This week just gone was set aside for matches in the various KO Cup competitions but turned out to be slightly disjointed.

In the Open competition for the Stanley Fortt Memorial Cup there was confusion over the quarter final-tie between Morriston Alekhine and De la Beche A and it ended up being rearranged. The winner of their match will go forward to meet CN Emperors sometime in the future. The semi-final between Nidum and White Knights A did, however, go ahead with the Knights registering a comfortable looking 3-1 win thanks to draws on the top boards and wins on the bottom two. The Knights now have a bit of a wait before they will find out who their opponents in the final will be.

In the Under1800 competition for the Richard E Jones Trophy there was again some confusion caused by a wrong date published on this website. It meant that the match between Morriston Benko and CN Senators did not go ahead and it too has been rearranged – for the same night as the Morriston Alekhine v De la Beche A match (17th February).

The quarter-final match between White Knights C and UK Merlins was forfeited by the Merlins without a game being played so White Knights C go forward into the semi-finals to play White Knights B who almost whitewashed Morriston Catalan. Only an unlikely draw between Tony Crossman and Joe Spooner saved the Morriston team from total embarrassment.

In the other quarter final between De la Beche B and BF Giants both teams started the match a player short, albeit on different boards. A quick rearrangement allowed the teams to default the same board giving everyone a game. Not unexpectedly De la Beche B, the stronger team, won relatively easily 3-0.

The Under1400 competition for the AD Nicholson Shield saw even more forfeited matches. BF Brunel got a walkover when White Knights D withdrew due to a lack of players rated under 1400 (lucky them!) while the Harriers also got a walkover this time against last season’s winners St Michael’s School.

In the matches that did go ahead De la Beche D overcame CN Tribunes 3½-½ while Morriston E managed to just squeeze through after drawing 2-2 with De la Beche C. De la Beche C defaulted board 2 and although winning two of the three games that were played the bottom board was then discounted. The Morriston team then won 2-1.

So far this is the only section where we know the four semi-finalists. Namely BF Brunel, De la Beche D, Morriston E and UK Harriers.

01/02/2020