News

News

Monday 15 March 2010

Last season Glastonbury retained the Somerset Division 2 title in sensational fashion when outright leaders Sedgemoor froze in sight of the winning post and lost their final two matches.

This year the Bridgwater club has seemed determined not to be denied again and, when the Thorns arrived for last week’s away fixture, only a single league point was required for the status of champions to be confirmed.

However, as in several matches recently, Glastonbury began the evening in forceful style. Ralph Carver’s experience was too much for a young Sedgemoor player making his league debut and both Roger Fenton and Martin Willis secured excellent draws against more highly rated opponents.

This 2-1 lead became an unbeatable 3-1 advantage when Paul Moody gained a crushing victory over Somerset county stalwart Chris McKinley.

With only half a point now required, it seemed that Sedgemoor’s league-winning celebrations would have to be postponed yet again. But, though both of the final games remained in the balance right up to the three-hour time limit, each of them were finally settled in favour of the home team.

The Thorns were actually not too unhappy to have secured a creditable draw against the side that has clearly deserved their title success.

Thoughts now focus on next week, when the challenge of the Somerset Cup Final dominates the chess agenda for Glastonbury.

Match Result: Sedgemoor 3 Glastonbury 3

Monday 8 March 2010

Catching up on January’s cancellations meant that Glastonbury played two Division 1 matches last week. By coincidence, both of them followed a very similar course.

On Tuesday the Thorns travelled to league leaders Frome and, initially, they seemed to be on unstoppable form. Forceful wins from Harry Streeter, Tim Wallis and team captain Paul Moody established an unbeatable 3-0 lead.

But, despite three close struggles, the additional half point required for victory remained tantalisingly out of reach. Eventually all of the games were lost and the match spoils shared.

Match Result: Frome 3 Glastonbury 3

On Thursday the venue switched to the Sedgemoor club in Bridgwater. Again the first three games to finish were all won by Glastonbury. This time the successful trio were Rhys Cumming, Roger Fenton and Sharan Soni.

However, once more it seemed that a match victory was to prove elusive as a brace of wins for the home side brought the match score back to 3-2.

Fortunately, teenager George Galliano was on hand to defy this spirit of déjà vu. He eventually broke down the resistance from a stubborn opponent to deliver a welcome success for both himself and the team.

It is a pity that, despite this acquisition of three league points, early season defeats mean that the Thorns are too far behind to challenge for the Division 1 title.

Match Result: Sedgemoor 2 Glastonbury 4

Monday 1 March 2010

In 2003 Glastonbury won the Somerset Cup for the only time in their history, but it seemed that the trophy was jinxed. The following six seasons saw a succession of surprise defeats and early exits.

However, this year the Thorns reached the semi-final again and they travelled to Trowbridge last week for the eight-board contest. As Trowbridge play all of their games in the county’s eastern divisions they were something of an unknown quantity, but advice from several quarters indicated that a tough evening was to be expected.

The early exchanges proved the truth of these predictions and after 90 minutes the overall balance of play favoured the home side. They appeared to hold a definite advantage in three of the games, Glastonbury seemed ahead in two, with the remaining three contests too close to call.

Trowbridge were indeed first to record a victory but excellent wins from youngsters Rhys Cumming and Alex Gould saw the match score turned into a 2-1 advantage to the Thorns.

After an important draw from Paul Moody, the decisive point of the evening arrived. Two of the games that had earlier favoured Trowbridge both ended as wins for Glastonbury. First Sharan Soni cleverly turned his position from being a pawn down into a won endgame. Then Tim Wallis’s opponent blundered away a likely win to unaccountably lose on time.

Almost from nowhere, the Thorns now had a 4.5-1.5 lead and a place in the final was assured.

To add insult to the Wiltshire side’s injury, brilliantly controlled victories by Roger Morgan and Ian Holle saw the evening conclude with a distinctly flattering scoreline.

So, the Somerset Cup is again within Glastonbury’s grasp. But to secure it they will need to be at their absolute best as the final opponents will be the currently impressively strong outfit from Taunton.

Match Result: Trowbridge 1.5 Glastonbury 6.5

Monday 22 February

It was emergency stations last week for Glastonbury’s Division 3 (West) team captain Ralph Carver. At the last minute, first one and then two of his team’s leading players became suddenly unavailable for the evening fixture at home to Taunton.

Acting quickly, two replacements were found and the contest commenced only slightly late.

The early dramas did not seem to hamper Carver’s play at the chessboard. He quickly dismantled the defences of his opponent to give the Thorns an early 1-0 lead.

Then the two late substitutes, Roger Morgan and Roger Fenton, showed they too were unaffected by the surprising turn of events. Morgan, taking on the responsibility of top-board, played a solid, defensive game to snuff-out all of the threats from the leading Taunton player.

Finally Roger Fenton won a comprehensive victory to secure the match win and maximum points.

Since January 2006 Glastonbury’s performance in this division of the Somerset league has been quite remarkable. They have lost only once in a total of 48 contests and, despite some occasional alarms, are now well on course for a fourth successive title.

Match Result: Glastonbury 2.5 Taunton 1.5

Monday 15 February

Last season Glastonbury won the Somerset Division 2 (West) title. But, two defeats before Christmas means that there is now very little chance that this success will be repeated in 2009/10.

However, when their strongest set of players is available, the Thorns remain more than a match for any team in the league. And this was the situation last week when Chard and Ilminster were the visitors at Tor Leisure.

The early stages of all six games were closely fought but, as play moved into the second hour, the contests all began to favour the home team.

At around the two-hour mark first Dave Wood and then Roger Morgan turned their winning positions into victories. Ian Holle then secured a draw and it seemed that Tim Wallis was likely to deliver the match-winning success. A blunder by his opponent meant that this result came even more quickly than expected.

3.5-0.5 to the good, Glastonbury’s win was assured and prospects also looked good in the remaining two games.

However, a very uncharacteristic error from team captain Paul Moody saw Chard and Ilminster record their first full point. Then, playing on top-board against an internationally rated Venezuelan, Harry Streeter became embroiled in an amazing blitz finish. With less than a minute left on his clock, and in a game where he played over 100 moves, the 17-year-old just lost out in a complex King and pawn endgame.

Match Result: Glastonbury 3.5 Chard & Ilminster 2.5

Monday 8 February

Over the past decade a small revolution has taken place in chess. More and more people are playing the game on-line, either with computers or against opponents from across the world.

One of this quiet army of players, Phil Jackson, recently visited the Glastonbury club for the first time. His technique so impressed Division 3 (West) team captain Ralph Carver that he was introduced on top-board last week for the away fixture with Sedgemoor.

Though the strategy did not quite end in success (Sedgemoor’s man just prevailed in a very tight endgame), the league debutant showed more than enough skill to confirm that chess can easily translate from screen to match conditions.

In addition, by “taking-out” the Bridgwater club’s leading player, Jackson greatly helped his team. Playing at a lower level than usual, Ralph Carver and Martin Willis both delivered convincing early wins to give the Thorns an unassailable 2-0 lead. And, though Paul Moody became embroiled in a long, titanic battle, he eventually secured the draw that resulted in the two league points.

