Results and commentary by Gerry Wilson
GLASGOW CHESS LEAGUE Division 1 Final Table for 2000-2001 at 30 March SH CC PY GM PO CW BD GI PY CZ P W D L F A - Pt Shettleston ** 4 6 7½ 7½ 5½ 7 6 6½ 7½ 9 8 1 0 57½ 14½ 0 17 Cathcart A 4 ** 4 7½ 5½ 7½ 7 7 6½ 6½ 9 7 2 0 55½ 16½ 0 16 Polytechnic A 2 4 ** 7 6 5½ 7 6½ 8 6 9 7 1 1 52 20 0 15 Glasgow Montrose ½ ½ 1 ** 5½ 4 4 7 5½ 6½ 9 4 2 3 34½ 37½ 1 9 Phones A ½ 2½ 2 2½ ** 4 4½ 4½ 4½ 7 9 4 1 4 32 40 0 9 Crowwood A 2½ ½ 2½ 4 4 ** 3 4 5 4½ 9 2 3 4 30 42 0 7 Bearsden 1 1 1 4 3½ 5 ** 3 3½ 6 9 2 1 6 28 44 0 5 Giffnock A 2 1 1½ 1 3½ 4 5 ** 4½ 3½ 9 2 1 6 26 46 0 5 Polytechnic B 1½ 1½ 0 2½ 3½ 3 4½ 3½ ** 4 9 1 1 7 24 48 0 3 Cambuslang A ½ 1½ 2 1½ 1 3½ 2 4½ 4 ** 9 1 1 7 20½ 51½ 0 3 Final Comments The first division was finally put to bed when the two relegated sides fought out a draw in the final match. Glasgow Montrose have had a point deducted for defaulted boards in their match against Cathcart. In the end the championship came down to the matches between the top 3 who are all fairly evenly matched, with Shettleston's crush of Poly giving them the edge. Glasgow Montrose fell away after an excellent season 1999-2000 and with the team difficulties evident in their last match against Cathcart their life as one of the title contenders may be limited. At the bottom end, its a quick return to normal for Cambuslang, while Poly B take a hike after 2 seasons in the top flight. Giffnock finish in 8th place for the third successive season, and must be concerned about their ability to remain in division one longterm. At the individual level, in addition to Jimmy Doyle's 100% score noted below, Steve Mannion of Cathcart has also scored 9/9 this season. A fine achievement by both players. 28 March Comments Shettleston finally managed to occupy top spot in division 1 for the first time this season, and with it take the title with what is believed to be a record game points total for a 10 team first division. A notable contribution came from Jimmy Doyle who scored 9/9. Congratulations to Shettleston for this achievement, their second title in 3 years and their 5th overall. 23 March Comments With the division almost complete, Shettleston should take the title by defeating Crowwood on March 27. Should they do so, their game points total will almost certainly be a division 1 record, for a 10 team 8 board division, exceeding the 55 by Paisley which is believed to be the previous record, and 56 by Cathcart this season ! In a bizarre match between Cathcart and Montrose, the latter, having turned up with only 5 players, one of whom was ineligible, proceeded to play the match with these 5 players. While the actual result was 7½:½, the draw was obtained on a lower board than the ineligible player and so after initially modifying the result to 8:0, it was changed back to 7½:½, when it became apparent that the ineligible player was a substitute. Default points will be deducted here in due course. At the bottom, the last match of the season between the two teams already relegated will decide who holds the wooden spoon. 21 Feb Comments Shettleston took a giant step towards the title when they saw off challengrs Polytechnic with a stunning 6:2 victory where they won the top 5 boards. Cathcart remain in contention should Shettleston slip up, but last season's surprise packets, Glasgow Montrose have struggled this season against some of the lower sides and have dropped points against Bearsden and Crowwood, while also receiving drubbings from the two of the top three that they have played so far. At the bottom, Poly B picked up their first points against a weakened Bearsden, but along with Cambuslang, look set to return to