Updated: 10/04/22

SOCO (Scottish Online Chess Organisation)
SCOTTISH TEAM CHALLENGE (NEW)!

This is a new online event under the control of SOCO (Scottish Online Chess Organisation). The plan is to have a Scottish team event over a number of divisions which hopefully will grow into something bigger online in the future.

CHESS TEAM CHALLENGE

  • All matches will take place on chess.com using their team format.
  • Chess.com grading will be used automatically.
  • Entry Fee: £12 per team (£2 discount for Chess Scotland members).
  • Teams of 4 players.
  • Matches to take place during the week (evenings) or if teams agree weekends,
  • Two matches will be played against the same opponent (black & white)
    As soon as the first match finishes, the second game will automatically start.
  • Time-Control: 25 minutes + 10 seconds increments.
  • All pgn`s will be subject to fair play rules (Chess Scotland) and if passed submitted for allegro grading.
  • All will be coordinated using the LMS management system.
  • Matches will be arranged through Chess.com with the home team/club issuing the challenge.
  • Matches will take place during the week on the home teams designated night unless both teams come to another arrangement (Weekends?). If teams cannot agree a date the league controllers will step in to resolve issue.

Updated: 28/04/22

Thurs 27th April 2022 – 7:30pm
The first Scottish Team Challenge has come to an end and it`s congratulations to Dundee City A who with 8 wins out of 8 (16 points) are the first ever Scottish Team Challenge Champions 2021-22! What a fantastic performance by Dundee City A who were just too strong for the other 8 teams.

Dundee City B finished in 4th place on 9 points, equal with Aberdeen University A on match points, but Dundee City B had the better board points. I think that was an outstanding
league campaign by Dundee City B!

As for the new competition, give it time and it may grow into something bigger and better. For now it was slow in getting off the runway, not enough teams and too many defaults to say it was a success. Then again a lot of things start out that way and like an ugly duckling, grow in to a beautiful Swan!

Thank you to all the players and teams that supported this new venture. Also credit to the organisers who had their issues to deal with but got it up and running in the end!

As soon as we have more news I will pass it on.

Once again congratulations to Dundee City A & B and both Castlehill Chess Club Dundee and Dundee Chess Club for this successful joint venture together!

For all the results and players for the Dundee City teams check out the othet tabs. For “ALL” the results, etc click the link below.

Scottish Team Challenge

 

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Wed 20th April 22 – 7:30pm
Aberdeen Uni B 0 – 8 Dundee City B
Pentland Hills B 0 – 8 Dundee City A

Two very comfortable wins in the end for both our teams. Aberdeen Uni B did not help themselves by being two players down! While it`s nice to get the points, our players would rather play and indeed were looking forward to the match only to be disappointed in the end!

For Dundee City B, Leyton Hackney and Jim Anderson got to play and both won! While for the “A” team it was one hell of a team to put out! Talk about David versus Goliath (only Goliath won)! Well played Richard Polaczek IM (2303); Ed Spencer (2018); David Findlay (2129) & Jacques Ophoff CM (2267)!

Dundee City A stay top of the division on maximum points (12), with Dundee City B in 5th place on5 points having played one game less than our “A” team.

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Mon 11th April 22 – 7:30pm
Dundee City B 6 – 2 Stepps
What a fantastic result by Dundee City B against 3rd placed Stepps! While Stepps did not have out their strongest side, you can only beat what is in front of you and their two top boards were very strong still. Unfortunately for Stepps and bottom board for Dundee City B, Ray Noble, they could not field a bottom board by 7:30pm giving Ray two default wins (bet that`s the first time in history Ray`s won two games in a row!). Players play each other twice (b&w).

Board One: This was an up hill struggle for the talented Robert Jackson (1568) against William Hume (1863) but over 2000+ on Chess.com! In the end it was too much for Robert and he lost 2 – 0.
Game OneGame Two:

Board Two: Two incredible matches and finishes by young Master Rishi Vijayakumar J10 (1528) against Ian Brownlee (1595) to win both games! The endings under time-pressure were out of this world! What a talent Rishi is and he played some great chess in both matches. Like all juniors he can blow hot and cold, but in this match he was “Vindaloo” hot!
Game OneGame Two:

Board Three: Leyton Hackney (1557) proved to strong against  Anthony Haggerty (632) who played far better than his 632 grade! But Leyton is a patient man and went about his chess in a calm and methodical manner taking no risks and just smothering his opponent to death and pouncing when his opponent made the mistakes because of the the pressure Leyton put him under! Nice 2 – nil win!
Game OneGame Two:

Board Four: Ray Noble (1407) won both matches by default as no opponent to play! Disappointing not to get a game, but that`s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes in online and OTB chess!

It needs to be pointed out, not only was this a fantastic result for Dundee City B, they would also have won 4 – 2 if you just count the 3 top boards! Well played everyone!
Checkout the “League” tab for the up to date League table!

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Well this new competition has been a work in progress from beginning to end and during the start to be honest, but it seems to be going okay! Like all new events you have a few gremlins and niggles but you work them out. Dundee City teams are a joint venture between Castlehill Chess Club Dundee and Dundee Chess Club. We have two teams entered for this inaugural event. If it proves popular we may have more! There are 9 teams entered from all over Scotland in an all-play-all once league system.

Dundee City A lead the way on 10 points after 5 matches with a perfect 5 wins out of 5!  So far Dundee City A have had it all their own way with Stepps getting the best score line against Dundee City A, losing 6 – 2. With three matches left can anybody stop them?

 

Dundee City B as you would expect have found things a little tougher! They have played 4 matches but have yet to get a win, drawing 1 of their matches and losing 3, some of which were close affairs and could have gone either way! Still plenty of time to make their mark in this event!

Updated: 12/04/22

Rd HOME TEAM R V R AWAY TEAM Players
1 Dundee City B 0 v 8 Dundee City A Match details
2 Dundee City B 0 Strathclyde University Match details
2 Dundee City A 8 v 0 Aberdeen University A Match details
3 Dundee City A v ½ Troon Match details
3 Aberdeen University A v Dundee City B Match details
4 Dundee City A v ½ Pentland Hills A Match details
4 Dundee City B 4 v 4 Troon Match details
5 Stepps 2 v 6 Dundee City A Match details
5 Pentland Hills A v Dundee City B Match details
6 Dundee City B v 2 Stepps Match details
6 Dundee City A v 0 Aberdeen University B Match details
7 Pentland Hills B v 8 Dundee City A Match details
7 Aberdeen University B  0 v 8 Dundee City B Match details
8 Dundee City B 6½  v  1½ Pentland Hills B Match details
8 Strathclyde University 0 v 8 Dundee City A Match details

Updated: 28/04/22 (Final table)

 SCOTTISH CHALLENGE LEAGUE 2021-22        
#TeamPldWonDrnLostFAP/MPoints
1DUNDEE CITY A88006135816
3STEPPS860243.520.52312
2PENTLAND HILLS A860238.525.51312
4DUNDEE CITY B841339.524.5159
6ABERDEEN UNI A8413333129
5TROON830526.538-11.56
7PENTLAND HILLS B81252341-184
9ABERDEEN UNI B810711.552.5-412
8STRATHCLYDE UNI8017856-481