Hello pawn-pushers,
It has been a while since the last update the club has sent out, and for that I apologise.
But, as the regular league season draws to a close, we have a lot to tell you about and several important dates for your diary.
League round-up
Firstly, let me run through where we are at with the club’s league teams.
In the London League:
- Battersea 1 are hanging on the result of Mushrooms’ last match on June 8 to find out if they will escape relegation
- Battersea 2 have had a respectable mid-table finish in division 3
- Battersea 3 play their final game on June 1 against bottom side Alfil knowing a win would secure second place in division 4 and promotion
- Battersea MA finished second from bottom in the U145 Major division
- Battersea MB absolutely smashed the U125 Minor division to win it by a clear point and a half
In the Central London League:
- Battersea CLL1 finished third in division 1
- Battersea CLL2 have a title-decider coming up on Tuesday at our venue against King’s Head and need just a draw to be crowned champs
So there we are – a couple more games to go before another great season comes to a close.
Or does it?
The Summer League
Battersea, as has already been announced, is hosting a new summer league which will be launched on June 13.
Six teams will compete in the league over five weeks. Battersea is fielding two teams, there will be two from Hammersmith, and one from Streatham & Brixton and a club we have never played before, the British Bangla Chess Association.
Please help support us in this venture by getting involved.
We need a captain – and 12 players, so volunteers are extremely welcome!
The launch night on June 13 should be a cracker. It will feature GM Simon Williams, who is a friend of the club, and IM Simon Ansell.
The two Simons will hold a question and answer session before taking part in the second Battersea Blitz competition – which is just a bit of fun, nothing serious, and everyone is welcome to take part in.
Best of all, we are putting this on free to all. More details here.
Our Blitz Tournament
And if that is not enough, we have the real biggie – the annual club Blitz Tournament.
This is a club institution.
Rounds 1 and 2 will be on June 20 and 27 before the big final on July 4.
Anyone can enter the Blitz for which we charge an entry fee of £1 to cover the cost of engraving the trophy.
The normal arrangement is that the top three from Round 1 go into the Final, anyone can re-enter Round 2 from which the top two go into the Final and there they are all joined by the current Blitz champion.
The AGM
And finally, some way in the future we have the club AGM on July 11. More details including an agenda will be circulated at a later date.
So please remember those dates and come along to these events – we think they will be worth it.
That’s all for now. Good luck with your chess.
Leon Watson
Club Secretary
