Newcastle Dragons: Back-to-Back Champions!

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The Newcastle Dragons have done it again! ECF Northumbria League (Division 1) Champions – two years running!

The final showdown against Gosforth Salters took place at Newcastle Labour Club last night, and, true to form, the Dragons unleashed their might.

First to land a devastating blow was none other than FM Tim Wall, our fearless captain. With machine-like precision – 98% accuracy, mind you – Tim executed a ruthless bishop sacrifice on f2, leaving Murray Pollock’s position in tatters. With nowhere to run and certainly nowhere to hide, Murray saw the writing on the wall and submitted his resignation ten moves later.

Next up, “The Streetfighter”, FM Andy Burnett, leapt into battle. Playing white in a King’s Indian Defence, Semi-Averbakh System, Andy kept his king boldly stationed in the center before launching an earth-shattering kingside attack. His light-squared bishop valiantly gave its life, and with mate-in-one looming over Alex Blake, the Gosforth warrior accepted his fate like a samurai facing his final moment on the battlefield – down went his king, and onto the scoresheet went Andy’s victory!

Inspired by Tim and Andy’s audacious sacrifices, I decided it was my turn for a bit of gladiatorial flair – I launched my knight into f7, hoping my dodgy little trick would pay off. To my relief, it did! And if that wasn’t enough, I threw my bishop into the fire on move 26 – though it was untouchable thanks to a rather cheeky discovered check, which would net me a queen and deliver mate. After 18 minutes of deep contemplation, Martin Beardsley wisely retreated his adventurous rook, but alas – too little, too late! One e7 Shaolin jab🥋🥋later, and he was forced to resign.

With just one game left, all eyes turned to Zheming Zhang v. John Liddle. Zheming had an exchange-up advantage heading into the middlegame, but John proved tricky, defusing the pressure, trading down the big pieces, and steering the fight toward a fascinating but ultimately drawn Bishop vs Rook endgame. With less than two minutes remaining and no sneaky tricks left to play, the masters shook hands in mutual respect.

Final score: 3.5-0.5 to the Dragons! 🔥🔥
That decisive victory secured our championship title, cementing our place at the top with 19 match points, ahead of Gosforth Empire (17 match points) and Newcastle University A (15 match points, with one match still in hand).

Jesters & Cavaliers Rise!

It’s not just the Dragons celebrating – our Newcastle Jesters have also stormed their way to the Division 4 Championship, finishing on 20 match points ahead of their closest rivals, Forest Hall Phoenixes

Meanwhile, in Division 6, Newcastle Cavaliers and Gosforth Siths have secured promotion, with the Cavaliers finishing in second place.

A Season to Remember & a New Era Ahead

This has been an unforgettable season for the club, with success across all divisions and an ever-growing membership. Massive congratulations to everyone who’s played a part in this incredible run!

And the best part? We’re moving to a spanking-new clubhouse in the heart of Newcastle’s city centre in the next few weeks! Exciting times ahead.

Please enjoy the games and pictures from yesterday’s final showdown!

From the Dragon’s Lair🐉🐉
Beast of Newcastle

Division 1 Champions, 2024-25: Newcastle Dragons. From left, Zheming Zhang, Tim Wall, Nathan Ekanem, Andy Burnett.
Newcastle Dragons and Gosforth Salters

Masters keenly watching the John Liddle v. Zheming Zhang duel

Newcastle Chess Club moves to Haymarket

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 25 April 2025)

It’s not quite the same scale as Newcastle United’s mooted move from St. James’s Park, but Newcastle Chess Club is on the move – to a brand-new city centre location literally just a hop, skip and knight’s jump from Haymarket Metro.

Until this week, Newcastle Chess Club met on Thursdays at Newcastle Labour Club on Leazes Park Road, near the football ground. The Labour Club has been a traditional venue to watch Toon matches on TV.

From 26 April, the Labour Club is moving after 46 years to the corner of Northumberland Street and Percy Street. The refurbished premises are just 5 metres away from the entrance to Haymarket Metro station – in what was once a branch of Lloyds Bank.

The new Labour Club (along with Newcastle Chess Club) will reopen their doors to the public on Saturday May 10, the day before Newcastle United’s crucial home tie versus Chelsea.

Newcastle Chess Club’s first home fixture at their new venue is on Thursday 15 May, starting at 7:15pm, where two of their teams will take part in the first round of the Northumberland Chess Association’s Summer Handicap.

Newcastle Cavaliers play Gateshead in what promises to be a tight match, while Newcastle Sheriffs take on the experienced Gosforth Ivy. The other matches that night will be Forest Hall Lions v. Jesmond and Gosforth Siths v. Tynemouth.

