the season in division two was Steve Williams of Capenhurst, with a score of 9½/12 and Dave Bennion was top scorer in division one with 8½/10.

Rhyl Tournament

The Rhyl tournament finished 2008.05.18, with Paul Townsend winning the open who is from York and formerly of Chester.

European Individual Championships

The European individual championships took place in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, the final round was Friday, 2008.05.02.

2007-2008 season

Chester League

League Round-Up

2008.04.23 Caergwrle have won the league by four clear points, with Rhyl, Chester 1 and Wrexham four points behind. Dave Bennion is division 1 top scorer as was the case last season. In the second division Capenhurst have finished top while Buckley-Mold 2 have won the third division. Caergwrle 2 were second in division three after losing the last match to Buckley-Mold 2. Holywell have won the knockout for the second successive year, after beating Capenhurst in the final. The match was 2½ each with the last game to finish being between Mike Vidler and Jeff Smith. Mike Vidler mated Jeff Smith to give a 3½-2½ win to Holywell.

Caergwrle are away to Holywell after the 6-0 win against Corwen & Ruthin, or 6-3½ with the handicap. Holywell beat Chester in the quarter-final, there was a row between Ard Van Bergen and Mike Vidler in this match and the word is that Ard Van Bergen has now left Chester. Capenhurst have beaten Wrexham and Chester YMCA, and Buckley-Mold beat Colwyn Bay & in the quarter-final. Caergwrle are the only first division side left in the tournament.

Captain's report
John Gorman has now won the league with three different clubs, Chester, Wrexham and Caergwrle, and also the knockout with the old MANWEB team. The league is usually won by Chester or Wrexham and has only been won six times by other clubs since 1974, it is the first time this century. John Gorman and Dave Bennion were also in championship winning sides at Wrexham. Dave Bennion was division one top scorer with 8½/10, conceded only one loss to Chris Doran and one draw to Dave Jameson. Other regulars for the championship winning side were Bob Clark on top board, Rob Skinner and Dave Parker-Williams, all with decent scores. Also making appearences for the side were, Neville Layhe, Edwin Livesey, Steve Barnett and Mike Friel.

Wirral League

League Round-Up

There is a report on Chester winning the league on Chester's website, click here for the Chester league website then go to links and Chester chess club. Pensby were winning the league but then lost to Formby, Caergwrle and Formby had an identical record of +3=2-2 or 4/7, click here for Formby's results. Caergwrle's last three matches were wins, if you include the match Hoylake conceded. Wrexham have won the knockout, after beating Chester in the final. Chester beat Buckley-Mold in the semi-final, and Wrexham beat Caergwrle, strangely enough Caergwrle and Buckley-Mold were also the losing semi-finalists in the Chester league knockout.

Division 1

Caergwrle 1 Results

2008.04.16 Caergwrle finished the season with a 3½-1½ win against Wallasey 2, there were wins for Bob Clark, Dave Bennion and Rob Skinner.
2008.02.27 Caergwrle 1 had their first win of the season after defeating Pensby 3½-1½. There were wins for Dave Bennion and Bob Clark and Rob Skinner won by default after his opponent did not turn up. There is a report of Chester 1 v Caergwrle, if you click here for the Chester league website and then go to links, Chester chess club, previous editions and then it is the sixth edition. Chester 1 had four straight wins at Christmas.
2008.01.09 Caergwrle 2 defeated Capenhurst 3½-1½ in the second division of the Wirral league. Edwin Livesey bounced back to win on top board after his defeat the previous night against Colwyn Bay.
2007.10.17 Caergwrle defeated Capenhurst 6-1 or 6-3½ with the handicap, in the first round of the knockout. There were wins for Graham Williams, Haydn Parry, Rob Skinner, John Gorman, and Bob Clark, I will not say who the only one who lost was for fear of embarrasment. Ray Williams was the lone Capenhurst winner as was the case the last time Capenhurst and Caergwrle played in a knockout match. Caergwrle are now through to the semi-final and play Wrexham, Chester are also through after defeating Wallasey.
2007.10.10 Caergwrle second team defeated Buckley-Mold 3-2 in the Wirral second division.

Dave Bennion in Daily Telegraph

Dave Bennion's round 5 game against Carl Davies in the Welsh championship appeared in the Daily Telegraph. Click here for that, ironically it was the only win, the score being +1=2-4 or 2/7.

Caergwrle Win Last Game

2008.04.09 Caergwrle won 4-1 against Chester 2 in the last match of the season to complete a clean sweep of the Chester league division 1 home games, there were wins for Dave Bennion, John Gorman and Steve Barnett. The fixtures have been completed and Caergwrle have gone the whole season unbeaten.

Welsh Championship

The Welsh championship was played at Easter, 2008.03.21 to 2008.03.24 in Cardiff. Leighton Williams and James Cobb shared the title with 6/7. Suzy Blackburn won the women's title and also the under 21 with 3½. For Caergwrle Dave Jameson scored 4/7 and was sixth, Dave Bennion scored 2/7. Click here for report on the bcmchess site.

Wirral League

Caergwrle Lose At The Death, Again

Caergwrle lost 4-3 to Wrexham in the semi-final of the Wirral handicap knockout on 2008.03.18 after Dave Jameson failed to win the last game. Wrexham had three Welsh internationals on the top three boards, Richard Dineley, Charles Morris and David James. For Caergwrle's part there were three internationally rated playing, David Jameson on board two and David Bennion on board three, and John Gorman on board four. Brian Davies and David James won for Wrexham while John Gorman won for Caergwrle. The rest of the games were draws with the last to finish being Dave Jameson against Charles Morris. Dave for Caergwrle was a pawn up in a queen ending but was unable to find a win and with the position being repeated the game was agreed a draw, Wrexham go through to the final.

