Hampshire County Chess Season 1991 / 92

I recently posted a review of the Hampshire Chess County season in 1960 / 61 which was more than 60 years ago. But it is surprising that when I thought I would do the same for the season Hampshire reached the BCF National Final this was actually 30 years ago! The Hampshire County chess team in 1991 / 92 was probably as strong as they have ever been with numerous ECF 200 (2200) graded players in the team for matches.

It is a bit frustrating that I do not have the individual results for any of the WECU matches with the exception of the Cornwall matches, but I hope that I will get my hands on the Westward Ho! magazines from the 1990’s at some stage when I can add these. Please do let me know if you have these?

Hampshire A – Cornwall A 5 Oct 1991
Hampshire B – Cornwall B 5 Oct 1991
Hampshire B – Middlesex B
Hampshire A – Lancashire A
Hampshire A – Leicestershire A
Hampshire A – Staffordshire A

Hampshire Player Performance
Summary
Acknowledgements and Sources

For the record of Hampshire County matches and links to any articles I have written the table on the Hampshire County Chess Matches page will detail these. The Hampshire County Chess History page summaries the leagues Hampshire have played in and the successes Hampshire have achieved. Both of these are available from the menu at the top of the site as well.

WECU Stages

Hampshire qualified to the National stages by winning the Howard Meek Section in the West of England competition. The A team would have played Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Dorset. In addition, the B team would have played the same counties in the Wayling Cup. As Hampshire’s 2nd team were also in the National Quarter Final, I think Hampshire would have won both titles?

Hampshire A – Cornwall A – Howard Meek 5 Oct 1991

Due to the distance to be travelled for this match (for both counties) Hampshire normally have their weakest team of the season when they play Cornwall. But also, it was a firm favourite for some of the regular players. Hampshire only had the one player graded over 200 but the A team won 9½ – 6½ with wins for Arthur Brameld, Stuart Knox, Peter Thompson, JS Mantle, Martin Buckley and Len Walters.

Board	Hampshire A	Hants Grade	Hants Result	Cornwall A	Corn Grade	Corn Result
1	Richard M Webb	210	½	Jeremy FS Menadue	186	½
2	Arthur F Brameld	192	1	SJ Piper	185	0
3	Martin L Newbury	178	½	SJ James	172	½
4	Stuart W Knox	169	1	Ian M George	173	0
5	Stuart Dean	168	0	RB Cole	163	1
6	PD Miller	166	½	RJ Grime	160	½
7	MJ Crocker	166	0	C Fearn	152	1
8	Mark C Bowhay	165	½	D Burleigh	136	½
9	Peter I Thompson	163	1	Colin Sellwood	139	0
10	J Grundy	163	½	AD Meakes	127	½
11	Peter L Marshall	155	½	Anton RB Barkhuysen	125	½
12	Brian N Otway	155	½	JR Thompson	127	½
13	JS Mantle	154	1	Simon Bartlett	130	0
14	Martin GS Buckley	154	1	R Clark	125	0
15	Len C Walters	154	1	A Mannion	115	0
16	David F Thompson	153	0	T Garrett	114	1
		167	9½		146	6½

Hampshire B – Cornwall B – Wayling Cup – 5 Oct 1991

Hampshire were able to field the full 16 boards for the B team, which was not always possible. Cornwall were unable to do this and defaulted (in advance I am sure) three boards. Even with these three defaults and what looked on paper to be a much stronger team for Hampshire this was another close match, with Hampshire winning by the same 9½ – 6½ score as the A team. Hampshire winners were M Stone, R Hazell, Bernhard Knight, P Haigh and RM Prince.

Board	Hampshire B	Hants Grade	Hants Result	Cornwall B	Corn Grade	Corn Result
1	Alec Samuels	149	½	M Garrett	105	½
2	A Wells	109	0	T Gudgeon	105	1
3	JF Barrett	143	0	IK Pilling	103	1
4	MW Stone	u	1	D Clarke	104	0
5	Philip Barber	142	0	P Hayes	96	1
6	R Hazell	137	1	MH Middleton	67	0
7	Stephen D LeFevre	137	0	DH Garrett	101	1
8	James D Pratt	136	½	S Garrett	90	½
9	Bernard J Knight	135	1	EA Church	91	0
10	A Masters	133	½	TW Bagshaw	59	½
11	P Haigh	125	1	G Fearn	75	0
12	Anthony C Summers	122	0	R Kemp	u	1
13	RM Prince	111	1	M Zolkiewicz	u	0
14	Default		1	Default		0
15	Default		1	Default		0
16	Default		1	Default		0
		131	9½		91	6½

National Stages

Hampshire A and B teams both qualified for the National stages, where they would meet counties from the other regions of England and Wales.

