SNCL (Scottish National Chess League) 2024-25: Report by Alastair Dawson
SEASON 2024-25
Dundee City teams are a joint venture by Castlehill CC & Dundee CC.
We have an amazing 4 teams entered this season! The SNCL entry is 36 teams, and 180 players each round!
SNCL (Scottish National Chess League) 2024-25
Dundee City Report, Match Day 1, October 27th 2024
PROLOGUE
The new 2024-25 chess season has come upon us fast. This season, Dundee City, a combined team comprising members of both Castlehill Chess Club and Dundee Chess Club, is competing with 4 teams. With each team represented by 5 players, one can imagine how much of a challenge it is getting 20 players to Dunfermline on a rainy day in October – but we did it! This year, we have both our A-team and B-team playing in Division1. Our A-team will be hoping to mount a challenge for the title of national champions while our newly promoted B-team will be doing their best to solidify their place in the top division following promotion last season. Both Dundee City C- and D-teams are competing in Division 3 with each having the hope of challenging for promotion to Division 2. That said, this season we have more players wanting to play than are able to play and a priority will be to give everyone a chance to compete in this prestigious tournament.
MATCH REPORT
ROUND 1 – 10am
Division One
Dundee City A (2110) 5 – 0 (1922) Dundee City B
In the top Division as fate would have it, Dundee City A team was paired against our B-team. The result was a thumping 5-0 win for the A-team, a not unpredictable result but a result that underlines the strength of the A-team – they will surely be challenging for the title at the end of the season.
Division Three
Hamilton B (1472) 2 – 3 (1550) Dundee City C
Dundee City D (1268) 1½ – 3½ (1509) Kilmarnock
In Division 3, results were a bit mixed. The C-team were paired against Hamilton B. There were two nice wins for Matthew Deighan and Tom Wardlaw on Boards 2 and 3. These were added to with draws from Alisdair McLeod and Subhayu Banerjee on Boards 1 and 4 respectively and resulting in a 3-2 win – a nice start.
Our D-team were up against Kilmarnock and they ran into difficulties. The only win was from Eve Kenicer on Board 5 and a draw from Steve Thomson on Board 1 – so it was a 1.5-3.5 defeat in the end.
ROUND 2 – 3pm
Division One
Steps (2082) 2 – 3 (2110) Dundee City A
Dundee City B (1922) 3½ – 1½ (1940) Forth Valley A
In the afternoon, the A-team were up against a strong Stepps team led by IM Doug Bryson on Board 1. As the games unfolded, all except one were drawn. The exception was from Ed Spencer who overcame William Hulme. William was trying to salvage a draw with perpetual checks on the White King. But Ed had seen through all the lines and when Black had no more checks the game was over. Of note was a heavyweight tussle in a Winawer French on Board 1 between Doug Bryson and our own Jacques Ophoff. In the ending, Jacques was an exchange ahead but the position was sufficiently blocked that neither side could make progress. So a 3-2 win for our A-team and 4 match points at close of play.
The B-team had to face Forth Valley A in the afternoon. We knew that they were a very strong team because they had excelled in Division 1 the previous season and had given our A-team a run for their money a year ago. With the B-team strengthened by the addition of Gary Weir on Board 1 and Stephen Hogg on Board 2, a fierce battle was guaranteed. With draws from Gary Weir, Stephen Hogg and also Andre Babin on Board 3, the outcome of the match would depend on what happened on Boards 4 and 5. The outcome was everything we hoped for. First Joshua Crofts overcame Daniel Kitaev on Board 4 followed soon after with a win by Alastair Dawson over James Shemilt on bottom board. So the B-team walked away with a fantastic win and two match points that certainly made up for the trauma they encountered during the morning round!
Division Three
Dundee City C (1550) 1½ – 3½ (1256) Lenzie Dementors
Edinburgh 3 (1400) 1 – 4 (1268) Dundee City D
In the afternoon, our C-team faced the multi-talented Lenzie Dementors, the latter made up of some very promising junior players – and it did not go well. The only points gained were draws for Matthew Deighan, Tom Wardlaw and Colin Young resulting in a 1.5-3.5 loss. It goes without saying that Lenzie will be one of the teams challenging for the Division 3 title at the end of the season.
Our D-team fared much better. They faced Edinburgh 3 in the afternoon and they turned on the style. There were convincing wins for Kam Wan, Matthew Hunter, Francesco Polignano and Eve Kenicer. In the end, therefore, it was a 4-1 victory and 2 valuable match points.
EPILOGUE
Overall, it was a successful day for Dundee City. Both teams in Division 3 are sitting mid-table on 2 points. So also, is the B-team in Division 1. But charging ahead in the top Division is Dundee City A with 2 wins out of 2.
Rounds 3 & 4, Sunday 24th November 2024
Alastair Dawson
28/10/24
For all the results and standings click “HERE” (Chess-Results)