This page contains items which first appeared on the Home page. They are moved here approximately four weeks after first appearing, unless they are still topical. For old news from previous years, click on the links below. 

The results of the DCCA Congress, 23-25 April are on the DCCA website, under Congress News/April. (7/5/10)

The remaining events planned by Charlie Storey in his Whitley Bay Chess Festival have now been cancelled. The results of the first one can be downloaded here (Word doc). (7/5/10)

The league positions are all now decided:

Div 1 - 1st Leam Lane Aces, 2nd Morpeth A; relegated will be Tynedale Reivers and Gateshead.
Div 2 - 1st Gosforth Empire, 2nd Tynedale Tans (both promoted).

So we have a very unusual situation for next season in that Tynedale's 1st team should be in Div 2, and their 2nd team in Div 1! (Revised 7/5/10)

Jesmond Chess Club is now closed for the summer, and will reopen on Fri 10/9/10. However they expect to enter for the Summer KO competition and play all their matches away. (27/3/10)

At the Northumberland Rapidplay held in Gosforth on Sat 20/2/10, the prizewinners were:

Open - 1st Charlie Storey 5/5, 2nd Oleksii Liakhovetskyi 3½, 3rd= John Boyd, Ed Dodds, John Turnock 3.
Major - 1st= Amarvansh Singh, Noel Boustred 4, 3rd Bob Mitcheson 3.
Minor - James Pharoah 4½, 2nd= Kevin Rowden, Dave Walshaw 4.     (21/2/10)

The ECF website has just been redesigned. (8/2/10)

Berwick Chess Club have now changed their venue and meeting night, see the club's own website for more details. (27/1/10)

The ECF has recently published the half-yearly update to Rapidplay grades only. These are now included in the grades on the NCA website. (Updated 18/1/10)

Dave Walshaw reports on the recent York Fulprint Congress:

'The York congress was surprisingly well attended despite the atrocious weather which prevented several entrants from getting there. There were obviously a few withdrawals listed on every tournament sheet, but these were few, and overall numbers seemed if anything, high (I've been every year, bar one, since 2002). Some notable local performances:

    Charlie Storey 5/5 in the Open - £270
    Bob Mitcheson 4/5 in the Intermediate - £70
    Sophie Seeber 4.5/5 in the Minor - £170

Other local competitors were Mike McBeth and Michael Hubbard in the Open, Ron Plater and Martin Seeber in the Major, and Noel Boustred and Dave Walshaw in the Intermediate, with everyone scoring at least two points.'

(Updated 4/4/10)

Important notice regarding the 2009-2010 NCA League Handbook. John Wheeler has discovered a serious error since it was printed, and made an announcement to this effect at the recent NCA Congress. The North East Grades starting on p23 are out of date, since they are for the previous season. Apologies for any inconvenience.

The correct version is on this website (click on 'Grades' in the LH column). Alternatively, to look up all you club members' grades together, go to the ECF Grading website and enter the club name in the appropriate box near the bottom of the page. (Revised 29/9/09)

The ECF membership season for MO (membership organisation) members starts on September 1st. The necessary forms have again been produced by John Turnock, and sent to all clubs. The three forms are similar to those used in previous seasons, and can be downloaded as Word documents by clicking below:

   1) a guide to the scheme
   2) a form to list renewals for existing members
   3) a form for new members

ECF membership is required on the same basis as last season. The basic cost for adults is now £11.00 and for juniors is £7.00 (but only £6.50 if paid before 25/10/09). (24/8/09)

Last changed:  15/06/10