South Hams Chess Club
South Hams Chess Club

Torbay Chess League Division 1

South Hams Chess Club fields a team in Division 1 of the Torbay Chess League.  Games played in the TDCL are submitted to the ECF grading database.

In this division, teams consist of four players; there is no maximum team grade.  The rate of play is 35 moves in 75 minutes, followed by a 15 minute Quickplay finish.  The away team has white on the odd-numbered boards.

Please visit the Torbay Chess League web page for further information on Division 1, and our fixtures and results page for the team's fixtures for the current season.

Individual Player Statistics

Here are the current player statistics for South Hams players in Division 1 during the 2015-16 season:

NameGradeECFPWDLAve OpPerf%Points
Levy, Steve177134450L843117018968.85.5
Archer, David138300734A822415814637.53.0
Wilkinson, Ben124162703L730414914242.93.0
McConnell, Phil115285386D813413411531.32.5
Russell, Dennis127214868H1001101510.00.0
 

Overall Team Statistics

Matches Played:8
Matches Won:3
Matches Drawn:0
Matches Lost:5
Match Points:6
Percentage:37.5
Average South Hams Team Grade:554.4
Average Opponents Team Grade:604.8

TCL Division 1: Newton Abbot A v South Hams 3 Dec 2015

Bd Newton Abbot A Col Grade ECF Result South Hams Col Grade ECF PGN
1 Thynne, Trevor B 167 120405B 0-1 Levy, Steve W 177 134450L View
2 Brooks, Paul W 158 215149C 1-0 Archer, David B 138 300734A View
3 Best, Matthew B 155 269317D 0-1 Wilkinson, Ben W 124 162703L View
4 Narayanan, Nandaja W 109 279359D ½-½ McConnell, Phil B 115 285386D View
Overall Match5891½-2½554
Bd Newton Abbot A Grade Res South Hams Grade PGN
1 Thynne, Trevor 167 0-1 Levy, Steve 177 View
2 Brooks, Paul 158 1-0 Archer, David 138 View
3 Best, Matthew 155 0-1 Wilkinson, Ben 124 View
4 Narayanan, Nandaja 109 ½-½ McConnell, Phil 115 View
Overall Match5891½-2½554
 

Match Report

Author:  Phil McConnell

Date:  4 Dec 2015

This is a slight paraphrase of what Steve dictated into my iPhone after the match!

The club did exceptionally well tonight - winning 2½ - 1½ - and we should have won 3½ - ½ ! David's game in particular was fantastic, and everyone should play through it on the website.

Congratulations to Ben: he held his nerve at the end. After offering a draw under a bit of time pressure, he pulled out a thoroughly deserved victory in the end game. So much for Ben not wanting to play in Division 1!

Phil's game was level, and he (perhaps wisely) accepted his opponent's offer of a draw after assessing the state of play on the other three boards.

I got away with my result. I was under the cosh but Trefor over-played his hand and let me get away with it. I was fortunate - but it was a good game nevertheless.

Overall, a great result for the club - Played 1, Won 1. We can all hold our heads up high.

Phil

TCL Division 1: South Hams v Newton Abbot B 7 Jan 2016

Bd South Hams Col Grade ECF Result Newton Abbot B Col Grade ECF PGN
1 Levy, Steve B 177 134450L 1-0 Kinder, Andrew W 151 162701G View
2 Archer, David W 138 300734A 1-0 Ramesh, Vignesh B 144 276543D View
3 Wilkinson, Ben B 124 162703L 1-0 Taylor, Wilf W 131 182650F View
4 McConnell, Phil W 115 285386D ½-½ Barber-Lafon, Jacquie B 122 128118F View
Overall Match5543½-½548
Bd South Hams Grade Res Newton Abbot B Grade PGN
1 Levy, Steve 177 1-0 Kinder, Andrew 151 View
2 Archer, David 138 1-0 Ramesh, Vignesh 144 View
3 Wilkinson, Ben 124 1-0 Taylor, Wilf 131 View
4 McConnell, Phil 115 ½-½ Barber-Lafon, Jacquie 122 View
Overall Match5543½-½548
 

Match Report

Author:  Phil McConnell

Date:  7 Jan 2016

This is (approximately!) what Steve dictated into my phone immediately after the match:

What a great start to the New Year in 2016 for the South Hams team! It was a fantastic victory for the team over Newton Abbot B, following our earlier victory over Newton Abbot A.

