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Quickplay Competition 

Three Handicap rapid-play tournaments are held throughout the season, usually in

the Autumn, Winter and Spring. These are open to all club members and prospective

members. The Pollard Cup is awarded to the club member who achieves the best total

from any two of these events.

There is a £2 entry fee for each event, all of which is returned to the participants

in the form of three prizes.

Players have 15 minutes in which to make all their moves. For each ten grading points

difference (rounded up) two minutes are added to the weaker player's time and two minutes

removed from the stronger player. No player will have less than 3 minutes for all  their

moves.

The arbiter will, when present, stop the game when one clock falls. Players are expected

to act in a sportsmanlike manner and resign when they see their clock has fallen.

Also players should "move a piece and press the clock" with the same hand which is an important 

rule at the death of a game.

The dates for the 2019-2020 season are September 9th, December 16th and May 18th.

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The Autumn Quickplay:

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The turnout for the Autumn competition was fifteen, one up on last year, but the odd number meant there had to be byes in each round.

The two strongest players met in round 2 and a finely contested game ended in a draw. I thought Martin had the edge but James proved to be no slouch in rook endgames.

Marc took advantage of the draw by leading with three points after three rounds, but James proved too strong for him in the next round. Meanwhile Martin had found the time differential too much against Phil Colville. This left James in the lead alone and he roundly defeated Lid in the final round to take the first prize. That Lid was contesting for the top spot at this stage is testament to his promise in this his first season.

Also worthy of mention is Jake who also finished on 3 points along with Ant, Marc and Joachim.

Meanwhile the redoubtable Martin staged a comeback to tie with Denzil in second place on 3.5 points.

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The Winter Quickplay:

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The season’s second rapid-play took place downstairs in the Queen’s, our normal clubroom having been taken over by Father Christmas for his Grotto.

This meant squeezing two boards onto one table leaving only just enough room for that vital ingredient, the clock. Robert arrived suitably attired in his Rudolf kit and the red nose did it as he sailed through the evening with five straight wins and even with the severe handicap he rarely seemed to be in trouble.

It was an unusual pleasure to award joint second place to Tony Lane and Roy Gray who managed to accrue 3.5 points, sometimes skilfully and sometimes with the aid of the great goddess Fortuna.

My commiserations go to Angie, who gracefully drifted through the competition with a smile on her face despite at the completion of each game receiving the score of a UK Eurovision Song entrant.

The controller gave two people too many blacks and one two many whites but otherwise he acquitted himself well enough and enjoyed the night.

I am looking forward to the Spring competition, my last in charge, when it would be great to emulate the turnout in strength and numbers that we had last year. It would seem that Robert is determined to get his hands on that cup again.

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The Spring Quickplay:

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Cancelled

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