The 2025 Summer Handicap has a bumper entry of 26 teams, including eight from Gosforth, four from Newcastle, three from Forest Hall, two each from Alnwick, Morpeth and Cramlington, and one each from Gateshead, Jesmond, South Shields and Tynemouth.

The teams of four are assigned a rating handicap, so that a first division team must often win 4-0 or 3.5-0.5 against a lower-rated side.

The 26 teams are divided into two World Cup-style qualifying groups, playing matches between May and July. Group A teams play at Morpeth and Gosforth, and Group B teams play at Newcastle and Gosforth.

Two teams from each group go into the Cup semi-finals, while the third and fourth teams qualify for the Plate semi-finals. The semi-finals and finals take place in early September at Gosforth.

Newcastle Dragons (Division 1 champions) and Newcastle Jesters (Division 4 champions) – are likely to be among the favourites for the Cup, while teams from Gateshead, Gosforth and Forest Hall are also potential winners.

PUZZLES:

Puzzle A: Sengupta-Gallagher, 2024. White to move.

Puzzle B: Kovalsky-Sivanandan, 2024. White to move.

Puzzle C: Kantans-Michalchik, 2024. White to move.

Puzzle D: Garsky-Kirtadze, 2024. Black to move.

ANSWERS:

A: 1 Qd4! Rxd4 (1…Rg8 2 hxg7+ Rxg7 3 Rd8+ Nf8 4 Rxf8 mate) 2 Rc8+ leads to mate.
B: 1 Rxh6+! Nh7 (1…gxh6 2 Qg8 mate) 2 Rxh7+! Kxh7 3 Qh5 mate.
C: 1 Rg6! hxg6 2 Qxg6 Rc3 3 Nd7+ wins.
D: 1…Rf4! 2 Qf1 (2 gxf4 Qg2 mate) Qxh4+! 3 gxh4 (3 Qh3 Qxh3+ 4 Kxh3 Rh6 mate) Rxh4+ 4 Qh3 Rg2+ 5 Kh1 Rxh3 mate.

Darlington hosts summer events

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 18 April 2025)

As summer approaches, the chess action switches from weeknight league matches to weekend tournaments.

The Durham Congress is at Darlington’s Dolphin Centre from May 11-13. It includes Open, Major and Minor tournaments, plus a one-day junior event on Sunday 13.

Top players include Alnwick Grandmaster Danny Gormally, Newcastle FIDE Master Andy Burnett and Ukrainian junior Maksym Larchikov. To enter online, go to: https://durhamchesscongress.co.uk.

There are several junior tournaments around the region this summer. The UK Chess Challenge’s Teesside MegaFinal is at Yarm School, Stockton-on-Tees, on Sunday May 4, and Northumbria MegaFinal at Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, on Saturday June 14. To enter, go to: https://delanceyukschoolschesschallenge.com.

The North East EJCOA Qualifier is at Jesmond Library on Sunday 25 May, from 12 noon to 4:00pm, with Under 10, Under 14 and Under 18 sections. To enter, go to: https://ejcoa.co.uk or https://northumbriamasters.com, or contact the organiser, Tim Wall, at: timpeterwall@gmail.com.

The Northumbria Masters is at Darlington’s Dolphin Centre from August 20-25. Along with Open, Challengers and Major tournaments, the congress includes an outdoor chess festival on Saturday August 23. For full info, go to: https://northumbriamasters.com.

Some of the Northumbria League divisions have already been decided.

In Division 1, Newcastle Dragons (17 points, one match to go) look set to claim their second title win in two seasons after they pulled ahead of Gosforth Empire (also 17 points, all matches played). Leam Lane Aces (3) are relegated, while a dogfight between Gosforth Salters (8) and Jesmond Monarchs (7) will decide the second relegation spot.

In Division 2, South Shields Arbeians (15, two matches to go) and Gosforth Regents (15, all matches played) are promoted. Gosforth Centurions (4) are relegated, along with either Morpeth A (10) or Alnwick A (8).

Promotion favourites in Division 3 are Gateshead and Leam Lane Bullets (both 14), while only one of Gosforth Hawthorns, Forest Hall Titans and Morpeth B (all on 8 points) will escape relegation.

Newcastle Jesters (20) have wrapped up the Division 4 title, ahead of Forest Hall Phoenixes (19), who are also promoted. At the foot of the table, Alnwick B (4) are relegated, along with either Gosforth Jedis or Tynemouth C (both 7).

