Broadstairs AGM

Broadstairs Chess Club celebrated another successful year, it was reported at the AGM on Monday. There was an array of trophies to be distributed from both internal and external competitions. Congratulations went to the Walker Shield (U115) team for retaining their trophy and for maintaining a 100% record over two seasons. Broadstairs also won the Hargreaves Shield (U140) with five wins out of six, and the Thanet Shield for the best overall league record between the three Thanet clubs of Broadstairs, Margate and Ramsgate. On the domestic front, David Horton left the club on a high note by sharing (with David Faldon) the premier trophy, the Goodall Cup and won the George Stiggers Trophy for the highest grade improvement.

David first won the Goodall Cup in 1966 and it is encouraging for chess players the world over if he can still be winning it fifty years later and be crowned the club’s most improved player.   Other trophy winners were Reg Pidduck (John Cutting Cup and Oyster Shield), Andy Flood (Richard Pilcher Prize), and Reg Pidduck and Michael Doyle (Zielinski Shield). In his report of the season, the Secretary Bob Page said that in a difficult year for Thanet chess in general, it was encouraging that Broadstairs was not only surviving but thriving. Numbers of members have been consistent over the past few years but there is no room for complacency and we should always be on the lookout for new members. This was echoed by Reg in his Treasurer’s report.  The club made a slight loss last season but with sufficient assets it was decided to keep subscriptions the same and to subsidise the Christmas dinner as has been the custom in recent years. All the officials were re-elected en bloc and with the retirement of the President, David Horton, it was a unanimous decision to elect Reg Pidduck, in his fortieth year at the club, as his successor.