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...and so we find ourselves once again on the eve of another season, of another year of tournament and competitive chess in the Manchester and Stockport Leagues.
This year we begin our campaign emboldened by the achievements of last year and strengthened by the acquisition of a number of new players who have brought with them talent, enthusiasm, vigour and optimism.
There will be plenty of healthy competition for places in our teams this year and the captains will do their best to distribute matches equitably among us.
Last year we won the Alfred Milner Knockout Trophy in E division of the Manchester League. We also won E division itself in a most convincing fashion. Liam Lougheed, as captain of Northenden 2 team, was instrumental in helping us achieve these successes and our thanks go to him.
It is fitting that the E division trophy, the Silver Bishop, should bear the name of our founder Bert Thomas, a friend we remember with the highest regard, the greatest respect and a heap of affection.
We have more than doubled our numbers over the last couple of years and we are ready for whatever challenges should come our way this year. The achievements of 2019 are the yardstick from which we will measure our performance come the end of this season in May 2020.
We are a club with principles based upon friendship, support and solidarity. Together we can and will do great things. Many memories will be born in the forthcoming months from battles over the board bringing glorious victories, hard-fought draws and bitter defeats. Great stories of epic struggles will add to our history and heroes will come to the fore. It will also be a great deal of fun and we will laugh a lot.
If you are reading this and fancy joining us then do not hesitate, Monday evenings from about 7pm. NChess is waiting for you!
A chess master died – after a few days, a friend of his heard a voice; it was him!
“What’s it like, where you are now,” he asked.
“What do you want to hear first, the good news or the bad news.”
“Tell me the good news first.”
“Well, it’s really heaven here. There are tournaments and blitz sessions going on all the time and Morphy, Alekhine, Lasker, Tal, Capablanca, Botvinnik, they’re all here, and you can play them.”
“Fantastic!” the friend said, “and what is the bad news?”
“You have Black against Capablanca on Saturday.”