Christmas party time at Newcastle clubs

(Chronicle Chess 15 December 2023)

Newcastle and Gosforth Chess Clubs are celebrating the holiday season in style this year, with both holding Christmas party blitz tournaments with food, drink and festivities.

With the league season pausing for the New Year break, both clubs are taking the opportunity to let their hair down with fun events on Monday 18 December.

Newcastle Chess Club’s Christmas Party Blitz at Tyneside Irish Centre will feature snacks, music and games from 7:15-9:15pm. Anyone can turn up and play – no need to book ahead. Festive prizes will be on offer, and entry is £5 on the night.
Contact: timpeterwall@gmail.com or 0750 372 2366 for more details.

Gosforth’s Christmas Party (also from 7:15pm, tickets £5) at Gosforth Empire Club features a Fischer Random tournament and a buffet. Numbers limited, so contact enquires@gosforthchessclub.co.uk to book a place.

Newcastle City Library Chess Club’s drop-in sessions (Level 2, Saturdays 11am-1pm) go ahead on 16 and 23 December, with only 30 December off while the library is closed.

As the Northumbria League season nears its halfway mark, clear leaders are emerging. Division 1 leaders are Newcastle A on 8/8, followed by South Shields on 6/8 and Leam Lane on 5/10.

Newcastle University A have edged in front in Division 2, leading with 8/10 ahead of Gosforth Salters (7/8) and Gosforth Regents (7/10).

Tynemouth B lead Division 3 on 9/10, ahead of Gosforth Centurions on 8/10 and Alnwick A on 6/10.

Leam Lane Bullets are ahead in Division 4 with 10/12, followed by Gateshead A on 8/12 and Gosforth Hawthorns and Gosforth Woodbines on 7/12.

Division 5 leaders are Newcastle University B with 10/10. In their wake are Gosforth Jedis on 6/10 and South Shields C on 5/8.

In Division 6, Newcastle B are runaway leaders on 10/10. In a distant joint second place are Tynedale (4/8), Gosforth Otterburns (4/10) and Newcastle University C (4/10).

With two rounds of the Northumberland Individual completed, Tim Wall (Newcastle) and Andy Trevelyan (Jesmond) are joint leaders of the Zollner (Open) with 2/2.

In the Sell (Under 1900) event, James Ross and Mick Riding (both Gosforth) are on 2/2.

And in the Gilroy (Under 1650), there is a four-way tie for the lead. Dave Peardon (South Shields), Jeff Baird (Forest Hall), David Pritchard (Gosforth) and David Simm (Morpeth) are on 2/2.

This week’s puzzles:

Puzzle A: Mark McKay (Gosforth, White) to play and win:

Puzzle B: Didrik Leivdal (Newcastle, White) to play and win:

Puzzle C: Otto Nemeth (Newcastle, Black) to play and draw:

Puzzle D: Tim Wall (Newcastle, Black) to play and win:

Answers:
A: 1 Rxd6! Qxd6 2 Bf4 wins a piece.
B: 1 Na4! wins. If 1…Ne4 2 Nxb6 Nxd2 3 Rxd2 Nxc4 4 Nc7
checkmate.
C: 1…Rh6! (1…Rxc6! 2 Rxc6 Qh4 should also draw) 2 Nxd8
Bd6+ 3 Kg1 Bh2+ is perpetual check.
D: 1…Bb6! wins. If 2 Rxd8 Qb5+! 3 Kg1 Bxf2+! wins the queen;
2 Rd7 Rxd7 3 Qxd7 Qb5+ 4 Kg1 Qxb2! 5 Qxc6 Bxf2+ 6 Kf1
Be3!; or 2 Qxc6 Rxd1+ 3 Ke2 Rd8! 4 Qxb6 Qd5!