AC Club Champions Day

A dry but chilly day greeted the sixteen players. The greatest thanks must go to John Bevington, who mowed the lawns on the Saturday in the rain and sleet.

The Handicap event (eight players, a knock-out plus a plate event) started as 18 points 2½ hours for round one but all four games finished in good time, allowing rounds two and three to be full points 3 hours. Still none of the games went to time, finishing by 5 pm. Peter Brown (Hunstanton) won the trophy (having won the plate event last year) and a recommendation for a handicap reduction. The runner-up was David Frost (Enfield), who gained an automatic reduction. The 'plate' went to Robin Barry (Watford).

Handicap'C' Block

	Club	H'cap	PB	DF	RB	GC	GS	AB	SC	PW	Wins	Net points	Rank
Peter Brown	Hunstanton	18		+8			+19			+17	3	+44	1
David Frost	Enfield	7	-8		+6	+26					2	+24	2
Robin Barry	Watford	9		-6				+17	+12		2	+23	3
George Collin	Wrest Park	0		-26			+12	+6			2	-8	4
Geoff Strutt	Wrest Park	9	-19			-12			+17		1	-14	5
Ann Brookes	Colchester	8			-17	-6				+6	1	-17	6
Simon Conran	Bury St. Edmunds	5			-12		-17			+10	1	-19	7
Peter Whiting	Bygrave	8	-17					-6	-10		0	-33	8

The B Class (four players, all play all, level advanced play, 2½ hours) had more trouble with the short time limits. Much defensive play, with mainly close finishes. Only one game finished within time (the relatively relaxed play-off for third place), well done Tim. Winners playing losers in round two allowed the possibility of a decisive final on lawn one, between two players with two wins. This turned out to be Arthur Reed (Watford) against Jonathan Toye (Downham). Arthur chalked up his third win at 6 pm.

Level Advanced'B' Block

	Club	H'cap	AR	JT	TB	BS	Wins	Rank
Arthur Reed	Watford	2½		+5T	+7T	+3T	3	1
Jonathan Toye	Downham	5	-5T		+11T	+4T	2	2
Tim Brewer	Wrest Park	2½	-7T	-11T		+8T	1	3
Bryan Saddington	Hunstanton	4	-3T	-4T	-8T		0	4

The four players in the A Class started off well. Same format as the B Class. Both first round games finished in good time with wins by large margins but the games in rounds two and three all went to time, with closer finishes. With four players, winners playing losers in round two seems to produce a decisive final, as long as at least one player has two wins after two rounds (because of the 'who beat who' rule). Thus Rod Ashwell (Wrest Park) 'triumphed' +4 on time over Simon Hathrell (Watford) at 5:30. Duncan Hector (Bygrave) sneaked into second place by winning his third round game +1 on time.

Level Advanced'A' Block

	Club	H'cap	RA	DH	SH	JR	Wins	Rank
Rod Ashwell	Wrest Park	-½		+24	+4T	+4T	3	1
Duncan Hector	Bygrave	-1	-24		+9T	+1T	2	2
Simon Hathrell	Watford	-1	-4T	-9T		+17	1	3
Jeff Race	Hunstanton	0	-4T	-1T	-17		0	4

In theory the event manages itself. In reality it requires close attention. Making me, as stand-in, grateful to Terrey Sparks for his organising and management in the past (and hopefully in the future).

Report by George Collin, photos by John Bevington