The first division match Caergwrle v Hoylake due to be played 2008.03.26 was conceded by Hoylake. This meens that Caergwrle have won two, drawn two, and lost two for the season.

Chester League

Caergwrle Lose At The Death

The Chester league handicap knockout semi-final, Holywell v Caergwrle was played Monday 2008.03.10. Holywell had 2½ start being the handicap a second division side gets from a first division side, the Knockout is played over six boards. Edwin Livesey won quickly and David Parker-Williams lost, the top three boards, Bob Clark, Dave Bennion and John Gorman all won. The score was now 4-3½ to Caergwrle so just a draw was needed from the remaining game to win the match. Rob Skinner was playing Max Coventry, they went into the allegro finish and Rob won a piece, and was also well ahead on time. Max Coventry then got a pawn to the seventh rank and Rob was forced to sacrifice his rook for the pawn. This left Rob the exchange down, and he was taking up a lot of time, and the position was drawn when Rob exceeded the time limit. The matter was referred to league president John Simmons and it was decided that as Holywell had mating material the game was a win for Holywell. The match was thus a 4½-4 win for Holywell, and they go through to the final.

Caergwrle Win League Title

Caergwrle are the new Chester league champions for the 2007-2008 season, after defeating Rhyl 3-2.

Dave Parker-Williams lost his game, but after Dave Bennion won and Rob Skinner drew the match was a 1½-1½ draw. Caergwrle only needed to draw this match to win the league, John Gorman offered his opponent a rook and then mated him. The match was then at least a draw and after Bob Clark agreed a draw in his game the match resulted in a 3-2 win for Caergwrle.

Caergwrle On Verge Of Title

Caergwrle defeated Chester first team 3½-1½ to move three points clear at the top of the Chester first division. It is now mathematically impossible for anyone to score more points, so half a point is now needed from the last two matches to be certain of winning the league.

David Parker-Williams won his opponent's queen early in the game. Dave Bennion lost but after Rob Skinner, John Gorman and David Parker-Williams won the match was won for Caergwrle. The last game involving Bob Clark was drawn, Caergwrle have now won all of the home matches. Your webmaster Dave Bennion's unbeaten run ended in this match and it was also the first time Caergwrle had failed to win on board two.

Chester League Knockout Semi-Final

Caergwrle are away to Holywell after the 6-0 win against Corwen & Ruthin, or 6-3½ with the handicap. Holywell beat Chester in the quarter-final, there was a row between Ard Van Bergen and Mike Vidler in this match and the word is that Ard Van Bergen has now left Chester. Capenhurst have beaten Wrexham and Chester YMCA, and Buckley-Mold beat Colwyn Bay & in the quarter-final. Caergwrle are the only first division side left in the tournament.

Caergwrle Through To Semi-Final

Corwen & Ruthin had 3½ start in this match, being the handicap when a third division side plays a first division side. Rob Skinner won quickly, followed by, Bob Clark, Edwin Livesey, Dave Bennion and Dave Parker-Williams. Dick Martin was last to finish after his opponent resigned in a pawn ending. Caergwrle are now away to Holywell in the semi-final.

Caergwrle Still Top

The next match for Caergwrle is the knockout quarter-final against Corwen & Ruthin. The match was scheduled for 2008.02.06 but has been put back to 2008.02.13 because the venue, the Gwesty Harp Hotel in Corwen is unavailable on the first Wednesday in the month.
After their whitewash of Frodsham Colwyn Bay & Llandudno will be away to Buckley-Mold.

2008.01.23 Neville Layhe won for Caergwrle and Brian Davies won for Wrexham making it 1-1. Dave Bennion then won for Caergwrle and John Gorman quickly agreed a draw. Bob Clark was then left in an ending he was not going to lose, and after the game was agreed a draw the final result was a 3-2 win for Caergwrle.
Also playing on 2008.01.23 were the second team. The match is in dispute after it was a 2-2 draw with the final game involving Graham Williams under dispute after an argument about the clock.

Bobby Fischer Dies

Bobby Fischer has died in Iceland. He was arguably the greatest chess player of all time, winning the world title by beating Boris Spassky in 1972. He won candidates matches against Bent Larsen and Mark Taimanov 6-0, which was unheard of before or since. To see some of Bobby Fischer's games click here. Bobby Fischer grew up in New York City. click here for what the New York Times had to say.

Caergwrle Draw At Colwyn Bay

John Gorman won in a time scramble to make the final score 2½-2½ against Colwyn Bay in Rhos-On-Sea, Bob Clark was Caergwrle's other winner. Your webmaster, Dave Bennion drew with David Jameson to end my 100% record after 5 straight wins this season. Another run was ended when Rob Skinner lost to Brendan Shields which I believe is the first game he has not won below board 3.

David Jameson in Poland

David Jameson has been playing in the European rapidplay individual championship in Warsaw, click here for official website. Dave scored 7/13 in what was a very large tournament. He will also be playing in Gibraltar beginning 2008.01.22. Dave plays for Caergwrle in the Wirral league but he will be captaining Colwyn Bay, Caergwrle's nearest rivals, when they meet on 2008.01.08. Click here for some of his games.