So, while Glastonbury are now well on course to win the Division 3 (West) title for the fourth consequecutive season, they would be more than pleased to welcome more local on-line players to the delights of close-combat chess with real pieces and an actual board.

Match Result: Sedgemoor 1.5 Glastonbury 2.5

Monday 25 January 2010

Taunton currently have the strongest chess team in Somerset and are clear favourites for this season’s Division 1 title. So it was a major surprise when, last October, Glastonbury defeated them by the astounding margin of 5.5-0.5.

Last week Taunton arrived at Tor Leisure for the reverse fixture and there was little doubt that revenge was in the air.

Unfortunately the Thorns had several key players unavailable so, when the sides were declared, the chances seemed hopeless. Not only were they outgraded on all six boards, but Taunton’s Board 5 held a higher ranking than the Glastonbury Board 1.

After an hour of play the Thorns were already 1-0 down and this seemed just the start of an embarrassing evening. However, George Galliano had established a promising position from which he managed to secure a welcome draw. Ian Holle also shared the spoils, following a clever mix of attacking and defensive play.

Then came the result of the evening from 14-year-old Megan Owens. Playing Division 1 chess for the first time, and outgraded by nearly 30 ranking points, she produced a brilliantly sustained attacking sequence to force the resignation of her illustrious, but stunned, opponent.

With the match score at 2-2, surely Glastonbury could not do it again?

Well no, they couldn’t. Last October Tim Wallis had beaten German international Mike Richardt and the Taunton man was in no mood to let this humiliation happen a second time. And finally, Dave Wood was just edged to defeat after a game where his solid defence merited a draw.

So a final match score that was very far from a disgrace for the Thorns and, without doubt, the outstanding game of the contest came from Megan Owens.

Match result: Glastonbury 2 Taunton 4

Monday 11 January 2010

On the coldest evening for many years, Glastonbury welcomed an intrepid team of chess travellers from Frome.

The Thorns currently lead the Division 3 Central league and hoped to further strengthen their position.

At first it seemed likely they would succeed in this goal. Dave Wood quickly refuted an unsound opening from his opponent to deliver an early 1-0 advantage. And, at the two-hour mark, all of the other three games also clearly favoured the home side.

But, slowly, the two lower-board contests moved into narrow victories for more highly graded Frome players. So, once again, Glastonbury were grateful for the clinical skills of Paul Moody. Carefully resisting a strong counter-attack, he forced his opponent to an impossible position where the only sensible option was resignation.

The spoils were, therefore, shared and the Frome quartet had a deserved league point to warm them on a frozen journey home.

Match Result: Glastonbury 2 Frome 2

Division 3 (Central) League

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
Glastonbury	4	2	2	0	6
Gillingham	3	1	2	0	4
Frome	4	0	3	1	3
Yeovil	3	0	1	2	1

Monday 21 December 2009

Glastonbury’s Division 3 (West) team played two matches last week, both against sides from Weston-super-Mare.

The first encounter was at home against Weston B, where the Thorns suffered an early reverse when team captain Ralph Carver lost out after a rapidly moving game.

But the three-time league champions soon bounced back with wins by Dave Wood and, making a welcome, rare appearance, Roy Turner. Both league points were secured when Roger Fenton finally broke down the resistance of a stubborn opponent.

Match Result: Glastonbury 3 Weston-s-Mare (B) 1

A few days later Glastonbury were the away team against Weston A. The Thorns had to put out a much-weakened team and their doubtful prospects seemed to be confirmed when Roger Fenton lost in less than an hour. Though Ralph Carver’s excellent winning attack equalised the match score, the remaining two contests seemed very likely wins for the home side.

But, both Glastonbury players defied these gloomy expectations. Firstly, Bernard White turned round his game to a point where victory seemed certain, only for a last minute oversight to allow his opponent an undeserved draw by stalemate.

So attention turned to Martin Willis who, playing on top board for the first time became the star of the evening. Martin has only been playing league chess for six months and he was battling against the vastly experienced Somerset County veteran Jonathan Latham.

Not only did the Glastonbury man hold his ground in a complex middle game, but he suddenly produced a brilliantly controlled attack to win a remarkable two league points for the team.

Match Result: Weston-s-Mare (A) 1.5 Glastonbury 2.5

Monday 14 December 2009

Time is an important factor in UK league chess. Each player is allowed 90 minutes to make all their moves and, if this point is reached, no matter what the state of the game it is immediate defeat.

It was this rule that was vital for Glastonbury last week in a Division 3 (Central) match against Yeovil.

The early part of the evening was closely fought and eventually Paul Moody, Dave Wood and team captain Stuart Marsh all agreed draws. So the outcome of the contest depended on the final game being played by Roger Fenton.

Here prospects looked bleak for the Thorns as the Yeovil player stood a knight and pawn to the good, with only a temporarily blocked position holding him up from immediate victory. But Fenton fought on and, in trying to secure the final breakthrough, his opponent spent more and more time in deep thought.

Finally, it took only the slight threats from a minor counter-attack for the Yeovil flag on the chess clock to fall, and victory was confirmed for the player in clearly the worse position.

A welcome, if very fortunate, two league points for the Glastonbury team.

Match Result: Glastonbury 2.5 Yeovil 1.5

Monday 7 December 2009

In many matches this season Glastonbury has come back to win after being at an early disadvantage. Last week, however, the roles were reversed as the Thorns failed to win two contests where they had initial positions of strength.

In a Somerset Division One encounter against visitors from Sedgemoor, a win from Harry Streeter put Glastonbury in the lead while maintaining his personal 100% record for 2009/10 league matches. At this stage there also appeared to several others wins on the cards but, sadly, these failed to materialise.

In the next four games to finish only Tim Wallis stemmed the tide of defeats as the visitors swept into an unassailable 3.5-1.5 lead. Though Sharan Soni found a clever endgame win in the final contest, this was a very scant consolation.

Match Result: Glastonbury 2.5 Sedgemoor 3.5

Two evenings later a Division 3 (West) match followed a similar course. An early win for Dave Wood appeared to be the prelude to victories for Paul Moody and team captain Ralph Carver. However, errors from both men saw home team Wellington take a 2-1 lead and it was only an excellent last minute success for Martin Willis that secured a share of the spoils.

Match Result: Wellington 2 Glastonbury 2

Monday 30 November 2009

In chess it definitely pays to have a Grandmaster on your side. And this was the fortunate position for Glastonbury last week when they travelled to current league and cup double winners Yeovil.

The South Somerset club owed much of their success last season to the acquisition of Polish player Patryk Kryzanowski. He proved unbeatable in league matches until his performances attracted the attention of Millfield’s resident chess master Matthew Turner.

Offering his services to the Thorns, he efficiently ended the East European’s winning run. Clearly enjoying a rare local challenge, Matthew decided upon a repeat outing for this seasons’ Division One encounter.

