The club meets on a Thursday evening during the months of September to June inclusive. We take a short break during July and August.

REVIEW OF 2013/2014

Kent Leagues
For the first time in our history, we won the County Cup, beating Maidstone in the final. This is the competition to find the best team in Kent.

Croydon Leagues

We won both the Croydon Shield (div 1) and the Martin Cath Trophy (div 2).

We also entered a team for the Bielski Cup for the first time and won it. This is a blitz team tournament of 4 players in each team.

London League

We finished 7^th out of 13 in Division 2.

The Verney Cup

This is awarded to the person who scores the most points for the club against other clubs in all competitions. This year, it was won by Nick Briggs with 12.5 points out of 19.

Internal Tournaments
Our FIDE rated tournament was won by John Duggan. The non-FIDE rated club championship was won by Doug Vleeshhouwer.

The Rose Bowl
This is awarded to the winner of the club’s annual handicap quickplay competition. It was won by Ian Snape.

Committee Changes

After 15 years, John Lewin is standing down as Club Secretary.

The Club does not run itself and we are all grateful for the work that John has put in behind the scenes.  Malcolm Mourant is taking over from John as Secretary.  His place as Club Captain is being taken by Doug Vleeshhouwer who has been co-opted on to the Committee.  These new appointments will be open to ratification at the AGM.

Fred Wellings
Chairman

KENT - COUNTY CUP - Beckenham v Maidstone

Well, would you believe it. A first time win of the County Cup (as far as I am aware) by 3½-2½. Congratulations to everyone but me on an amazing performance. We were outgraded on every board and by an average of 11 points a board. Full results: Ian Snape 0-1 Martin Taylor, Richard Selway ½-½ Andrew Mayhew, John Duggan ½-½ Paul Talsma, Nick Briggs 1-0 Ian Watson, Graeme Plato ½-½ Chris Howell, Andrew Ponting 1-0 Dave Mumford.

Bielski Cup

The Bielski Cup is a quickplay competition run annually by the Croydon Chess League. This year it was hosted and organized by the Coulsdon Chess Fellowship on 27^th February. It is an all-play-all competition between teams of 4 with a total grade under 750. Nine teams entered and so it was an 8 round all-play-all with seven minutes on each clock in each match.

It was a close run thing but Beckenham & Bromley (under the team name West Wickham) eventually ran out winners with 25.5 game points ahead of Crystal Palace 1 (24.5 points) and South Norwood 1 (23.5).

This was the first time Beckenham and Bromley have entered a team.

Our team was:

1.  Ian Snape - 7 out of 8

2.  John Duggan (captain) - 7 out of 8

3.  Nick Briggs - 5 out of 8

4.  Douglas Vleeshhouwer - 6.5 out of 8

Hobell Library has a New Home

Andrew Ponting has agreed to host the Hobell library and to make it available for club members to borrow.  He's also agreed to make his own library available to borrow (one at a time!).

Members wishing to borrow something should contact Andrew in advance (see a committee member if you don't already have his email - it contains the word makiko) and arrange either to pop round to his place, or to meet on a club night.

The Hobell library books (see index) will remain property of the club, whilst Andrew's library (list to follow) will remain his property.

If other members are willing to make their libraries available, please do so.  Between us this could become a valuable resource.

John Lewin,
(Secretary)