CHESS SUPPLIERS 31st SCOTTISH

TEAM LIGHTNING CHAMPIONSHIP

(Grangemouth - Sunday 11 December 2005)

by Ken Stewart

Once again the Team Lightning produced a very close contest which went to the very last game. Hamilton showed its power as a club by fielding two teams strong enough to win and took the championship for the third consecutive year. Last year’s successful foursome played as Hamilton A, but were outstripped narrowly by the B team. Edinburgh West yet again came very close, leaving their final match v Hamilton B as a decider; however, they lost narrowly (their only loss) leaving Hamilton B as champions by a half-point margin. Wandering Dragons finished as a strong fourth in a section where the other five teams were left well behind. Sadly, multiple winners Shettleston were unable to compete this year; in fact, Glasgow clubs were rather thin on the ground.

For the winners, Jacob Aagard had a perfect 12/12, Craig Thomson had 8½, Chris Macdonald 10 and Chris Tweedie 9½. For the defending champions, Joe Redpath had 11/13, Patrick Coffey 10½, Steven Tweedie 12 and Andrew Muir 11. The tournament, sponsored by Chess Suppliers was supported by 17 teams, the same number as last year.

Final A:

1. Hamilton B 25½; 2. Hamilton A 25; 3. Edinburgh West A 24; 4. Wandering Dragons A 20½;

5. Edinburgh A 13½; 6. Cathcart A 13; 7. Edinburgh West B 11; 8. Bankton A 6½;

9. Edinburgh B 5.

Final B:

1. Grangemouth A 24½; 2=. Wandering Dragons B, Stirling 18½; 4=. Grangemouth B, Perth 14½; 6. Cathcart B 13; 7. Bankton B 6; 8. Edinburgh C 2½.

Other prizewinners were:

Preliminary A: Edinburgh A Preliminary B: Cathcart A

Preliminary C: Wandering Dragons A 

Team Lightning Final Section A 2005

Team	HMB	HMA	EWA	WDA	EDA	CCA	EWB	BKA	EDB	Total
1 Hamilton B	x	2	3	2	2½	4	4	4	4	25½
2 Hamilton A	2	x	2	2	4	4	3	4	4	25
3 Edinburgh West A	1	2	x	3	4	3	3	4	4	24
4 Wandering Dragons A	2	2	1	x	3	2½	3	3	4	20½
5 Edinburgh A	1½	0	0	1	x	2½	4	3	1½	13½
6 Cathcart A	0	0	1	1½	1½	x	2½	4	2½	13
7 Edinburgh West B	0	1	1	1	0	1½	x	2½	4	11
8 Bankton A	0	0	0	1	1	0	1 2	x	3	6½
9 Edinburgh B	0	0	0	0	2½	1½	0	1	x	5