The match began cautiously for the lesser members of the Glastonbury team who, significantly outgraded, were looking more to avoid defeat than attacking wins. All successfully achieved this goal with Paul Moody, Ian Holle, Tim Wallis and George Galliano securing a creditable share of the spoils.

With the match score at 2-2, the Thorns suffered a major setback when teenager Rhys Cumming went down to defeat against leading Somerset County player Andrew Footner. It is a measure of Rhys’s recent high level of play that this result was a distinct surprise.

So, the match result was to be decided by the outcome of the top-board game. Here Matthew Turner did not appear to have the expected advantage and also had little time left for his remaining moves. But, it is at moments like this Grandmasters show their true class, and a move that at first sight seemed highly dangerous soon proved to be the decisive winning blow.

Match Result: Yeovil 3 Glastonbury 3

Monday 23 November 2009

Glastonbury has not been given a home fixture in the Somerset Cup for over four years, though this does not fully explain why they have performed so poorly in the competition during this period.

This season the familiar pattern seemed likely to continue as yet another away draw materialised, this time against the Division One side Frome.

Though the Thorns had fielded a strong team the early part of the evening did not go well. Paul Moody was forced to agree a draw to an opponent he might have been expected to beat comfortably, before George Galliano went down to defeat on the bottom board.

Behind 0.5-1.5, with no obvious wins in prospect, gave the proceedings an ominous look. But, suddenly, the gloom lifted. Teenagers Rhys Cumming and Harry Streeter have both notably grown in chess stature during the past year, and now they each delivered well-controlled victories that turned the contest round.

Inspired by their younger team members, the older contingent also began to deliver the results. Tim Wallis and Dave Wood each converted advantageous endgame positions into the wins that ensured Glastonbury’s progress into the next round.

Finally, just to make sure there was no doubt, an excellent checkmating attack by Tony Bamford completed a personal success on his temporary return from chess “retirement”.

Match Result: Frome 2.5 Glastonbury 5.5

Monday 16 November 2009

Glastonbury faced two challenging league fixtures last week that put a stop to their recent run of winning form.

The first of these was a Division Two contest at home to ever-competitive local rivals Sedgemoor. Last season the Thorns narrowly beat the Bridgwater club in the race for the champions trophy and it was immediately clear that the visitors were out for revenge.

Out-graded on all six boards, Glastonbury were already consigned for defeat before excellent wins by Harry Streeter and Ralph Carver gave the final scoreline a slightly more respectable appearance.

Match Result: Glastonbury 2 Sedgemoor 4

The following evening the Thorns’ Division Three (Central) team travelled to current league champions Gillingham.

After 90 minutes of play there was an encouraging start as Paul Moody delivered yet another fine win following a typically forceful middle-game attack. This lead was extended to 2-0 when Roger Fenton overcame his opponent after an error-strewn contest.

Gillingham hit back with a win in the penultimate game, which meant that team captain Stuart Marsh needed only a draw to secure both match points. Sadly, despite battling until the very last minute of the 3 hours allotted for play, he fell agonisingly short of achieving the required result.

Match Result: Gillingham 2 Glastonbury 2

Monday 9 November 2009

Glastonbury has dominated the Somerset Division 3 (West) league in recent years, taking the trophy in all of the past three seasons. However, the loss of key players, plus some problematic new restrictions on team grading, means that 2009-10 seems likely to offer a much stiffer challenge.

So, after only managing a draw in their first match, the Thorns travelled to Taunton last week in less than confident mood. Dave Wood’s last minute unavailability meant that the relatively inexperienced Martin Willis had to step-up to play at the unexpectedly high level of Board 2, with Roger Fenton drafted-in as a late replacement.

When play began the usually reliable win from Paul Moody failed to materialise as he was forced to accept an early draw. Then Martin Willis, despite an excellent defensive battle, could not quite recover from an early error, losing out to a strong and determined opponent.

Down 0.5-1.5, Glastonbury were heartened by a victory from Roger Fenton which meant that the outcome of the contest would be decided by the final game being played by team captain Ralph Carver.

Though Ralph appeared to have a slight advantage, neither his opponent nor the watching spectators had any inkling that he was about to unleash a winning attack. A brilliant six-move checkmating combination rapidly settled both the individual game and the match. A captain’s contribution in every sense!

Match Result: Taunton 1.5 Glastonbury 2.5

Monday 2 November 2009

After a poor start to the season Glastonbury continued their recent return to form last week with two separate league victories.

The more impressive triumph was in Division 2 against a visiting team from the reliably strong Yeovil club. Though out-graded on five of the six boards, the Thorns took control of the contest with clear-cut wins from Ralph Carver and Dave Wood.

A further success for team captain Paul Moody and a draw by Roger Fenton ensured the match points, but the icing on the cake came in the final game to finish. Here Harry Streeter played a brilliantly controlled endgame to thwart the many threats of his highly ranked Polish opponent.

Match Result: Glastonbury 4.5 Yeovil 1.5

In a Division Three Central encounter away to Frome, Glastonbury ground-out a narrow victory aided by wins from Paul Moody and Roger Fenton. For Paul this was his second victory of the week and he remains unbeaten this season after six individual games.

Match Result: Frome 1.5 Glastonbury 2.5

Monday 26 October 2009

Last week Glastonbury travelled to Taunton for a match in Division 1 of the Somerset League. On arrival they discovered that their, already highly competitive, opponents had been further strengthened during the summer by two additional county-level players.

It looked an odds-on victory for the home team who were clearly relishing the prospect of a resounding winning margin.

But, in a sensational reversal of the chess rankings, the Thorns produced one of the most surprising league score-lines of recent years. In many cases playing out of their skin, first one, two and then three of the individual contests went in favour of Glastonbury.

When the Thorn’s total reached five, a shell-shocked Taunton captain agreed a final draw largely to avoid the risk of a humiliating 6-0 whitewash for his team.

In what was a quite outstanding team performance, perhaps the result of the night came from Tim Wallis who resoundingly defeated the German international player Mike Richardt.

Match Result: Taunton 0.5 Glastonbury 5.5

A day earlier Glastonbury only managed a 2-2 draw in a Division 3 West encounter with Sedgemoor. The match included a win for Paul Moody and a welcome success for veteran Bernard White.

Monday 12 October 2009

Last week Glastonbury entertained a visiting Frome team for a match in Division One of the Somerset league.

A few hours before play began the Thorn’s plans were thrown into disarray by news of an accident to Harry Streeter. Some last minute adjustments and a much weakened team was the result.

Despite these difficulties, two of the Millfield School members of the Glastonbury side saw the contest off to a spectacular start. After barely an hour of play Rhys Cumming completely overwhelmed his opponent making an early resignation inevitable. This was soon followed by a similarly impressive win by Soni Sharan.

Both of these teenage victories were against seasoned Somerset county players who in many years of chess have rarely suffered such rapid reverses.

Sadly, the other members of the Thorn’s sextet were unable to capitalise on this early 2-0 advantage. Though Dave Wood gained a further half point with a trademark fighting draw, two defeats saw the match score level with the final game remaining.

Late replacement George Galliano fought hard, but his position became steadily more impossible against a massed rank of his opponents pawns.

