Post by arf on Jan 17, 2011 3:21:15 GMT
The last time Mx Open team travelled to the Mick Jagger Centre a series of unfortunate events meant that we defaulted two boards. With it there were a number of sour emails exchanged on the SCCU website initiated by one of the disgruntled Kent players. This time around a 17-man team went to Dartford (due to some last minute scrambling!) to ensure any mishaps were avoided. Your author had the luxury of being a non-playing captain.
Despite the numbers, you can only field 16boards; it transpired that an understrength Mx team faced a full strength Kent team and paid the price with a 9.5-6.5 defeat. The score though does not reflect the effort the team put in to try and secure a Mx victory.
Brief details will suffice since Kent delivered their body blow when they record 4 wins in succession to race out to a 5.5-1.5 lead. With such a commanding lead it was difficult to see where Mx where going to achieve 4wins to level the score let alone find a 5th to attain victory. Despite the litany of losses, Richard, Carsten and Colin M managed to save Mx blushes by recording wins.
Full match details - www.sccu.ndo.co.uk/match1.htm
Table after Round 3
Kent 3/3
Surrey 3/3
Middlesex 1/3
Herts 1/3
Essex 1/3
Sussex 0/3
Although disappointing to lose successive matches we are still on course for a 2nd or 3rd place finish on the proviso we defeat Essex and Sussex in our remaining games. Since these are home games it is expected that the requisite results will be achieved. However, I include an email from the Nigel who had yet another chastening experience at the Exmouth Arms:
"I am afraid to say that it was deja vu at the Exmouth Arms yesterday. Less than 1 year after the last time...........[Ed: The u180 had a similar experience in the Mx v Sx match. Unfortunately the Sussex MC was not as accommodating as the Kent MC. ].
Small group of railway union people upstairs. Comparatively very large goup of U-160 players downstairs. Apparently no record of any booking for the chess for any Middlesex team in 2011..........
One brilliant difference from our experience in 2010 was that the Kent captain made every effort to get the match played. A problem compounded by 2 missing chess sets which resulted in both captains voluntarily not playing. (I think that all sets were found by the end of the day). It was quite cramped and noisy but everyone just got on with it. About half the players moved upstairs when the room became free.
The Kent captain should be commended for such sporting behaviour. The only concession that he requested from Nick C was that as we started around 2:20 that Middlesex clocks had 15 min less.
When the match had started Nick volunteered to pay for a tab behind the bar. A nightmare day for the Captain but joint work with Kent meant that at least there were no wasted journeys and 30 players did play chess. An excellent outcome given very trying circumstances. Many thanks Nick!!
Regards
Nigel"
[Ed: We must applaud the Kent MC for going ahead with the match thereby recognising that when individuals have gone to great lengths to turn out for the County, you let them do so. Equally, 'Well done Nick!' You've had a trying time in your 1st season as MC and you are managing problems admirably].
So subject to any external influences I expect us to record the requisite wins to see us progress to the ECF Stage!
[Reader: Enough of this doom and gloom. Surely, you can report something more cheery?] Indeed I can! I am pleased to give you an update on the current leaders for the Martin Blaine Individual Trophy. The MBT is a trophy awarded to the best performing 1st/Open team player. Points are awarded for appearances and results, which are accumulated over the course of the season, e.g., 5pts for away game, 3pts for away win. After 3 matches the current leaders are:
Daniel - 18points
Peter - 18
Colin M - 18
There is still a long way to go before a winner is crowned (after all you do have to include the results from the ECF Open Final!). Let's hope it is a close tussle.
Next match 5th February 2011, Sussex Home. Will need to be at our fighting best for both this and the Essex match to ensure qualification. In the meantime good luck to the u180 team in their pursuit of a 1st SCCU title. They play Kent on 29th January. Victory there coupled with a 'favour' from Surrey and/or Sussex will see them crowned champions since 1992.
Despite the numbers, you can only field 16boards; it transpired that an understrength Mx team faced a full strength Kent team and paid the price with a 9.5-6.5 defeat. The score though does not reflect the effort the team put in to try and secure a Mx victory.
Brief details will suffice since Kent delivered their body blow when they record 4 wins in succession to race out to a 5.5-1.5 lead. With such a commanding lead it was difficult to see where Mx where going to achieve 4wins to level the score let alone find a 5th to attain victory. Despite the litany of losses, Richard, Carsten and Colin M managed to save Mx blushes by recording wins.
Full match details - www.sccu.ndo.co.uk/match1.htm
Table after Round 3
Kent 3/3
Surrey 3/3
Middlesex 1/3
Herts 1/3
Essex 1/3
Sussex 0/3
Although disappointing to lose successive matches we are still on course for a 2nd or 3rd place finish on the proviso we defeat Essex and Sussex in our remaining games. Since these are home games it is expected that the requisite results will be achieved. However, I include an email from the Nigel who had yet another chastening experience at the Exmouth Arms:
"I am afraid to say that it was deja vu at the Exmouth Arms yesterday. Less than 1 year after the last time...........[Ed: The u180 had a similar experience in the Mx v Sx match. Unfortunately the Sussex MC was not as accommodating as the Kent MC. ].
Small group of railway union people upstairs. Comparatively very large goup of U-160 players downstairs. Apparently no record of any booking for the chess for any Middlesex team in 2011..........
One brilliant difference from our experience in 2010 was that the Kent captain made every effort to get the match played. A problem compounded by 2 missing chess sets which resulted in both captains voluntarily not playing. (I think that all sets were found by the end of the day). It was quite cramped and noisy but everyone just got on with it. About half the players moved upstairs when the room became free.
The Kent captain should be commended for such sporting behaviour. The only concession that he requested from Nick C was that as we started around 2:20 that Middlesex clocks had 15 min less.
When the match had started Nick volunteered to pay for a tab behind the bar. A nightmare day for the Captain but joint work with Kent meant that at least there were no wasted journeys and 30 players did play chess. An excellent outcome given very trying circumstances. Many thanks Nick!!
Regards
Nigel"
[Ed: We must applaud the Kent MC for going ahead with the match thereby recognising that when individuals have gone to great lengths to turn out for the County, you let them do so. Equally, 'Well done Nick!' You've had a trying time in your 1st season as MC and you are managing problems admirably].
So subject to any external influences I expect us to record the requisite wins to see us progress to the ECF Stage!
[Reader: Enough of this doom and gloom. Surely, you can report something more cheery?] Indeed I can! I am pleased to give you an update on the current leaders for the Martin Blaine Individual Trophy. The MBT is a trophy awarded to the best performing 1st/Open team player. Points are awarded for appearances and results, which are accumulated over the course of the season, e.g., 5pts for away game, 3pts for away win. After 3 matches the current leaders are:
Daniel - 18points
Peter - 18
Colin M - 18
There is still a long way to go before a winner is crowned (after all you do have to include the results from the ECF Open Final!). Let's hope it is a close tussle.
Next match 5th February 2011, Sussex Home. Will need to be at our fighting best for both this and the Essex match to ensure qualification. In the meantime good luck to the u180 team in their pursuit of a 1st SCCU title. They play Kent on 29th January. Victory there coupled with a 'favour' from Surrey and/or Sussex will see them crowned champions since 1992.