With three teams engaged in East Glamorgan league matches last week Barry Chess Club had the potential to score a maximum of 15 game points. To date a rather less than impressive 1½ points has been amassed but things are not quite as disastrous in all quarters as they would at first seem.
During the first half of the 2001/2002 season the Barry Stauntons had suffered heavy defeats at the hands of the three teams which had been demoted from division 1 of the league - Caerphilly Castles, Bridgend A and Penarth A - but had nevertheless clawed their way into the top part of division 2 with other good results. On Monday evening Barry’s third team faced its first return leg against one of those teams when it travelled to the Kymin in Penarth.
Penarth were first to make their mark on the result card by virtue of a win on board 2 but a draw on board 1 gave some encouragement to the visitors who stood reasonably well in the remaining games. Barry sadly let board 5 slip away and eventually lost on time while they could squeeze no more than another draw from board 3 but Penarth are in dire straits on board 4 where their representative has elected for adjournment. That game will almost certainly go the Staunton’s way and allow them a fairly tolerable 3:2 defeat.
Barry’s second team, the Camelots, visited Cardiff on Wednesday evening to face the might of runaway division 1 leaders the Castles. Although scoring a full point on board 1 the home side were perhaps a little fortunate to double that tally with a further win on board 2. Board 3 was drawn and Barry have excellent chances of a win in an adjourned game on board 5. Board 4 has also been adjourned and there is some hope of another draw in this difficult rook and pawn ending. Should the Camelots, as is anticipated, score at least 1½ from the match then they can be well pleased with themselves as this is as much as most teams in division 1 can realistically expect to score from the champions apparent.
Four is an ideal number for playing bridge, tennis doubles or even manning an Olympic bob sleigh but is one shy of ideal for an East Glamorgan league chess team! As has now become an unwelcome custom, the Barry Saracens again found themselves having to default a board when they entertained Merthyr Tydfil in a division 4 fixture at the Witchill Hotel on Wednesday evening. Despite having had some reasonable chances over the four contested boards it appeared that the inability to field a full side had reduced Barry Chess Club’s fifth team’s morale to an all time low as it eventually succumbed to a crushing 5:0 defeat on the night. Anyone for tennis?!
Barry Chess Club meets every Wednesday evening at 7:45 p.m. on the first floor of the Witchill Hotel, Barry Road while a variety of chess information including the latest club, league and cup match details can be obtained by visiting the club`s web site at www.barrychessclub.org.uk.