This final decisive defeat lost Glastonbury two league points they could quite conceivably have won in only slightly more favourable circumstances.

Match Result: Glastonbury 2.5 Frome 3.5

Monday 5 October 2009

A new season of league chess began at Tor Leisure Centre last week. Glastonbury’s Division 2 team was in action, embarking on a defence of the title they have won in each of the last two years.

During the summer months The Thorns have lost several key players, while the visiting Wellington side appeared to have gained some experienced personnel. This meant the home side was unexpectedly out-graded in most of the evening’s six games.

At the two hour mark Glastonbury suffered a setback as Roy Turner lost out in a tight endgame. However, parity was soon restored when Roger Fenton finally broke down the defences of a stubborn opponent who had fought a long rearguard action.

These decisive results were followed by draws for team captain Paul Moody, Tim Wallis and, playing on top-board for the first time, 17 year-old Harry Streeter.

So the match outcome depended on the final game being played by Dave Wood. At first sight things looked difficult for the Glastonbury man as he was under strong endgame pressure and a pawn down. But, it then became clear that his opponent had used up almost all of his allotted time in achieving this strong position, with little chance of forcing home his advantage in the remaining minutes available.

A draw was therefore agreed which meant that the league points were also shared.

Match Result: Glastonbury 3 Wellington 3

Monday 18 May 2009

The Frome Congress is Somerset’s premier chess event attracting around 200 players from all over the UK. The 20th year of the competition took place last weekend and again followed a format of five full-length games from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon.

Several Glastonbury club members took part with an unprecedented level of success.

Harry Streeter achieved an excellent 4 out of 5 result that easily won him the overall trophy for the highest scoring junior.

Paul Moody, playing in the Intermediate section, recorded 3 wins and 2 draws to end with a final score of 4/5. This saw him take a share of the runners-up prize as well as the individual trophy for the highest placed Somerset player.

But the icing on the cake was that Glastonbury won the prestigious team event, outscoring 10 other sides from across the South West. As well as Paul Moody, the three other contributors to a winning total of 12 out of 20 were Roy Turner, Nigel Dicker and Ben Wade.

This is the first time in many attempts that the Thorns have been even close to this result and the achievement crowns a highly successful season for the club.

Monday 11 May 2009

Two weeks ago Glastonbury lost to close rivals Sedgemoor, which meant all hopes of retaining the Charles Marsh West trophy seemed to have gone. The Bridgwater-based club only needed three points from their remaining two league matches, both against lowly opponents, to take the 2008-9 title from the Thorns.

But sport can sometimes deliver minor miracles. Sedgemoor contrived to go down to defeat against a Wellington side who were at the bottom of the table with no previous victories in any of this season’s 11 contests.

So Glastonbury travelled to Weston-super-Mare last week amazed to find that destiny was back in their own hands. A victory over the Seasiders would see the championship trophy once more in the Tor Leisure Centre cabinet.

And this time the Thorns made no mistake. From the moment that match-captain Paul Moody routed his opponent with a superior opening strategy, it was clear that the team was in unstoppable form. The wins kept coming with successes for Ben Wade, Harry Streeter, Ian Hockey and, finally, Tim Wallis.

The 5.5-0.5 scoreline was a comprehensive demolition that left no argument. The final league table left the Thorns with mixed emotions of both happiness and relief.

Charles Marsh West League

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
Glastonbury	12	9	1	2	19
Sedgemoor	12	9	0	3	18
Yeovil	12	6	2	4	14
Taunton	12	5	3	4	13
Chard & Ilminster	12	4	1	7	9
Weston-s-Mare	12	1	4	7	6
Wellington	12	1	3	8	5

Monday 27 April 2009

In recent years the Charles Marsh West division of the Somerset league has been dominated by Glastonbury and Sedgemoor. In 2007 the Bridgwater club was successful, last year it was the Thorns that took the title.

This season the same close rivalry has continued so, when Glastonbury travelled to Sedgemoor last week, both teams knew that the outcome was likely to be decisive.

Sadly, the Thorns made a quite disastrous start. Top-board Roger Morgan fell to an early defeat and the team captain Paul Moody also suffered a rare personal failure. From a position of 0-2 down it seemed that there was little realistic hope of recovery. However, a brilliant attacking win by Tim Wallis reduced the deficit and Glastonbury’s two teenagers, Harry Streeter and Megan Owens, both delivered excellent fighting draws.

But the final game was another win for Sedgemoor, which settled the match in their favour by a clear margin of 4-2.

However, both sides still have two matches to play, so all the Thorns could do was record a couple of victories and hope that their rivals might suffer an unexpected reverse. To this end Glastonbury made a good start four days later when they narrowly won 3.5-2.5 against a visiting team from Chard and Ilminster that benefited strongly from an International Master level player from Venezuela.

Monday 13 April 2009

The last two matches of the season saw Glastonbury win the Somerset Vice Presidents West league for the third successive year. But, instead of satisfying high drama, the achievement arrived in the form of a slight anticlimax.

In the first of the contests the Thorns travelled to nearest rivals Chard & Ilminster who, clearly aiming to keep their own title chances alive, fielded the strongest possible team. And these tactics proved well judged as Glastonbury went down to a narrow 1.5-2.5 reverse. This was the first VP West defeat for over three years and the end of an unbeaten run of 38 matches.

So, four days later, the Thorns needed to win their final home match against Sedgemoor. As the time ticked away at the start of the evening it eventually became clear that last minute unavailability meant that the visitors were forced to default the contest. Though this meant the league title was assured, all of the team members felt they would have much preferred that the issue had been settled by actual chess play.

However, leagues are won over the full course of a season and in 2008/9 Glastonbury dropped only 4 points from a maximum of 24 and had a far superior win/loss ratio of individual games. Team captain Ralph Carver and his key players Tim Wallis, Ian Hockey and Ian Holle proved themselves worthy champions.

Monday 30 March 2009

As the league season moves towards its conclusion both of Glastonbury’s Vice President teams recorded impressive victories in the past week.

The Vice President Central side won convincingly at home 3-1 against Gillingham, but it was a bitter-sweet triumph. The match should have been the decisive encounter in the 2008-9 season, but a shock defeat for the Thorns two weeks ago meant that the visitors arrived already confirmed as champions.

Despite this, a crushing win by Jon Beale epitomised the remaining spirit in a quartet that missed out on the trophy by a single league point. As all of Glastonbury’s victories were by wide margins, and their three defeats the narrowest possible reverses, it was not surprising that the Thorns had by far the best record in the division for individual wins to losses.

The Vice Presidents West team travelled to a match with Weston-super-Mare (B) and came home with an emphatic 3.5-0.5 success.

Wins for Ian Hockey, Roger Fenton and, making his league chess debut, Martin Willis, moved Glastonbury tantalisingly close to ensuring that they retain the league title for the third successive year.

Monday 30 March 2009

Last week Glastonbury took an important step towards retaining the Charles Marsh West Trophy with an impressive victory over a strong visiting team from Yeovil.