Hampshire B v Middlesex B – National 2nd Team Quarter Final

Hampshire qualified for the B team national finals (by winning the Wayling Cup?) but met a very strong Middlesex B team as can be seen from some of their grades (average ECF 179 on top 10 boards). Despite the difference in grading Hampshire only lost out by 2 points, mainly picking up points on the lower boards.

Board	Hampshire B	Hants Grade	Hants Result	Middlesex B	Middx Grade	Middx Result
1	P Williams	162	0	DJC Mackie	u	1
2	Kevin P Goater	169	½	JM Quinn	190	½
3	Mark C Bowhay	165	0	PS Cawte	189	1
4	Iain A Stenhouse	161	0	A Eilers	183	1
5	JS Mantle	154	0	SSY Spivack	182	1
6	Martin GS Buckley	154	0	MJ Ross	u	1
7	Alexis M Harakis	153	1	C MacKenzie	181	0
8	TI Cowling	157	½	AM Dunn	168	½
9	Malcolm C Hagan	156	0	T Donnelly	169	1
10	Kev Byard	156	½	CJ Stephenson	168	½
11	Len C Walters	154	0	DE Bower	166	1
12	David F Thompson	153	1	J McVicar	158	0
13	Philip Barber	142	½	AC Laurence	136	½
14	R Hazell	137	1	H Grewal	132	0
15	David Culliford	139	1	R Crooks	108	0
16	Stephen D LeFevre	137	1	S Chalk	u	0
		153	7		164	9

Hampshire A v Lancashire A – National Open Quarter Final

Hampshire’s first opponent in the Open National stages were Lancashire. This was a very tough opponent, as Lancashire have probably won the County Championship more than any other County. Details of the winners of the County Championships are buried in the ECF site!

Both teams were strong with Hampshire having an average grade of 193 and Lancashire 190. Hampshire had six players graded over 200 and only dropped under 170 on board 16. With the top three boards winning this was key for Hampshire, although another trio of wins from the middle boards (Arthur Brameld, John Jones, Paul G House) also helped.

The Hampshire players included the below (as well as other very strong Hampshire players)

Andrew Lewis – FIDE Master
Charles Morris – Joint Welsh Chess Champion 1990
Richard Webb – FIDE Master
James Poulton – Current ECF 2380
Gerald Bennett – FIDE Master

Board	Hampshire A	Hants Grade	Hants Result	Lancashire A	Lancs Grade	Lancs Result
1	Andrew P Lewis	214	1	DB Lund	202	0
2	Charles F Morris	214	1	PG Kane	217	0
3	Richard M Webb	210	1	NW Ivell	199	0
4	James R Poulton	210	0	GL House	212	1
5	Gerald H Bennett	208	½	BP Dabulawicus	195	½
6	Michael J Yeo	200	0	PE Jowett	191	1
7	Kenneth G Coates	196	1	SH Barnes	194	0
8	Robert C Noyce	192	½	D Lees	199	½
9	Arthur F Brameld	192	1	B Conroy	u	0
10	John H Jones	188	1	DG Ellison	187	0
11	Paul G House	184	1	RA Barton	185	0
12	Keith G Hyde	182	0	PT Seery	176	1
13	Martin L Newbury	178	1	D R Cowley	175	0
14	David W Bell	176	0	R Newton	170	1
15	Jamie R Hopkins	175	½	MR Peacock	176	½
16	Stuart Dean	168	0	S Appleby	172	1
		193	9½		190	6½

Hampshire A v Leicestershire A – National Open Semi Final

In the semi-final Hampshire actually fielded a slightly stronger team than the quarter final with an average grade of 195 and the lowest graded player was 175. They were also strengthened by the inclusion of ten-time (two times by 1992) Hampshire Individual Champion FM Tony Corkett.

Hampshire won 9½ – 6½ with wins from Charles Morris, Tony Corkett, James Poulton, Ken Coates, John Jones and SC Knight.