With two matches to play, the top two Division 5 teams are promoted: Jesmond Knights (22) and South Shields Sand-dancers (19). The scramble to avoid relegation centres on Alnwick C (5), Forest Hall Griffins (8), Morpeth C and Forest Hall centaurs (both 9).

In Division 6, both Gosforth Siths (21) and Newcastle Cavaliers (19) are safely promoted.

PUZZLES

Puzzle A: Anton-Plat, 2024. White to play.

Puzzle B: Del Rio-Troncosco, 2024. White to move.

Puzzle C: Edouard-Vlachos, 2024. White to move.

Puzzle D: Kantor-Starosta, 2024. White to move.

ANSWERS:

A: 1 Rxf7+! Kxf7 2 Qf6 mate.
B: 1 Rxc8! Raxc8 2 Nef5+! gxf5 3 Nxf5+ Kg8 4 Qxf6 Qf8 5 Nxh6+ Qxh6 6 Qxh6 wins.
C: 1 Rxe7+! Rxe7 2 Qxg6+ Kh8 3 Qxh5+ Kg8 4 Rg3+ Rg7 5 Rxg7+ Kxg7 6 Qh7 mate.
D: 1 Rxf7+! Kxf7 2 Rc7+ Kf8 3 Qd6+ Kg8 4 Qxe6+ Kf8 5 Qf7 mate.

Newcastle overtake Gosforth in title race

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 11 April 2025)

Newcastle Dragons are favourites to win the Northumbria Division 1 title after beating Gosforth Empire 2.5-1.5 this week.

Newcastle’s Andy Burnett and Zheming Zhang won, while Gosforth’s James Ross was victorious. Tim Wall (Newcastle) successfully held an endgame draw against Gustavo Leon Cazares (Gosforth).

Newcastle have 17 points from 11 matches, with 31.5 game points, ahead of Gosforth (17 points from 12 matches, 31 game points). Gosforth Empire have finished their matches, but Newcastle play their final match on April 21 against Gosforth Salters.

Newcastle University A (15 points from 11 matches, 28.5 game points) can still mathematically catch Newcastle, but it’s unlikely. Leam Lane (3) are going down after losing to Gosforth Salters 3-1, while the Salters (8) and Jesmond Monarchs (7) are battling to stay up.

Division 1:
1 Newcastle Dragons 17;
2 Gosforth Empire 17;
3 Newcastle University A 15;
4 Tynemouth A 9;
5 Gosforth Salters 8;
6 Jesmond Monarchs 7;
7 Leam Lane Aces 3.

The Division 2 race is between Gosforth Regents (14, two matches to play), South Shields Arbeians (13, three to play) and Tynemouth B (12, one to play). Gosforth Centurions (4) are likely to go down, with either Morpeth A (9) or Alnwick A (8) joining them.

Division 2:
1 Gosforth Regents 14;
2 South Shields Arbeians 13;
3 Tynemouth B 12;
4 Forest Hall Dragons 10;
5 Morpeth A 9;
6 Alnwick A 8;
7 Gosforth Centurions 4.

Division 3 is very close, with Leam Lane Bullets and Gateshead tied on 14 points. Gosforth Hawthorns & Forest Hall Titans (8 from 10) are battling with Morpeth B (6 from 9) to avoid relegation.

Division 3:
1-2 Leam Lane Bullets & Gateshead 14;
3 Gosforth Ivy 10;
4 Gosforth Woodbines 10;
5 Gosforth Hawthorns 8;
6 Forest Hall Titans 8;
7 Morpeth B 6.

In Division 4, Forest Hall Phoenixes are a point ahead of Newcastle Jesters.

Division 4:
1 Forest Hall Phoenixes 19;
2 Newcastle Jesters 18;
3 Tynedale A 13;
4 Newcastle University B 10;
5-6 Tynemouth C & Gosforth Jedis 7;
7 Alnwick B 4.

Jesmond Knights are Division 5 champions, with South Shields Sand-dancers also promoted.

Division 5:
1 Jesmond Knights 22;
2 South Shields S-D 17;
3-4 Tynemouth D & Gosforth Otterburns 12;
5-6 Forest Hall Centaurs & Morpeth C 9;
7 Forest Hall Griffins 8;
8 Alnwick C 5.

Gosforth Siths and Newcastle Cavaliers are promoted from Division 6.

Division 6:
1 Gosforth Siths 21;
2 Newcastle Cavaliers 19;
3 Newcastle University C 16;
4 South Shields Custodians 12;
5 Forest Hall Wizards 11;
6 Morpeth D 9;
7 Cramlington Royals 8;
8 Newcastle University Women 2.

PUZZLES

Puzzle A: White to move.

Puzzle B: White to move.