And it was youth that led the way, with two wins coming from the teenager members of the team. Rhys Cumming, playing on top board, had a particularly satisfying revenge success against leading Somerset county player Andrew Footner, and Harry Streeter delivered yet another forceful attacking victory.

Dave Wood also outplayed his opponent while the Thorns solidly controlled the three remaining drawn games.

Result: Glastonbury 4.5 Yeovil 1.5

Charles Marsh West League

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
Glastonbury	9	7	1	1	15
Sedgemoor	7	6	0	1	13
Yeovil	9	4	2	3	9
Taunton	7	2	2	3	6
Weston-s-Mare	5	1	1	3	3
Chard & Ilminster	8	2	1	5	5
Wellington	7	0	1	6	1

Sadly Glastonbury’s Henry Powell season came to disappointing end with a 2.5-3.5 defeat away to Taunton. A last-minute illness caused the loss of team captain Tony Bamford which put the rest of the side at a strong disadvantage. The few consolations were another impressive winning performance from Rhys Cumming, a good victory for Soni Sharan, and a welcome draw by emergency replacement Roger Fenton.

Monday 23 March 2009

Glastonbury play in both the West and Central divisions of the Somerset Vice Presidents league and each of their teams saw action in the past seven days.

Success came for the VP West side with a convincing 3-1 victory away to Wellington. This result means that the Thorns are now odds-on to retain the title they have held for the past two seasons.

This achievement is due in no small measure to the efforts of team captain Ralph Carver, so it was fitting that he chalked up a final personal victory before being forced to end his season early for a spell in hospital.

Sadly, things did not go so well for the VP Central outfit who suffered a surprise 2.5-1.5 home defeat to Frome.

The match, however, had two notable features. Firstly, like all good things, Ian Holle’s remarkable personal run of 11 straight victories came to an end when he misjudged a move when in a clearly superior position.

Secondly, Paul Moody became involved in a game of such exceptional complexity that it would have tested the powers of the latest generation of chess computers. It was only Paul’s powers of intense concentration that allowed him to see just a little deeper than his opponent and successfully deliver an impressive knight and pawns endgame.

Monday 16 March 2009

Last week Tor Leisure Centre saw an evening of top-flight chess as Glastonbury hosted a crucial match against Yeovil. In their previous meeting the Thorns had gone down to a heavy defeat, so only a clear win could prevent the visitors taking the Somerset Premier league title.

The vital nature of the contest prompted the home side to prepare an “ambush” in the form of local chess grandmaster, and leading British player, Matthew Turner. On arrival the Yeovil outfit looked suitably subdued by this unexpected development.

The early stages of the match were encouraging for Glastonbury. A draw from Ben Wade and a smart winning combination by Harry Streeter established a 1.5-0.5 lead. However, Yeovil then equalised when Roger Morgan lost-out at the end of an aggressive game, which left all three remaining contests undecided as the 3-hour time limit loomed.

Matthew Turner’s east European opponent put up a brave fighting display, but Glastonbury’s man established a narrow positional advantage which, at this high level of chess, was always going prove decisive.

A lot now rested on the shoulders of 15 year-old Rhys Cumming playing on second board. But, unfortunately, he could not quite overcome the experience of leading Somerset county player Andrew Footner and was eventually forced to resign. Finally, team captain Tony Bamford just failed to turn his strong attack into a victory. The agreed draw meant that the match points were also shared.

So Yeovil departed as worthy 2008-9 league champions leaving the Thorns needing to win their final match to secure a creditable runners-up spot.

Match Result: Glastonbury 3 Yeovil 3

Monday 9 March 2009

Last autumn Glastonbury began their season in the Vice Presidents Central league with two consecutive defeats. In a relatively small grouping of only five competitors, this appeared to bring an early end to any title chances.

But from that low point the Thorns have bounced back with a series of victories that have, improbably, put them back into contention. Last week saw an away fixture at Wincanton where the renewed confidence of team captain Stuart Marsh’s quartet was again in evidence.

Paul Moody quickly refuted his opponent’s optimistic positional sacrifice and Ian Holle overcame early problems to establish an emphatic 2-0 advantage. Stuart Marsh himself then secured the match points following some assured endgame technique.

In the previous encounter, last December, Glastonbury had triumphed with a
4-0 whitewash and only a last-minute draw by Roger Fenton saw Wincanton escape the same embarrassing fate on this occasion.

Match result: Wincanton 0.5 Glastonbury 3.5

Vice Presidents Central League

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
Gillingham	5	4	0	1	8
Glastonbury	6	4	0	2	8
Wincanton	6	2	1	3	5
Frome	4	2	0	2	4
Yeovil	6	1	1	4	3

Monday 2 March 2009

Last week’s Charles Marsh West league match saw Glastonbury with an exceptionally powerful team and visitors Taunton weakened by the absence of several key players. A straightforward victory for the Thorns seemed assured.

But sometimes individuals can perform above and below their normal strength and so it proved on this occasion. After 90 minutes of play Ben Wade had already agreed a draw and in all five other contests Glastonbury were either in losing positions or with no obvious winning chances.

However, very slowly, the superior firepower of the Thorns began to assert itself. Firstly Dave Wood and team captain Paul Moody eventually overcame brave resistance from their lowly ranked opponents. Then Roger Morgan and Harry Streeter both salvaged draws from games where defeat had seemed very possible.

Finally, with only seconds of the allotted 3 hours playing time remaining, Tim Wallis inched to a victory that gave the match score a misleadingly wide margin.

Match Result: Glastonbury 4.5 Taunton 1.5

So Glastonbury return to the top of this league table, though they have played two more matches than title-chasing rivals Sedgemore.

Monday 23 February 2009

Glastonbury’s strong hopes of winning this year’s Somerset Cup came crashing down last week with a semi-final exit at Yeovil.

The Thorns always knew that their rivals tend to present an even tougher proposition when playing at home but, on arrival at the match venue, they found the challenge even steeper with the introduction of an east European chess master on top board.

Though good wins by Paul Moody and Tim Wallis, plus a draw from Roger Morgan saw Glastonbury take the better of the contest on the lower boards, this did not come close to compensating for a total 4-0 whitewash in the four leading games.

Match Result: Yeovil 5.5 Glastonbury 2.5

There was some consolation for the Thorns in two league victories in recent weeks. The Charles Marsh West team won a close encounter away to Wellington. Successes by Tony Bamford, Ben Wade and team captain Paul Moody resulted in a 3-2 lead, and the match points were secured by an excellent fighting draw from Harry Streeter.

Match Result: Wellington 2.5 Glastonbury 3.5

The Vice Presidents West side recorded a crushing win over Taunton (A) to strengthen their position as clear league leaders. Tim Wallis, Ian Holle and team captain Ralph Carver were the victorious trio.

Match Result: Taunton (A) 0.5 Glastonbury 3.5

Monday 26 January 2009

Glastonbury’s pursuit of the Henry Powell Trophy (Somerset’s premier league) suffered an unexpected setback last week following a home defeat by Frome.

