Perhaps “Beware the ides of March” should have been a warning to the White Knights club. In what was BF Nidum’s last match of the season they hosted a White Knights A team that was, unfortunately, weakened by illness. The result was a draw and it now means that White Knights A must win both their remaining matches to retake the title. The most crucial of these is the home fixture on Wednesday against Morriston A who only need a draw to retain the title on game points. The same night that their A team was drawing with Nidum, White Knights C travelled to Tonna to face CN Emperors. The Knights started at a disadvantage as they had to transfer one of their players to the A team at the last minute and were thereby 1 short. However, Emperors made it look even easier with wins on the top three boards to take the win 4-1. In the only other match in Division 1 White Knights B, away to Morriston C, had a comfortable victory 1½-3½.

Although there are just a few of matches left to play the tussle for the fourth place finish in Division 1 is still wide open and the result of the Emperors v White Knights B match rearranged for the 5th April could well prove the deciding factor.

Division 2 was marginally busier with four matches played. In the first of these, on the Tuesday, BF Bluebell annihilated UK Harriers 5-0, while on the Wednesday Upper Killay’s other two teams fared little better; Merlins losing ½-4½ to White Knights D and Hawks, who defaulted their top board, losing 1-4 to BF Giants. In the second half of this season Giants have had walkover games in three out of seven matches and are starting to wonder “why them?”. The final match of the week was between White Knights E and CN Tribunes with the 4½-½ result in favour of the Knights; helped unfortunately by Tribunes turning up two players short.

With the Division 2 leaders having three or four matches to play the fight for the title is now down to a three horse race with both White Knights E and UK Merlins out of it. Third place White Knights D are four points behind leaders Bluebell but with a match in hand. Once again there is a forthcoming crucial encounter coming up in the form of the White Knights D v Bluebell match on Tuesday. Could it be winner takes all?

Finally the date of the League’s 79th Annual General Meeting has been scheduled. A bit earlier than in the last few years it will be on Thursday 9th June at Briton Ferry Chess Club (Graig House). Start time will be 7:15pm. This gives members plenty of time to think up any resolutions or rule changes that they want to submit to the AGM and these must be submitted to the League Secretary before the 14th May.

20/03/2016