Puzzle C: Kasparov-Tatai. White to move.

Puzzle D: Henri Rinck’s study. White to move.

ANSWERS:

A: 1 Rh8! Rxa7 2 Rh7+.
B: 1 Be5+! Kxe5 2 Qc3+.
C: 1 Qh6+ Ke7 2 Qg7+ Kxd6 (2…Kd8 3 Qf8+ Kc7 4 Nb5+) 3 Qf8+.
D: 1 Ra8! Qa2 (1…Qxa8 2 Bf3+; 1…Qc4 2 Rc8+; 1…Qh7 2 Bg6 Qxg6 3 Ra6+) 2 Rxa4 Qxa4 3 Be8+.

League Victories & A Ballroom Blitz

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The Newcastle Dragons have been breathing fire this past week. In a high-stakes, must-win clash, they delivered a masterclass in determination, toppling former league leaders Gosforth Empire on their home turf with a gripping 2.5-1.5 victory.

The ever-resilient Zheming Zhang struck first, landing a decisive win against NM Roger Coathup. Then came “The Streetfighter,” FM Andy Burnett, who tore through David Armbruster with an unconventional yet deadly variation of the Reti Opening. Revenge was sweet for Andy, who had meticulously prepared his own weapon after a previous loss to David. His insights, always a treat, are included in the attached annotated game for your learning pleasure.

My own battle on Board 4 ended in heartbreak as I faltered against James Ross, struggling to navigate the chaos after allowing an exchange sacrifice on f3. But thankfully, “The Mighty Wall” held firm, securing a crucial draw against Gosforth’s eternal Board 1, Leon Gustavo Cazares. With this electrifying victory, we are perfectly positioned to seize the Division 1 title! Our final challenge awaits: Gosforth Salters on April 21 at Gosforth Empire Club.

Meanwhile, our Jesters stand poised for glory in Division 4. They just need a win or a draw in their final showdown against Tynedale on Monday, 14 April. Their promotion is already secured!

The Cavaliers, too, have punched their ticket to the next tier, rising from Division 6. With an extra match in hand, they’re just 2 points shy of the top spot, chasing Gosforth Siths for ultimate supremacy.

Away from league intensity, last night’s FIDE & ECF-rated blitz event was a spectacle of wit and warrior spirit! Fourteen players stepped into the fray, competing across four electrifying categories.

With a mix of luck and resilience, I managed to clinch the Open title, tying with Krithik Shai. One of the closest calls came against Alan Welsh, the longtime master of the Stonewall Dutch Defence – an opening he’s wielded to perfection for what feels like centuries. His kingside assault was relentless, a wave of pressure that had me teetering on the edge. But with the clock ticking dangerously low, the position grew treacherous, forcing him to settle for a draw – a dramatic escape that had my nerves on fire!

Equally intense were my battles against “The Streetfighter” and Aanuolowapo (John) Awesome, two games that defined the tournament’s final standings. The games were pure combat – every decision, a test of nerves.

Long after the event had ended, adrenaline still coursed through me, refusing to let the games fade into memory. On the bus ride home, I found myself reconstructing the games from memory as game were not recorded – a mental replay of the struggles, the breakthroughs, and the near-misses. I’ve included them for those who want to relive the wild chess theatrics!

Meanwhile, Alan Welsh & Thomas Huxtable shared victory in the U-1800 category, while Olga Pinchuk made a triumphant return to competitive chess, securing 1st place in U-1600, with Thomas Chazelle right behind in 2nd place. A casual chat with Olga revealed that she hadn’t played a tournament in ages – making her dominant performance all the more impressive!

In the Unrated section, Billy Ness clinched victory, with Adam Graham settling into second. The event was flawlessly organized, creating an atmosphere of excitement and camaraderie. A huge shoutout to Tim for making it all happen!

We now turn our eyes toward the final league battles and the thrilling events ahead.

Enjoy the weekend, and dive into the games!

The Beast of Newcastle 😎

Our club moves to Haymarket

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From Thursday May 15, Newcastle Chess Club will move its club hub to: Newcastle Labour Club, The Hub, Haymarket, Newcastle NE1 7PF.

This is directly opposite Haymarket Metro Station, on the corner of Northumberland Street and Percy Street.

We will meet weekly there on Thursday evenings from 7:00pm to 10:30pm for friendly games, blitz, rapidplay and standard play competitions and league chess.

(We currently meet temporarily at Newcastle Labour Club’s old premises, at 11 Leazes Park Road, NE1 4PF. These premises close on April 26.)

Our other venues remain the same:

JUNIOR CLUB: Newcastle Junior Chess Club meets on Sunday afternoons at Jesmond Library, St George’s Terrace, Jesmond NE2 2DL. 2:30-4:30pm.

