26 May 2002
Although the East Glamorgan 2001/2002 league season had only just finished there was no rest for Barry Chess Club players who were called upon to play in knockout cup matches last week.
It is said that familiarity breeds contempt and, while that terminology may be a little too strong, there can be no denying that as Barry Chess Club has expanded and become more successful, increasingly hectic league schedules have induced a certain lethargy and reluctance amongst members to turn out for cup competitions.
The seeded first round of the East Glamorgan Cup is notorious for producing a variety of excuses from those who are asked to participate. Colds seemed less fashionable this year but afflictions of the digestive system were as popular as ever while the number of players who had relatives staying with them was truly phenomenal.
Amidst such misfortunes it was therefore no great surprise to find a team of only three turning out on Monday evening when Barry B entertained a young but determined Cardiff juniors’ side who started the match one point to the good by courtesy of the hosts’ defaulted board 4. Board 3 also went the visitor’s way and although Barry looked comfortable on board 2, they appeared to be sailing a little too close to the wind when they lost the exchange of rook for bishop on board 1. Only inaccuracies caused by Cardiff’s time trouble allowed the slightly embarrassed hosts to steal this game and progress to the second round of the competition on board count - a system which disregards the score of the lowest board(s) in the event of a 2:2 tied match.
A team of four reasonably willing souls, apparently free from plague and pestilence, was fielded on Wednesday to welcome Neath’s White Knights for a semi-final in the Open section of the Welsh Knockout Cup. Although the willing souls were all outgraded by their opposite numbers, they fought admirably to draw the games on boards 3 and 4 but bad oversights in the remaining two games allowed the Knights to eventually take the match by 3:1 and progress to the forthcoming Welsh finals at Llanishen leisure centre.
Healthy and otherwise unencumbered members of Barry Chess Club meet 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.