Good wins from Soni Sharan and team captain Tony Bamford, plus a solid draw by Ben Wade, saw the match score level at 2.5-2.5 with one game to finish. Unfortunately this contest went in favour of the visitors leaving the Thorns regretting several missed opportunities.

Match Result: Glastonbury 2.5 Frome 3.5

There was much better news in the Vice Presidents West encounter, played on the same evening, where the visitors were the previously unbeaten Weston-super-Mare (A).

Glastonbury gave the Seasiders a lesson in all aspects of chess with powerful wins by Jon Beale and Ian Holle allied with clever defensive draws from Dave Wood and Ian Hockey. Ian Holle’s result is particularly notable in that he has now recorded eight successive victories in his first season of competitive play.

So the Thorns added to their remarkable run in this league. They have now remained unbeaten for no fewer than 35 matches and it is nearly three years since their last defeat in February 2006.

Match Result: Glastonbury 3 Weston-super-Mare (A) 1

Monday 19 January 2009

Glastonbury supplied four players for the Somerset county side last week in the match against West of England rivals Gloucestershire. And the Thorn’s quartet played a crucial part in a narrow 8.5-7.5 victory.

The most notable successes came from the two youngest players, Harry Streeter and Ben Wade. Harry, at age 16, marked his county debut with a brilliant win. Ben (19), in only his second game at this level, delivered the spoils to Somerset when he coolly defeated a highly ranked opponent with the overall match score tied at a tantalising 7.5-7.5.

Glastonbury also had two league victories in the last seven days.

The Charles Marsh West team secured a tight 3.5-2.5 win from a visit to Chard and Ilminster. It was, once again, Harry Streeter who made the difference when he was the only player to gain a full point in a match where all the other five contests were drawn.

In the Vice Presidents Central league an excellent 3-1 triumph for the Thorns away to Yeovil (A) included wins by Tim Wallis and Ian Holle.

Monday 12 January 2009

It was back in the halcyon economic days of February 2006 that Glastonbury last suffered a defeat in the Vice Presidents West League. An unbeaten run of 33 matches.

Last week the team travelled to Bridgwater for a potentially difficult fixture against Sedgemoor, looking to increase the successful total to 34. The Thorns received an early New Year bonus when match captain Ralph Carver’s opponent blundered badly, fatally losing his queen.

The remaining three contests were all much more closely fought and while Ian Hockey eventually secured a solid draw, Roger Fenton lost out in a complex exchange of pieces.

So the result hinged on the final game featuring Tim Wallis on top-board. Tim had established a clearly superior position but used up much of his allotted time in doing so. He therefore decided the offer of a draw was a safer option, something his opponent gratefully accepted.

Match Result: Sedgemoor 2 Glastonbury 2

Monday 22 December 2008

Last week Glastonbury hosted a top of the table clash in the Vice Presidents West league. The visitors were Chard & Ilminster who arrived with a 100% record from the first four matches of the season.

The first hour of play saw no clear advantage for either side and it was no surprise when both team captain Ralph Carver and top-board Dave Wood agreed draws that resulted in an early 1-1 scoreline.

However, from that point the match tilted decisively in Glastonbury’s favour. Ian Hockey won an important victory largely due to a seasonal Christmas gift from his opponent in the form of a free bishop. Then Ian Holle secured the match points with another forceful win, his fifth straight success since first starting to play competitive chess this October.

So the Thorns return to a leading position in the league that they have dominated for the past two seasons.

Match Result: Glastonbury 3 Chard & Ilminster 1

Glastonbury’s Vice Presidents Central quartet were also in action last week and they too secured an excellent 3-1 victory away to Frome. Wins from team captain Stuart Marsh and Harry Streeter were backed-up with solid draws by Roger Fenton and Paul Moody to end 2008 in fine style.

Match Result: Frome 1 Glastonbury 3

Monday 15 December 2008

Glastonbury’s resources were stretched last week as the Somerset fixture “computer” scheduled two home matches on the same evening; both against leading teams in the two respective leagues. Many clubs would have postponed one of the contests but, such is their in-depth strength at the moment, the Thorns decided they could find the players to meet the challenge.

The more significant clash was in the Charles Marsh West league where the visitors were fellow unbeaten title-challengers Sedgemoor. Unfortunately the second hour of play proved disastrous for Glastonbury. In rapid succession, Jon Beale, Ben Wade and team captain Paul Moody all went down to defeat.

Though the match could no longer be won the Thorns fought on, and strong wins from Harry Streeter and Tim Wallis brought the overall score back to 2-3. In the final game Roger Morgan had the most complex of endgames against Somerset county captain Ben Edgell, but, in pushing for a win that would have shared the match spoils, the Glastonbury man made a fatal error that ended the team’s chances of recovery.

Match Result: Glastonbury 2 Sedgemoor 4

In the other match Glastonbury’s Vice Presidents West team got off to a good start against Weston-super-Mare (B). A draw by Ian Hockey followed by a win from Ian Holle secured a promising 1.5-0.5 lead.

But in the final two games it suddenly seemed as if the Thorns long run of success in this league was about to end as both contests looked likely wins for the visitors. However, Roy Turner (perhaps aided by a silent appeal to St. Teresa, patron saint of chess players) saw a last minute blunder by his opponent turn defeat into victory.

A final draw by Dave Wood was enough to give Glastonbury an extremely flattering scoreline.

Match Result: Glastonbury 3 Weston-s-M (B) 1

Monday 8 December 2008

Glastonbury were at home last week for a Vice Presidents Central match against Wincanton. So far this season the Thorns have not performed well in this league, but on this occasion they re-discovered their best form.

In the early stages all four games were closely fought, with the visitors appearing to have a slight positional edge in three of the contests. Slowly however, the Glastonbury quartet began to take control.

First to finish was Jon Beale who coolly defended an awkward middle game period before unleashing an unstoppable rook and bishop counterattack. Paul Moody then out-thought his opponent during a complex exchange of pieces, and the match points were secured when another win by Harry Streeter took the overall score to 3-0.

The icing on the cake came when team captain Stuart Marsh narrowly avoided losing on time before pouncing decisively on an error by his opponent in the endgame.

So a resounding win by Glastonbury, but a somewhat harsh score line for a Wincanton team who performed competitively in all games.

Match Result: Glastonbury 4 Wincanton 0

Monday 1 December 2008

Glastonbury visited Yeovil last Wednesday hoping to continue their winning start in the Charles Marsh West league. On arrival it was soon apparent that their opponents had selected an extremely strong group of players and they were outgraded on most of the six boards.

However, the Thorns are no longer daunted by a challenge and the two youngest members of the side established an early match lead. Harry Streeter found a brilliant rook sacrifice to win the first game, followed by a very creditable draw by Ben Wade against leading Somerset county stalwart Jim Fewkes.

Though a rare opening error resulted in defeat for team captain Paul Moody, an excellent win by Tim Wallis restored Glastonbury’s fortunes, giving them a 2.5-1.5 edge with two games remaining.