LIBRARY CLUB: Free drop-in chess club at Newcastle City Library (Level 1) on Saturdays, 11am-1pm. Come along for a friendly game and a chat. All welcome!

More info: Tim Wall, Tel: 07503 722366, email: timpeterwall@gmail.com, or visit https://newcastlechessclub.com/. 

Northumberland Champs showdown looms

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(Newcastle Chronicle, 4 April 2025)

Whatever your sport – whether it’s the FA Premier League or the pub darts league – fans love thrilling head-to-head showdowns at the end of the season. As the 2024-25 winter chess season draws to a close, all three sections of the Northumberland Championships are set for exciting finales going into the decisive last round.

In the Zollner (Open) tournament, Andy Burnett and Tim Wall (Newcastle) are leading with 4.5/6. Half a point behind in equal third are Husain Nakara (Newcastle University), Gustavo Leon Cazares (Gosforth) and Paul Dargan (Tynemouth) on 4 points.

Other Zollner scores: 6 Andy Trevelyan (Jesmond) 3.5; 7-10 David Armbruster, Jack Erskine-Pereira (Gosforth) John Boyd (South Shields), Chris Izod (Jesmond) 3; 11-12 Nathan Ekanem (Newcastle) and Gary Murphy (Jesmond) 2; 13 Dalil Benchebra 1.5.

The top pairings are Burnett v Dargan, Wall v Trevelyan and Nakara v Leon Cazares.
If Burnett and Wall both win, a two-game playoff match is in prospect.

In the Sell (Under 2000), Alex Blake (Gosforth) and Stuart Skelsey (Forest Hall) are tied for first on 5/6, followed by Jounaid El Archi (Newcastle) and Paul Bielby (South Shields) equal third on 4.

Other Sell scores: 5-6 Raj Mohindra (Forest Hall) and Mick Riding (Gosforth) 3.5; 7-8 John Awesome (Newcastle) and Morgan French (Forest Hall) 3; 9-10 Mark McKay (Gosforth) and Jeremy Revell (Newcastle) 2.5; 11-14 Reece Wright (Forest Hall), Michael Allen (Newcastle University), Andrew Robinson and Alan Green (Gosforth) 2; 15 Ian Chester 1.5; 16 Stamen Kolev 0.5.

Both leaders face dangerous former champions: Skelsey faces Bielby, while Blake faces Riding.

In the Gilroy (Under 1700), David Simm (Morpeth) and Jonny Kearney (Tynedale) are on 5/6. In third place is Denise Mosse (Gateshead). In equal fourth there is a pileup of seven players on 4 points: Darren McCarthy (Alnwick), Ethan Tatters (Forest Hall), Alfie McMonagle and Thomas Cameron (Newcastle University), Kevin Cox (Gateshead), Michael Owen and Antonio Stipanovic (Gosforth).

Other Gilroy scores: 11-15 Ian Rook and Jonathan Solomon (Forest Hall), Martin Brookes (Tynemouth), Tom Krause and Alykhan Bandali (Gosforth) 3.5; 16-21 James Phillips (Newcastle), Andrew Hardy (Alnwick), Gautham Satishkumar, Sanjay Satishkumar, Joey Pramana and Alex Piercy (Gosforth) 3; 22-28 Dave Peardon (South Shields), Jonathan Rooney, Brandon Russell, Ethan Ross, Viaan Vokul Nath (Gosforth), Viktorija Bezganovic and James Flint (Newcastle University) 2.5; 29-30 Felix Glover and Aaron Cheung (Gosforth) 2; 31-35 Daniel Atcheson (Newcastle), Alan Smith, Bob Heyman, Vishnu Sraram and Steve Armstrong (Gosforth) 1.5; 36 Simon Horrocks (Gosforth) 1.

The seventh-round pairings pit Simm and Kearney against each other.

PUZZLES

This week’s puzzles feature swift retribution after one-move blunders in the Northumberland Championships.

Puzzle A: Armbruster-Dargan, Zollner 24-25 after 31 Re7? Black to move.

Puzzle B: Skelsey-Morgan, Sell 24-25 after 8…Nxd5? White to move.

Puzzle C: Awesome-Bielby, Sell 24-25 after 52 Rg2? Black to move.

Puzzle D: Mosse-Simm, Gilroy 24-25 after 24 axb4? Black to move.

ANSWERS:

A: 31…Bb5+! 0-1.
B: 9 Qa4+ 1-0.
C: 52…Qc1+! 0-1.
D: 24…Ra1+! 0-1.