Dudley & District Chess League

League news in 2019-20

Covid-19 voids league competitions

10 Sep 2020, John Fahy reports. All match results in the 2019-20 season voided by Covid-19. Clubs have been asked whether they wish to resume over the board league chess this season and hold an AGM in October with a view to matches starting in November.

15 Apr 2020, Virus voids 2019-20 season. John Fahy reports. The Officers of the League have considered whether it will be possible for outstanding fixtures to be fulfilled this season within the current League Rules time frame or indeed whether that should be extended due to the current Government restrictions in place and have decided that the 2019/20 League season as - void - so there will be no divisional winners this season. All matches played up to 15 March will be submitted for grading.

15 Mar 2020. Coronavirus stops further play in Dudley & District League. John Fahy (General Secretary) issued the following statement: "In the light of the current Coronavirus pandemic and following the recommendation from the English Chess Federation, the officers of the Dudley & District Chess League have - in line with all other local Leagues - decided to suspend all activities in relation to the three divisions with effect from Sunday 15th March 2020 and until further notice. If Clubs decide to proceed with fixtures already arranged, any results will not be included in the Dudley League structure; and any games played in such circumstances will not be submitted for grading purposes. I am sure that you will understand the rationale for this decision; the well-being of our members and their families, and the wider community, must be our prime concern at this time. We look forward to resuming normal activity in better times and will review the situation when appropriate."

9 Feb 2020. RIP John Pakenham. John Fahy, secretary Warley & Quinborne CC, writes: "Sadly John Pakenham passed away peacefully in his sleep last night. He was taken ill again shortly after Christmas/New Year and bravely faced up to the situation, never once feeling sorry for himself and always thinking of those around him. He will be sadly missed at Warley & Quinborne and in the wider chess community having served to provide and promote chess for many a decade. Our thoughts and prayers are with John and his lovely family. Details of his funeral arrangements will follow in due course." John played for Warley Quinborne in Divisions 2 and 3 of this league and was a regular league player up to 2017-8 season. John also played for Warley in the Birmingham league principally in Division 6. He was current president of the Midlands Counties Chess Union and served as Warwickshire CA’s representative to the union for over a decade and a regular player for Warwickshire’s u120 and u100 county teams for very many years and most recently in 2018.

3 Sep 2019. Manvith Sandhu and 2018 Worcestershire Junior Champion represented England in the under-12 World Cadet Championships in Weifang International Leisure Sports Town, Shandong Province, China. He scored 5½ points from his 11 games.

15 Aug 2019. Annual Meeting and Fixtures Meeting.