A wonderful win all round - everyone played extremely well - and we thoroughly deserved this victory. We are looking to further success as the season progresses!

TCL Division 1: Plymouth v South Hams 22 Feb 2016

Bd Plymouth Col Grade ECF Result South Hams Col Grade ECF PGN
1 Stephens, John B 196 155629A ½-½ Levy, Steve W 177 134450L View
2 Sivrev, Plamen W 172 290431F 1-0 Archer, David B 138 300734A View
3 Stinton-Brownbridge, Michael B 158 157349E 1-0 Wilkinson, Ben W 124 162703L View
4 Butland, Nick W 155 107796L ½-½ McConnell, Phil B 115 285386D View
Overall Match6813-1554
Bd Plymouth Grade Res South Hams Grade PGN
1 Stephens, John 196 ½-½ Levy, Steve 177 View
2 Sivrev, Plamen 172 1-0 Archer, David 138 View
3 Stinton-Brownbridge, Michael 158 1-0 Wilkinson, Ben 124 View
4 Butland, Nick 155 ½-½ McConnell, Phil 115 View
Overall Match6813-1554
 

Match Report

Author:  Phil McConnell

Date:  22 Feb 2016

(Submitted on behalf of Steve Levy.)

Outgraded by a wide margin on all four boards, South Hams made a decent fist of it against a strong Plymouth team, who in the end proved to be just too good. But at that tea interval all four games were looking tight - which was something of an achievement in itself!

On Board 1, Steve went for a checkmate at a point when his opponent had only 25 seconds to make four moves. With hindsight, he wishes he'd played it "long"and gone for a superior end game instead of the quick checkmate. In the end he was happy to force a draw by perpetual check.

On Boards 2 and 3, David and Ben both created attacking potential, but in both games their opponents defended accurately and set up winning positions later on.

On Board 4, Phil wonders if he could have created more of a late middle-game situation with two strong rooks and a strong knight. Once the pieces had all been exchanged off, each player had a king and 7 pawns, but Phil's was the dodgier position and he was happy to fight for a draw.

An enjoyable evening (Plymouth were as hospitable as ever), and in the end the stronger team deservedly won. Despite this result, South Hams are still handily placed in Division 1.

TCL Division 1: South Hams v Teignmouth 25 Feb 2016

Bd South Hams Col Grade ECF Result Teignmouth Col Grade ECF PGN
1 Levy, Steve B 177 134450L 1-0 Ingham, Bill W 158 173310C View
2 Wilkinson, Ben W 124 162703L 0-1 Mills, Nathan B 154 272540L View
3 Archer, David B 138 300734A 0-1 Hindom, Kevin W 155 233227K View
4 McConnell, Phil W 115 285386D 0-1 Tidy, Norman B 118 120413A Submit
Overall Match5541-3585
Bd South Hams Grade Res Teignmouth Grade PGN
1 Levy, Steve 177 1-0 Ingham, Bill 158 View
2 Wilkinson, Ben 124 0-1 Mills, Nathan 154 View
3 Archer, David 138 0-1 Hindom, Kevin 155 View
4 McConnell, Phil 115 0-1 Tidy, Norman 118 Submit
Overall Match5541-3585
 

Match Report

Author:  Phil McConnell

Date:  25 Feb 2016

(Report submitted on behalf of Steve Levy.)

Steve had drawn all 6 of his previous games against Bill Ingham, so he was delighted to produce a win this time round.

Unfortunately things didn't go so well on the other 3 boards.

Board 2 produced a finish as tense as any could be. Ben was down in material but up on time - to the extent that his opponent had to make 11 moves in 2 minutes to get to the checkpoint on move 35, and at the end had just 25 seconds - with a rook and king against Ben's two isolated pawns and a king. Very well played Nathan, who, moving as quickly as physically possible, got to his checkmate with 2 seconds to spare!

On Board 3 David was down on material, but made life tricky of his opponent. During the late middle game, David's exposed king was marched all the way down the board and (nearly) all the way back again. The Grand Old Duke of York...

