As the 2017/18 season draws to a close, it seems appropriate to applaud the winners of the three main competitions in the Thanet and East Kent Chess League. The Blue Riband event is the Millar Cup which as can be seen in the table below was won not for the first time by Bridge. The first three places are generally taken by the same teams so the real fun in this competition is to see who comes fourth after the Big Three. With no bias whatsoever, hats off to Broadstairs for edging ahead of their local rivals.
Millar Cup 2017/18
| Team | Play | Won | Draw | Lost | For | Against | Points | SP | MP | IM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridge A | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 26 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bridge B | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 33½ | 22½ | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Folkestone | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 29½ | 26½ | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broadstairs | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 24½ | 31½ | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Margate | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 22½ | 33½ | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The other two main competitions are generally more interesting because no-one can be sure at the start of the season who is going to win. The Hargreaves Shield is for those players with a maximum grade of 140 and this is where Broadstairs has an advantage with some strong players just squeezing into this bracket. This year was a triumph for the team with some key performances from certain players, Broadstairs winning the competition for the second time in three years.
Hargreaves Shield 2017/18
| Team | Play | Won | Draw | Lost | For | Against | Points | SP | MP | IM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadstairs | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Margate | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 13½ | 10½ | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bridge | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10½ | 13½ | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Folkestone | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The third competition is the Walker Shield for those graded 115 and under. In the mid-term report it was pointed out how close it was and that it might come down to ‘goal difference’ and that is exactly what happened. A glance at the table below shows that it could not have been closer. However, let’s not dwell on the one that got away but highlight the excellent performances that got the club within a gnat’s whisker of winning the competition, especially the magnificent victory over Ramsgate where Broadstairs had to win 4-0 and did so. Read the report here.
Walker Shield 2017/18
| Team | Play | Won | Draw | Lost | For | Against | Points | SP | MP | IM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsgate | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 28½ | 11½ | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broadstairs | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 12 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Margate | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 24½ | 15½ | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bridge | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 18 | 22 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Woodnesbotough A | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 10½ | 27½ | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Woodnesborough B | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 8½ | 29½ | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Of course, the Thanet Shield is the local trophy that gives bragging rights to its winner over the other Thanet clubs. A glance at the above tables shows that Broadstairs was once again the pre-eminent Thanet team so we won the trophy for the third successive year.
The league season may be over but the main event is fast aproaching which is the 49th Thanet Chess Congress, this year being held at St George’s School, Broadstairs, for the first time since the school was re-opened in 2010. There is still time to enter and we hope for a sizeable local presence to support Andy in all the hard work he has done to organise the event. The congress takes place this weekend (Aug 17-19) and full details and online entry can be found here.