Mick Riding

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Greetings and I hope this post is finding you well. It is an attempt to summarise events of the last few months. Sorry for any duplication – and any omissions/queries shout at mickriding@hotmail.co.uk So….

Following our AGM –

Andy Trevelyan has replaced Chris Goodall as League Conductor. Thank you Chris for all your hard work over the years.
Gradings will now be automated via the ECF League Management system, as will fixture generation. Feasibility work has completed and training material is being produced. Work is also ongoing to migrate fixtures, results and league tables from LMS to NCA Website so that people who are used to referencing the NCA website for this information can still do.
Mike Smith has stood down as Chronicle reporter after 5 years. Tim Wall takes over.
Lara Barnes is now NCA President.

I will publish minutes from the AGM and other Exec meetings in the very near future.

The (over the board) Summer KO is underway and an advanced. Jay Steel is doing a great job organising. The current draw is –

Cup Semi-Final
Gosforth A v Morpeth
Gosforth B v South Shields B

Plate Quarter Final
Jesmond v Leam Lane
South Shields A v Forest Hall C
Forest Hall D v Forest Hall A
Tynemouth v Forest Hall B

All our teams will play in the three sections of the ECF Online County Championships this year. Finals day will be streamed live online and I will advise you of the link when it is set up. A great achievement following last year’s Open win and thanks are due to the 50+ players who have represented us so far.

The North East league has concluded it’s third season. – with 24 teams competing in 4 divisions. Winners this time out were Gosforth Empire (D1), Gosforth Nomads (D2), Durham City C (D3) and Tynemouth and Morpeth Colliers (D4). Teams including Leeds, Darlington and Bishop Auckland competed. A great organisational effort by Tim Wall. I should also add Gosforth’s success was very aided by some strong ‘guests’.

The OTB Forest Hall Rapid Play was held July 31 and a great success. James Moreby (6/6) and Richard Symonds (4.5) were 1 and 2 in the Open whilst Albert Griffiths (10/12) and George Bowman (9.5) in the New 2 Chess event. Again, thanks to Tim Wall for organising this.

The latest NCA Bulletin – 163 – is with proof readers and expected to issue w.c. August 30.

The League will start first week after the Northumberland Weekender (60+ entries to date) https://northumberlandchess.wixsite.com/congress – an event preceded by Tim Wall’s Masters https://northumbriamasters.com/2021/05/. Clubs open to date include Forest Hall, Gosforth, Leam Lane, Morpeth and South Shields. Am I missing any?

A big write up. I will consolidate the above into an NCA update and post it in a file containing links to various items of interest – hopefully this weekend. And remember, if there is anything missing from the above that you believe is important I’d welcome a prompt.

Best – Mick

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Today David’s wife Sue called with the very sad news David passed away yesterday after an 18-month battle with leukaemia. Many of us will have memories of David – mine is one of admiration for a man who carried on as if his illness was a million miles away, no bad words for anybody and always a smile and a friendly word.
If anybody wishes to post a personal Condolence card I have the Baynes’ home address – just post mickriding@hotmail.co.uk.

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OPEN Semi Final – Northumberland 7.5 Middlesex 4.5. A fantastic result against a super strong team. Well done lads and good luck for the final against Lincolnshire on the 22nd.

U150 – Semi Final. Northumberland 5.5 Essex 6.5. A wonderful campaign comes to and end with the very last game to finish. No regrets, there have been some wonderful individual and collective efforts – well done all.

ECF100 – Northern Raiders 7.5 East Saxons 8.5. A regional competition, our guys lose their first match by the tightest of margins. Plenty still to play for!

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A brief and positive update.
North Tyneside Council have agreed our use of a 32m x27m hall for the 2020 event. In pre-Covid times the hall can accommodate 1,000 people. Our target is 120. So I am writing now to urge you please, get your entry prepared and share these updates as far and wide as you can.
By the end of next week I will issue a document that makes clear what preparations/protocols will be in place to protect your well-being.
Of course the situation might change but that’s out of our hands. What’s in our hands is getting the players required to make this weekender another success. And to this end I/we are very dependent on your support.
If you are going to enter now regardless great. Some already have. But remember to caveat your booking so that if the event has to be cancelled due to Covid then you will get any hotel deposits refunded – or at least your booking carried over to a date that suits you. Any issues with hotels alert me and I will address them on your behalf.
For now that’s it. I am very excited about this and need to share asap to get some momentum kicked in. More in a week’s time.
By all means post queries but try not to advise how stupid I am please. Thank you mickriding@hotmail.co.uk

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Latest ECF Online County Championships
 
Open – Northumberland 8 Beds & Herts 4
 
U150 – Lincolnshire 4 Northumberland 8
 
Both teams go through to the semi-finals as group winners with a game to spare – well done team 🙂 Meanwhile……
 
The ECF are launching a North/South/East/West team tournament for ECF players rated U100. Interested please email mick.riding@hotmail.co.uk – come on, we can we must 😀
Gosforth Chess Club has Reopened

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Monday night (13/07) Gosforth had 8 players as we reopened for OTB. Registered and disinfected on arrival. Anybody venturing out re-disinfected on return. Masks mandated. Clocks, sets, table cleaned before use. All kit used put in same box for next week. Nobody took up the option of disposable gloves and nobody insisted their opponent wore them. We have a simple guideline for attending – if might help you by all means post mickriding@hotmail.co.uk

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OPEN – Northumberland 9 Essex 5

UNDER 1825 – Northumberland 10 Greater Manchester 7

Both teams top their groups with 2/2 and have a great chance of reaching the semi-finals. In addition we had 37 players in all reflecting great credit on ourselves and our Durham friends. Keep it up lads!!