The less said about Phil's game the better. He blundered a knight early on, and was never able to recover. Norman played well, though.

It looks as if Steve is the only wheel left on our wagon in Division 1 !

TCL Division 1: Teignmouth v South Hams 1 Mar 2016

Bd Teignmouth Col Grade ECF Result South Hams Col Grade ECF PGN
1 Wilson, Matthew B 159 128713J ½-½ Levy, Steve W 177 134450L View
2 Ingham, Bill W 158 173310C ½-½ Archer, David B 138 300734A View
3 Mills, Nathan B 154 272540L 1-0 Wilkinson, Ben W 124 162703L View
4 Hindom, Kevin W 155 233227K 1-0 McConnell, Phil B 115 285386D View
Overall Match6263-1554
Bd Teignmouth Grade Res South Hams Grade PGN
1 Wilson, Matthew 159 ½-½ Levy, Steve 177 View
2 Ingham, Bill 158 ½-½ Archer, David 138 View
3 Mills, Nathan 154 1-0 Wilkinson, Ben 124 View
4 Hindom, Kevin 155 1-0 McConnell, Phil 115 View
Overall Match6263-1554
 

Match Report

Author:  Phil McConnell

Date:  2 Mar 2016

(Submitted on behalf of Steve Levy)

Congratulations to Teignmouth, who achieved the double over South Hams in Division 1.

At the tea interval, there was plenty to play for on all four boards - which we thought was something of an achievement given that we were outgraded by 72 points - the "killer" difference being on boards 3 and 4.

On Board 4, Phil in his (lack of wisdom) decided to launch an all-out attack on his opponents king, which had Kevin worried for a few moves before he saw off the attack with a material advantage and more than enough counter-threats of his own.

On Board 3, there was a ridiculous amout of chess to be played after about 25 moves, with not much time left for either player. Both players managed to get to the 35 move checkpoint wthout blundering, and in the end it came down to both players having a king and 6 pawns, but Nathan's positional advantage secured the win.

On Board 2, a tense battle went to an end-game with David (having less than 20 seconds on his clock) with a bishop and a pawn against a bishop and three pawns. This doesn't sound great, but David cleverly positioned his king, bishop and g pawn against his opponent's king, bishop, doubled h pawns and f pawn to force a draw.

Board 1 was a close game with a tricky end game leading to another draw (Steve's knight and 2 pawns against Matthew's knight and 3 pawns).

Overall, a defeat, but cerainly no disgrace.

TCL Division 1: South Hams v Plymouth 10 Mar 2016

Bd South Hams Col Grade ECF Result Plymouth Col Grade ECF PGN
1 Levy, Steve B 177 134450L ½-½ Stephens, John W 196 155629A View
2 Archer, David W 138 300734A 0-1 Sivrev, Plamen B 172 290413F View
3 Wilkinson, Ben B 124 162703L 0-1 Stinton-Brownbridge, Michael W 158 157349E Submit
4 McConnell, Phil W 115 285386D 0-1 Butland, Nick B 155 107796L View
Overall Match554½-3½681
Bd South Hams Grade Res Plymouth Grade PGN
1 Levy, Steve 177 ½-½ Stephens, John 196 View
2 Archer, David 138 0-1 Sivrev, Plamen 172 View
3 Wilkinson, Ben 124 0-1 Stinton-Brownbridge, Michael 158 Submit
4 McConnell, Phil 115 0-1 Butland, Nick 155 View
Overall Match554½-3½681
 

Match Report

Author:  Phil McConnell

Date:  10 Mar 2016

(Submitted on behalf of Steven Levy.)

South Hams were massively outgraded on all 4 boards, and in reality played rather well against the odds - better than the scoreline would suggest.

On Board 1 Steve had a cracking game, and was cross with himself afterwards for erring and failing to convert what should have been a winning advantage. Nevertheless, a draw against an opponent graded 196 is an excellent result.

Board 2 went right dwon to the wire. In a complicated middle game, David's oppponent went 2 pawns up, but the situation became very tense, with both players' clocks running down and a large crowd gathered around the table to watch the fun. Towards the end, David swung the balance of advantage back in his favour, and right at the end both players were moving as fast as physically possible. Unfortunately, Davids' clock fell with his opponent having about 50 seconds left. Very unlucky - with another minute or so David might have been able to convert his advantage into a win.