division 2. On an administrative point, the match between Shettleston and Cambuslang has had to be rearranged due to a confusion following a previous attempt to rearrange it. Team captains are reminded that the league rules require the approval of the division controller before a fixture is rearranged. Letting him know about it would seem to be a minimum requirement of this rule. 31 Jan Comments While things remain unclear at the top of the table, the relegation scenario has seen Poly B lose a couple of tight matches to establish themselves as firm favourites for the drop, although they have still to face their closest rivals, last season's promoted teams. The critical match to come here is on Feb 20th when Shettleston host Poly A - a win for either side would almost certainly give them the title, while a draw would mean some serious examination of the games for columns of the 3 main contenders. 18 Dec Comments Early days yet in division 1 but the crucial meetings between the title contenders have mainly ended in draws, with champions Cathcart having 2 and Poly A and Shettlston having 1 each. Notable in the Cathcart-Shettleston match was the defeat of Roddy McKay by Douglas Bryson, this being Roddy's first defeat in over 2 seasons in the league. In Cathcart's subsequent match with Cambuslang, Roddy was held to a draw by Tony Dinwoodie. Last year's challengers Glasgow Montrose started badly by being held by Bearsden, and subsequently were on the receiving end of an Aberdeen-like thrashing from Poly A, who seem to have decided that game points are important and have turned out strong teams this season. Relegation remains like the Florida vote in the US presidential elections - 'too close to call' and too many results not yet in. Round 1 00 OCT 12 Glasgow Montrose A 4 : 4 Bearsden 00 DEC 07 Cambuslang A 1½ : 6½ Cathcart A 00 OCT 12 Polytechnic A 8 : 0 Polytechnic B 01 MAR 27 Shettleston 5½ : 2½ Crowwood A 00 OCT 09 Phones A 4½ : 3½ Giffnock A Round 2 00 NOV 02 Crowwood A 4 : 4 Giffnock A 01 JAN 18 Polytechnic B 1½ : 6½ Shettleston 00 OCT 16 Cathcart A 4 : 4 Polytechnic A 00 OCT 24 Bearsden 6 : 2 Cambuslang A 00 NOV 02 Glasgow Montrose A 5½ : 2½ Phones A Round 3 00 NOV 21 Giffnock A 4½ : 3½ Polytechnic B 00 NOV 23 Cambuslang A 1½ : 6½ Glasgow Montrose A 00 NOV 23 Polytechnic A 7 : 1 Bearsden 00 NOV 21 Shettleston 4 : 4 Cathcart A 00 NOV 20 Phones A 4 : 4 Crowwood A Round 4 00 DEC 14 Polytechnic B 3 : 5 Crowwood A 01 JAN 22 Cathcart A 7 : 1 Giffnock A 01 JAN 16 Bearsden 1 : 7 Shettleston 00 DEC 14 Glasgow Montrose A 1 : 7 Polytechnic A 00 DEC 21 Cambuslang A 1 : 7 Phones A Round 5 01 JAN 30 Giffnock A 5 : 3 Bearsden 01 JAN 18 Crowwood A ½ : 7½ Cathcart A 01 JAN 18 Polytechnic A 6 : 2 Cambuslang A 01 JAN 30 Shettleston 7½ : ½ Glasgow Montrose A 01 JAN 15 Phones A 4½ : 3½ Polytechnic B Round 6 01 FEB 12 Cathcart A 6½ : 1½ Polytechnic B 01 FEB 06 Bearsden 5 : 3 Crowwood A 01 FEB 08 Glasgow Montrose A 7 : 1 Giffnock A 01 FEB 08 Cambuslang A ½ : 7½ Shettleston 01 FEB 08 Polytechnic A 6 : 2 Phones A Round 7 00 NOV 07 Giffnock A 3½ : 4½ Cambuslang A 01 FEB 22 Crowwood A 4 : 4 Glasgow Montrose A 01 FEB 22 Polytechnic B 4½ : 3½ Bearsden 01 FEB 20 Shettleston 6 : 2 Polytechnic A 01 FEB 19 Phones A 2½ : 5½ Cathcart A Round 8 01 MAR 06 Bearsden 1 : 7 Cathcart A 01 MAR 08 Glasgow Montrose A 5½ : 2½ Polytechnic B 01 MAR 15 Cambuslang A 3½ : 4½ Crowwood A 01 MAR 08 Polytechnic A 6½ : 1½ Giffnock A 01 MAR 06 Shettleston 7½ : ½ Phones A Round 9 01 MAR 20 Giffnock A 2 : 6 Shettleston 01 MAR 22 Crowwood A 2½ : 5½ Polytechnic A 01 MAR 29 Polytechnic B 4 : 4 Cambuslang A 01 MAR 19 Cathcart A 7½ : ½ Glasgow Montrose A 01 MAR 19 Phones A 4½ : 3½ Bearsden