4NCL (Nations Chess League): Round 5 report!

SEASON 2023-24

4NCL (Nations Chess League)
Tues 7^th Nov 23 – 7:30pm

Season 8 – Round 5
Time-Controls – 45 minutes + 15 seconds increments

Dundee City teams is a joint venture between Castlehill Chess Club Dundee and Dundee Chess Club.
It was a superb night for Dundee City teams, winning 7 of the 8 matches and so close to a clean sweep! Our “H” team lost, but were massively out graded!

RESULTS
Div 1 – Group A
Spirit of Atticus (2046) 1 – 3 (2265) Dundee City A
This was another good result for Dundee City A who sit in 4^th place on 7 points, with 2 rounds to go. There are 3 teams on 7 points (one on eight), and even if Dundee City A win their last two matches, they will still need either Shropshire & Friends 1 or Wessex Some Stars A to drop points (or have a default game) to reach the play-offs and keep their title defence on-course! We have the miracle players (Richard Polaczek IM, Declan Shafi, Ian McDonald and Rishi Vijayakumar), all we need is the miracle results!

Div 1 – Group B
Dundee City B (1984) 3½ – ½ (1938) Guildford 1
Another good performance from our “B” team, especially from our two stand-in players, Alan Borwell & Alastair Dawson, both winners, and ably supported by Ed Spencer & Stephen Hogg!
Dundee City B sit in 4^th place on 5 points and still have an outside change of reaching the play-offs, and the bonus of it still being in their own hands! It will not be easy and they will be the underdog, but they are good enough!

Div 2 – Group B

Ashfield Anonymous A (1927) 1½ – 2½ (1888) Dundee City C
This was a very tight match grading wise, but Dundee City C are putting in some shift in season 8 so far and this match was no different! Not to lose a match against a team of this calibre is amazing and deserving of the victory. Well played Andre Babin, Graham Mooney, Dariusz Kosznik & Ross Bremner!
Dundee City C have a 100% record and sit in second place on 10 points, just 1½ game points behind Oxford 3 also with a 100% record! Both teams only need 1 point in two matches to make the play-offs, and guess what? They play each other in the next round (6)! Should be a cracker!

Div 3 – Group A
Stroud Oldies (1501) 1 – 3 (1733) Dundee City D
Dundee City D are having a great campaign so far and carried on in round 5, with Richard Kynoch, Joshua Crofts, Ross Brennan & Cosmo Bobak all playing their part in swiping Stroud`s Zimmer’s from them, and sending them back to their residential home in Stroud. It was tough love, but no oldies were hurt during this match (I hope?)!

This leaves Dundee City D in 1^st place on 8 points, with 2 other teams (Hebden Bridge 2 & Wessex Some Stars E) also on 8 points. If Dundee City D win their last 2 games (Streatham B & Watford), they will make the play-offs under their own steam! The bonus, or is that an insurance policy, Wessex Some Stars E & Hebden Bridge 2 meet in the last round!

Div 4 – Group B

Worcestershire Wolfpack B (1568) ½ – 3½ (1611) Dundee City E
Dundee City E can seem to do no wrong! Another outstanding, performance as Dundee City E sent the “WOLF`S” “PACKING” all the back to Worcestershire! Well done James Anderson, Leyton Hackney, Alisdair McLeod & Trevor Harley who had plenty “Sauce” left!

Dundee City E only need a ½ point from their last two matches to reach the play-offs! They sit top of the table on 9 points

Div 4 – Group A

Dundee City F (1551) 3 – 0 (1370) Shropshire & Friends 4
Dundee City F get their first win in what turned out to be a dramatic match with lots going on, hence the score-line! Sir Philip Cohen and Conor Kelly both won, while John Robertson won by default (No show). This left board one match with Captain Robert Jackson up against a junior. Unfortunately, it did not go to plan, as the game was not rated, and we could not resolve the issue for one reason or another and the match was declared a 0 – 0 by the arbiter as per 4NCL rules! You can`t make this stuff up!

Dundee City F sit in 7^th place on 2 points and still have time to at least move up the table and avoid relegation!

Div 5 (Swiss)

Wessex Some Stars G (1456) 1½ – 2½ (1482) Dundee City G
Dundee City G once again battled hard for their win. It`s not been an easy campaign, but they still have a chance of getting promoted! Euan Murray, Stuart Duff, Ed Walton & Matthew Hunter all played their part and with two rounds to go, it will be all hands-on deck to secure the promotion place!

They sit in 8^th place on 6 points.

Chess Challengers B (1346) 4 – 0 (1119) Dundee City H
Grading wise, and I suspect experience wise, our “H” team were out of their depth! On the other hand, this is the team where we give less experienced players a chance to play in events like this which can only help their chess development! In the team this round was newbie, Jonathan Kinnell J18, Chris Moore, Leonardo Devisme J13 & David Ewing. Unfortunately, Leonardo did not play due to forgetting all about it! While this did not help, it had no baring on the final result!

Dundee City H sit in 25^th place on 3 points.

Round 6 on Tuesday 7^th November 23, 7:30pm

For all the results and standings, click the link below.

4NCL (Castlehill page)