On Board 3, Ben was "in with a shout" for much of the game, but eventually the disparity of 34 grading points told and he succombed.

It was a similar story on Baord 4, where Phil had a slight advantage after the opening, but the combined "squeeze" of time pressure and good play by his opponent left him well beaten in the end.

So, an honourable defeat against a strong Plymouth team - and a very enjoyble evening, with the club really "buzzing".

TCL Division 1: South Hams v Newton Abbot A 14 Apr 2016

Bd South Hams Col Grade ECF Result Newton Abbot A Col Grade ECF PGN
1 Levy, Steve B 177 134450L 0-1 Homer, Stephen W 181 162619L View
2 Archer, David W 138 300734A ½-½ Thynne, Trefor B 167 120405B View
3 McConnell, Phil B 115 285386D 1-0 Brooks, Paul W 158 215149C View
4 Russell, Dennis W 127 214868H 0-1 Blackmore, Joshua B 101 290737K Submit
Overall Match5571½-2½607
Bd South Hams Grade Res Newton Abbot A Grade PGN
1 Levy, Steve 177 0-1 Homer, Stephen 181 View
2 Archer, David 138 ½-½ Thynne, Trefor 167 View
3 McConnell, Phil 115 1-0 Brooks, Paul 158 View
4 Russell, Dennis 127 0-1 Blackmore, Joshua 101 Submit
Overall Match5571½-2½607
 

Match Report

Author:  Phil McConnell

Date:  14 Apr 2016

Written by Phil McConnell on behalf of Steve levy.

On Board 1 Steve was up against a very strong player, who played very well and inflicted on Steve his first defeat in the Torbay Leagues this season. One defeat in 18 games is still a mighty record!

On Board 2, Dave also faced a very strong player, yet managed to go a piece up with a winning position (and much more time left than his opponent). However he then blundered a rook. He still managed to fight back to a draw, but a very frustating result when a win was within his grasp!

On Board 3, Phil got a strong kingside attack going which ultimately his opponent was unable to fend off. A very good win for Phil against a much stronger player.

On Board 4, Dennis (short of sleep due to a minor injury) felt he had a poor game by his normal standards.

Overall, not a bad result considering the strength of the opposition. A good evening. Well played Newton Abbot A.

TCL Division 1: Newton Abbot B v South Hams 21 Apr 2016

Bd Newton Abbot B Col Grade ECF Result South Hams Col Grade ECF PGN
1 Kinder, Andrew B 151 162710G 0-1 Levy, Steve W 177 134450L View
2 Ruzibayev, Oibek W 140 304573A 0-1 Archer, David B 138 300734A View
3 Taylor, Wilf B 131 182650F 0-1 Wilkinson, Ben W 124 162703L View
4 Hussey, Michael W 99 277498H 1-0 McConnell, Phil B 115 285386D View
Overall Match5211-3554
Bd Newton Abbot B Grade Res South Hams Grade PGN
1 Kinder, Andrew 151 0-1 Levy, Steve 177 View
2 Ruzibayev, Oibek 140 0-1 Archer, David 138 View
3 Taylor, Wilf 131 0-1 Wilkinson, Ben 124 View
4 Hussey, Michael 99 1-0 McConnell, Phil 115 View
Overall Match5211-3554
 

Match Report

Author:  Phil McConnell

Date:  21 Apr 2016

In the last Division 1 match of the season, South Hams completed the "double" over Newton Abbot B with a good away win.

First to finish was Ben, whose opponent resigned after 13 moves. Apparently this was a wacky opening - the game was over too fast for me to see any of it, so I look forward to seeing it on the club database of games!

Next to finish was David, who completed another of his good wins with his favourite opeing as Black.

Then - not so good - I resigned when it was inevitable his opponent would queen an advancing pawn. I had blundered a bishop on move 27 - it wasn't even subtle - I just put it on a square where it could be freely taken!

Finally, Steve triumphed over his old adversary Andrew Kinder, after going a piece up and forching "mate next move" when Andrew resigned.

A great result overall, and South Hams can be please with our first season in the top flight: played 8, won 3, lost 5. Next season is eagerly awaited!