Battersea Power on! Club’s ‘Power’ team wins Minor West division

Congratulations to Battersea Chess Club’s Battersea Power team who have won the London Chess League’s Minor West division.

The Powers beat Hackney Startup 3.5-0.5 last night to secure the title. It caps a brilliant season for David Blackwell’s team in the West division based at the London Mindsports Centre.

The Power won five out of eight matches with one draw as they dominated the division. Unfortunately, there is no play-off in the Minor section between the winners of the East and West divisions. There is in the Major section and the divisions above, but not the Minor.

The Power will return in 2022/23 but the exact structure of the league and the division the team plays in is yet to be decided.

The league was split last year into East and West divisions as a temporary measure to ease the return to action after covid lockdowns.

However, proposals to be discussed at the LCL’s AGM on July 20 are on the table to reunify each division.

Under the plan, the league will retain its residency at the London Mindsports Centre and a new “East” venue is being looked at in Bethnal Green to potentially replace the Citadines Hotel in Holborn.

Battersea fielded seven teams in the LCL this season in addition to three in the Central London League and one in the Croydon & District League.