Unfortunately, in both of these contests the Thorns were facing strong threats and it was difficult to see how defeat could be avoided. After a long period of resistance Tony Bamford was indeed forced to resign. But then Dave Wood, despite being a bishop down, managed to construct an impregnable defensive barrier with his remaining pawns that resulted in a forced drawn game and also a share of the match points.

So Glastonbury remain unbeaten in this league and are currently well on course to retain the championship trophy.

Match Result: Yeovil 3 Glastonbury 3

Monday 24 November 2008

Despite all their recent league successes Glastonbury have performed poorly in the Somerset Cup, with first round exits in the last three years. They therefore travelled to Norton Radstock last week with some trepidation. As their opponents play in East and Bristol leagues they were something of an unknown quantity to the Thorns and a tough challenge seemed likely.

However, it quickly became clear that this was to be a very different cup evening. In barely an hour victories by Rhys Cumming, Harry Streeter, Soni Sharan and (making a very welcome return) Roy Turner, had established a 4-0 match lead.

When Tim Wallis and Paul Moody added two more measured wins there was the very real possibility of an 8-0 whitewash, a scoreline that would be almost unprecedented in Somerset Cup history.

Though Tony Bamford also pressed home a winning attack, the blushes of the home side were very slightly spared when Ben Wade generously offered his opponent a gratefully-accepted draw. Glastonbury therefore march into the next round with a crushing match score that will undoubtedly attract the attention of their remaining rivals.

Match Result: Norton Radstock 0.5 Glastonbury 7.5

Monday 17 November 2008

Glastonbury hosted a six-board Charles Marsh West match last week against Weston-super-Mare. It proved to be a close and fluctuating contest.

The Thorns got off to a winning start when an aggressive opening by Jon Beale saw him sweep aside his opponent’s defences to record an early victory. Though a draw from Ian Hockey consolidated the advantage, Roger Morgan found leading Somerset county player Peter Chaplin’s play too strong and the Seasiders levelled to match score at 1.5 - 1.5.

Glastonbury went ahead again when Dave Wood’s clever play won a piece and several pawns, but a rare lapse by Ben Wade saw him run out of the time allotted for the first 35 moves.

So, for the second time in recent weeks, the match result depended on 16 year-old Harry Streeter. Harry had gambled by sacrificing a rook for a knight to establish a hopefully superior position. And the judgement of the Glastonbury player proved correct as his opponent’s uncoordinated pieces were forced into a position where there was no option but to concede defeat.

So, after three matches in this league, the Thorns have a 100% record and are on course to retain the title they won last year.

Match Result: Glastonbury 3.5 Weston-super-Mare 2.5

Monday 10 November 2008

Chess is one of very few sports where all ages can compete on equal terms. This was shown clearly last week when Glastonbury fielded a remarkable group of players for a Henry Powell (Somerset’s Premier League) contest against Taunton.

Team captain Tony Bamford and top-board Roger Morgan are both well into the age of retirement, but the other four team members have all yet to reach their 19th birthdays.

And, in a tight, closely fought match, it was youth that led the way. 14 year-old Megan Owens delivered the first victory of the evening followed by a further win for Ben Wade and a draw from Harry Streeter.

Though leading 2.5-0.5 the Thorns then had to weather a Taunton fight-back as two defeats saw the match score levelled. The decisive result came when veteran Tony Bamford forced his opponent into a possibly premature resignation.

Glastonbury therefore recorded their second successive win to take an early lead in this season’s league

Match Result: Glastonbury 3.5 Taunton 2.5

The Glastonbury Vice Presidents West side also took-on a Taunton team. Wins from Dave Wood, Ian Holle and team captain Ralph Carver saw them home to another solid victory. The Thorns now have an unbeaten record in this league that stretches back 31 matches to February 2006.

Match Result: Glastonbury 3 Taunton (A) 1

Monday 3 November 2008

Glastonbury travelled down the M5 last week for a six-board Charles Marsh West contest against Taunton. And a match that initially seemed to be leading towards an easy win for the Thorns turned out to have a frenetic and nail-biting finish.

Team captain Paul Moody set the early tone, rapidly defeating a hopelessly out-gunned opponent. This was followed by another win for Tim Wallis and draws from top-boards Tony Bamford and Ben Wade. With a 3-1 lead Glastonbury now needed just a further half point from the remaining two games.

But suddenly the simple win seemed to be slipping out of reach. Roger Fenton went to down to defeat and, in the final contest, 16 year-old Harry Streeter was two pawns down in a complex knight endgame.

The watching spectators then noticed that the chess clocks of Harry and his opponent showed that both had only minutes left for all their remaining moves.
Their match was therefore forced into a game of blitz chess with virtually instant responses from each player. In an amazing flurry of activity Harry found the mental strength to conjure-up an assured combination of moves that allowed him to steal a draw and deliver two match points to the team.

Match Result: Taunton 2.5 Glastonbury 3.5

Tuesday 21 October 2008

After a one-year gap, Glastonbury have returned to the Henry Powell/Premier League of Somerset chess, fielding a team in collaboration with Millfield School.

Last week they travelled to the first match of the season away to Frome and, almost immediately, the influx of talented teenagers produced a winning return.
Harry Streeter pounced on a flawed opening gambit to force victory in a mere 13 moves.

The Thorns consolidated this early success with draws from first-time Millfield players Megan Owens and Alex Gould. Then 18 year-old Glastonbury “stalwart” Ben Wade also shared the spoils, which meant that when Tim Wallis successfully wrapped-up his opponent in an impenetrable web of complexity the match points were secured.

Though the home side secured a late consolation point when team captain Tony Bamford fell to a narrow defeat, prospects for the coming season look exceptionally bright.

Match Result: Frome 2.5 Glastonbury 3.5

Also last week, the Thorns’ Vice Presidents West team continued the pursuit of their third successive league title. Wins from team captain Ralph Carver and new ex-Cheddar recruit Ian Holle combined with two drawn games to produce a comfortable win over visitors from Wellington.

In this league Glastonbury have now remained unbeaten for a remarkable 30 matches stretching back to February 2006.

Match Result: Glastonbury 3 Wellington 1

Monday 13 October 2008

The new chess season began this week with matches for three of Glastonbury’s four league teams. After the double trophy-winning success of last year, the Thorns have set their sights even higher for 2008/9.

The Charles Marsh West sextet hosted a contest last Monday against visitors from Wellington. The home side quickly settled into familiar devastating form as wins from top-board newcomer Roger Morgan, Dave Wood and Ian Hockey established an impregnable 3-0 lead.

Straightforward draws from team captain Paul Moody and Tim Wallis were then more than enough to secure maximum points.

Match Result: Glastonbury 4 Wellington 2

Last Thursday the Vice Presidents West side travelled to Weston-super-Mare for a four-board match against the Seasider’s (A) team. The highlight in a slightly disappointing draw was a strong win by ex-Cheddar player Ian Holle who was playing his first ever league game.

Match Result: Weston-super-Mare (A) 2 Glastonbury 2

Finally, the Vice Presidents West quartet took-on a fairly powerful team from Yeovil. Despite an excellent win by Harry Streeter and a solid draw by top-board Dave Wood the Thorns went down to a narrow defeat.

