Bearsden Chess Club 40th Anniversary Event

September 3, 2006

Bearsden Chess Club celebrated its 40th anniversary, since its re-establishment in 1966, by inviting international master Jacob Aagaard to play a score or more games simultaneously against a selection of club members and visitors. Twenty-six players, aged from 7 to 70, braved the challenge at Cairns Church halls, Milngavie on September 3rd.

A former member of the club, Norrie Reid, was the first to salvage half a point, following nine successive defeats for the challengers. A further eight defeats followed before Jeff Webb secured a second draw. Shortly thereafter, former club champions Tom Borland and Mel Burt saved the day by winning their games but there were to be no other successes among the many hard-fought games. Jacob's final tally was: played 26, won 22, drew 2, lost 2.

These four players were presented with books, generously donated by Jacob Aagaard himself. Among the rest of the field, juniors Angharad Davies, Reece Donnelly, Rachel Gibson, Sam McLean, Gabrielle Montgomery, Max Murphy & Alastair Stanley impressed by battling on long after some of the seniors had succumbed.

In his address on the club's history, Trevor Davies said that the Club was renowned above all for the outstanding successes of its juniors, past and present, notably Brian MacFarlane, Colin Gibson, Ian MacGregor and Ivan Stokes. He hoped that the newly-created Bearsden Junior Chess Club at Cairns would encourage more young people to take up the game because the club's long-term future depended on it. The new season begins on Tuesday, September 12th . (www.bearsdenchessclub.freeserve.co.uk)

Photos of Anniversary cake and Jacob Aagaard presenting prize to Mel Burt

Trevor Davies