Board	Hampshire A	Hants Grade	Hants Result	Leicestershire A	Leic Grade	Leic Result
1	Andrew P Lewis	214	0	GW Lawton	223	1
2	Charles F Morris	214	1	C Duncan	195	0
3	Anthony R Corkett	217	1	P Davies	192	0
4	Richard M Webb	210	½	A Byron	186	½
5	James R Poulton	210	1	S Calderwood	197	0
6	Gerald H Bennett	208	½	G Cole	174	½
7	Kenneth G Coates	196	1	R McMasters	174	0
8	Robert C Noyce	192	½	S Singh	180	½
9	Arthur F Brameld	192	½	J Mitchell	178	½
10	John H Jones	188	1	J Robinson	187	0
11	Paul G House	182	0	I Cragg	181	1
12	SC Knight	182	1	D Overton	179	0
13	Martin L Newbury	178	½	C Robinson	u	½
14	Keith G Hyde	182	½	P C Gibbs	170	½
15	David W Bell	176	½	O Hardy	169	½
16	Jamie R Hopkins	175	0	S Sheahan	157	1
		195	9½		183	6½

Hampshire A v Staffordshire A – National Open Final

Hampshire met a County in the final who like Hampshire were not used to reaching this stage. Although they had success in the Minor and graded sections this was there only win of the Open section. Hampshire were slightly weaker than their other two National stages matches, although still averaged 191. Staffordshire also had the same average grade and therefore a close match was expected.

Unfortunately, on the day Staffordshire performed above expectations and won the match 10½ – 5½. Hampshire had two winners with James Poulton beating DP Wheeler and Martin Newbury coming out ahead against MJ Armstrong.

Board	Hampshire A	Hants Grade	Hants Result	Staffordshire A	Staff Grade	Staff Result
1	Anthony R Corkett	217	0	GN Buckley	218	1
2	Andrew P Lewis	214	½	L Cooper	207	½
3	James R Poulton	210	1	DP Wheeler	205	0
4	Gerald H Bennett	208	0	AA Smith	205	1
5	Michael J Yeo	200	0	MA Wheeler	198	1
6	Kenneth G Coates	196	0	A Cromblehome	201	1
7	Robert C Noyce	192	0	PA Wallace	195	1
8	Arthur F Brameld	192	½	MP Townsend	206	½
9	John H Jones	188	0	DR Carless	208	1
10	SC Knight	182	½	G Acey	187	½
11	Paul G House	184	0	MJ Gough	181	1
12	Martin L Newbury	178	1	MJ Armstrong	165	0
13	Keith G Hyde	182	½	GM Wellings	171	½
14	David W Bell	176	½	MO Costley	175	½
15	Jamie R Hopkins	175	½	G Smith	173	½
16	PD Miller	166	½	RM Allen	170	½
		191	5½		191	10½

Hampshire Player Performance

As mentioned, as I currently do not have the majority of the WECU matches the analysis is only completed on the two matches against Cornwall and the four National stages matches.

With a maximum number of games which could be played of five (as you could not play for the A and B team on the same day!) the table below is for players who played three or more games. No-one actually played in all possible five games and only two players played in four games. This was Martin Newbury and Arthur Brameld and both scored two wins and two draws for an excellent 75%-win percentage.

The other standout performances was by James Poulton, Ken Coates, Richard Webb and John Jones who all scored two points from their three games.

Not included in the table below, but it is worth noting that Charles Morris and R Hazell won both their two games.

Hants Player	Win Percentage	Points Scored	Games Played
Martin L Newbury	75.0%	3	4
Arthur F Brameld	75.0%	3	4
James R Poulton	66.7%	2	3
Kenneth G Coates	66.7%	2	3
Richard M Webb	66.7%	2	3
John H Jones	66.7%	2	3
Andrew P Lewis	50.0%	1½	3
Jamie R Hopkins	33.3%	1	3
Robert C Noyce	33.3%	1	3
Paul G House	33.3%	1	3
Keith G Hyde	33.3%	1	3
Gerald H Bennett	33.3%	1	3
David W Bell	33.3%	1	3

Summary

I am sure the team were disappointed to fall just short of winning the National Open Final, as after two excellent results prior to this they had a great chance against a team which on paper was of very similar strength. But this was a very successful season for the Hampshire team, and they should have felt very proud of reaching the final.

From my perspective it is frustrating that I don’t have the majority of the WECU results and no games either. If anyone has either of these please do get in contact so I can add. I may have some additional information in the HCA Minutes, but I think the main source for the WECU matches will be the Westward Ho! magazines and for the National Championships from the players themselves.