Match Result: Glastonbury 1.5 Yeovil 2.5

Monday 28 April 2008

The Somerset chess league came to a climax last Thursday as Glastonbury travelled to Weston-super-Mare knowing that they needed a victory to win the Charles Marsh West championship title.

Though team captain Paul Moody had selected a team that was a strong blend of youth and experience, a tough battle was expected against a Weston side who had been league leaders before Christmas.

Many of the Thorn’s games this season have been tight, closely contested affairs, but this was not the case on this occasion as all team members rose spectacularly to the demands of the occasion.

In the less than an hour Paul Moody led the way with a crushing attack that demolished his opponents defences, and he was soon followed by another forceful victory by Ben Wade.

Glastonbury consolidated this early 2-0 lead with draws by 15 year-old Harry Streeter and (60 something) Tony Bamford. Tony’s result was particularly creditable as he was playing on top board against leading county player Peter Chaplin.

The vital league points were finally secured by Wells duo Nigel Dicker and Tim Wallis, Tim ending the season for the Thorns with a typically stylish win.

So Glastonbury moved to equal Sedgemoor’s tally of 16 points but became champions by virtue of a superior record in the head-to-head clashes between the two teams. The match ends a season of unprecedented success for the club which sees them winning two of the three leagues in which they compete and a runners-up position in the other.

Match Result: Weston-super-Mare 1.5 Glastonbury 4.5

Charles Marsh West League

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
Glastonbury	10	7	2	1	16
Sedgemoor	10	7	2	1	16
Taunton	10	4	1	5	9
Weston-s-Mare	10	3	2	5	8
Wellington	10	3	1	6	7
Chard & Ilminster	10	0	4	7	4

Monday 7 April 2008

Glastonbury play in three of the Somerset chess leagues and, with only a few matches to go, are chasing the championship title in two of them. On Thursday they travelled to Sedgemoor hoping to wrap-up proceedings in the Vice Presidents West; the division they won decisively last season.

The Thorns received an early boost when Ben Wade, in contrast to his recent closely fought wins, outclassed his opponent to record a regulation victory.

This took the pressure off his three colleagues who could now play careful defensive chess to ensure the necessary league points against the only side who could still catch them.

Paul Moody and team captain Ralph Carver duly secured fairly straightforward draws to take the match score to 2-1. Finally Tim Wallis, despite having strong personal winning chances, also agreed a draw to decide the match and the league.

So Glastonbury are 2007-8 Vice Presidents West champions with two matches still to be played. Their unbeaten record now stretches back over two years to February 2006.

Match Result: Sedgemoor 1.5 Glastonbury 2.5

Vice Presidents West

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
Glastonbury	10	9	1	0	19
Sedgemoor	11	6	1	4	13
Wellington	11	6	0	5	12
Weston-s-Mare (B)	9	5	0	4	10
Taunton (A)	10	3	2	5	8
Weston-s-Mare (A)	10	3	2	5	8
Taunton (B)	11	1	0	10	2

Monday 31 March 2008

The Charles Marsh West league is reaching a climax with Glastonbury and Sedgemoor in a knife-edge race for the title. So, it was essential last Monday that the Thorns achieved victory against a visiting Taunton team who are a much stronger side than their recent results might suggest.

In the early exchanges the visitors held a narrow advantage in several of the six games but at the two-hour mark Tony Bamford, Ian Hockey and Tim Wallis had all secured draws.

But then there was an unexpected disaster as team captain Paul Moody made a very rare blunder and forced to resign. Now 1.5- 2.5 down, Glastonbury had somehow to find wins in the two remaining games.

Rob Waldteufel was playing leading Somerset county player Nick Wilson. However, he seemed totally unfazed by his opponent’s reputation to find a succession of excellent forcing moves that set-up a tremendous victory.

So, for the umpteenth time this season, all depended on 18 year old Ben Wade.
The Glastonbury player had a small advantage, but all the watching spectators agreed that he did not appear to have enough time left on his chess clock to win.

However, Ben proved everyone wrong, finding a brilliant combination of moves to checkmate his opponent with only 30 seconds of the match left. So, at the last gasp, a crucial victory that leaves all to play for in the final match in two weeks time.

Match Result: Glastonbury 3.5 Taunton 2.5

Charles Marsh West League

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
Glastonbury	9	6	2	1	14
Sedgemoor	9	6	2	1	14
Weston-s-Mare	6	3	2	1	8
Taunton	8	3	1	4	7
Wellington	8	2	0	6	4
Chard & Ilminster	10	0	3	7	3

Monday 17 March 2008

This year the Charles Marsh West league has become a three-horse race between Glastonbury, Sedgemoor and Weston-super-Mare. So last Thursday the Thorns travelled to Sedgemoor knowing that the evening’s contest could be crucial in deciding the 2007-8 champions trophy.

On arrival at the Bridgwater venue it was clear that the home side had their strongest team available while Glastonbury were weakened by a few key absences.

The early exchanges saw all six games very closely fought and at around the two-hour mark both Harry Streeter and team captain Paul Moody agreed draws.
Then came a potentially vital moment as Rob Waldteufel gained material but lost position and had to resign, putting the Thorns 1-2 down.

In the remaining contests Ralph Carver epitomised the fighting spirit shown by Glastonbury when he achieved a very solid draw against an opponent who outgraded him by over 30 ranking points.

Tony Bamford also agreed a draw, which meant, with the match score at 2-3, an enormous burden was transferred to the final contest featuring 18 year-old Ben Wade. With tension high and the board surrounded by spectators, Ben kept a remarkable composure to slowly manoeuvre his opponent into a position where he was reluctantly forced to resign.

So, at the last gasp, Glastonbury achieved a potentially invaluable match draw.

Match Result: Sedgemoor 3 Glastonbury 3

Charles Marsh West League

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
Glastonbury	8	5	2	1	12
Sedgemoor	8	5	2	1	12
Weston-s-Mare	6	3	2	1	8
Taunton	7	3	1	3	7
Wellington	8	2	0	6	4
Chard & Ilminster	9	0	3	6	3

Monday 10 March 2008

Glastonbury travelled to Weston-super-Mare last Thursday, looking to take another step towards retaining the Vice Presidents West league trophy.

Though their opponents were in the bottom half of the table, the speed with which the Thorns wrapped-up victory was a surprise to both teams. In less than two hours Tim Wallis and Paul Moody both swept to crushing victories that saw the visitors take an unbeatable 2-0 lead.

Glastonbury were also in strong positions in the two remaining games and Ben Wade soon converted his advantage into the third victory that decided the match.

The only blemish on the evening came in the final contest where a late blunder by team captain Ralph Carver allowed the home side a consolation point.

Glastonbury have now remained unbeaten in this league for over two years and, with only three matches to be played, have a commanding five point advantage. However, as two of these contests are against a revitalised Weston-super-Mare (B) side, there is still some tough chess to be played before the title is safe.

Match Result: Weston-s-Mare (A) 1 Glastonbury 3

Glastonbury Chess Club