Devon v Norfolk, Minor Counties Final, July 2 2022

 One of the longest running events in English chess is the County Championships, and though the number of competing counties has declined over the years, the events are still keenly contested. Previous editions of this event have had a big finals day somewhere in the Midlands, but representations from the more far-flung counties have persuaded the ECF to allow competing teams to arrange for their final to be played at a more mutually convenient venue. Thus, of the six finals being contested that day, only one, Yorkshire v Middlesex in the U-1850s, was played in what would be considered a normal Leicestershire venue.

People who've followed my county games over the years will know that, although I live in Devon, I normally play for Somerset, where I grew up - and indeed I have been playing for them in the WECU Online Championships over the past couple of seasons. But I had managed not to play any over-the-board chess for Somerset by the time the national stages of this year's event rolled around, and so I was available to play for Devon in this year's final at Woking.


Board Norfolk CCA Grade Result Devon CCA Grade
1 Walker, Martin G 2305 0 - 1 Arkell, Keith C 2465
2 Cubitt, Clive 2195 0 - 1 Rudd, Jack 2410
3 McEwan, Ken B 2163 1 - 0 Haynes, Jos E 2110
4 Moore, Gerald 2170 ½ - ½ Underwood, Jonathan WR 2118
5 Orton, Stephen LA 2125 1 - 0 Bolt, Graham 2043
6 Hughes, Roy 2095 ½ - ½ Brusey, Alan W 2043
7 New, Alexander 1983 ½ - ½ Archer-Lock, Christopher J 2005
8 Lim, Mark 1908 ½ - ½ Homer, Stephen J 1987
9 Abbott, Nathan J 1840 ½ - ½ Martin, Steven 1960
10 Jeffery, Brian R 1870 ½ - ½ Shaw, Meyrick 1983
11 Hall, Antony C 1855 0 - 1 Wheeler, John F 1983
12 Palaneappan, Senthil Murugan 1790 0 - 1 Bellers, Chris JV 1983
13 Larter, Nigel J 1878 0 - 1 Butland, Nick J 1953
14 Payne, David J 1780 ½ - ½ Stinton-Brownbridge, Michael H 1848
15 Wickham, John R 1645 ½ - ½ Caleshu, Caleb 1861
16 Yelverton, Ben 1685 1 - 0 Honey, Luke 1380



7 - 9

My game was one of the first to finish, despite being over 50 moves long, and my opponent and I immediately went off to analyse it. After a long analysis session, it turned out that Devon were now three up and well placed to go on to victory; this was clinched fairly soon after with John Wheeler's win, which left us 8-4 ahead with just four games going - and the knowledge that even if we lost all four, we would win on board count. We did not lose all four, and so won the match outright. Congratulations to the team.




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