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Last updated 21 March 2020
MCCU Correspondence Chess
Phil Morgan new skipper at Nottingham
21 Mar 2020. Led by Phil, the Nottinghamshire team is the only Mildands team in Division 1 competing for the Ward-Higgs trophy. Further information is on the NCA website.
MCCU president represents England in England vs Europe match
1 Nov 2018, Ray Dolan reports. Midland players are representing England in a massive 136 board webserver tournament hosted by ICCF. Midland players include: Brian Thopson, Richard Webster, Oliver Graham, Peter Ackley and Phil Beckett (Notts), Ray Dolan (Staffs), Marek Soszynski (Warks), Stan Grayland, Stephen Woodhouse and David Waud (Worcs).
Resurgence of Midlands Correspondence Chess
8 Apr 2018, Philp Morgan reports. In Division 3 of the County and District Correspondence Chess Championship in which 6 of the 11 teams represent Midland Counties - Worcesterhire A and B, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire B. (The latter should be more accurately called Warwickshire D, as the county has 3 teams playing in the higher divisions of the competition A top quality Board 1 match between SIM Jonathan Tait, Notts, and IM David Anderton of Staffs. ended 2 draws. Lincolnshire sat on top of the table for some time with 9½ points from their 16 completed games. Worcestershire A have just overtaken them with 10 points from 14 completed games. They are being strongly pressed by Nottinghamshire and Essex D, each on 12 points from 9 games. An exciting finish seems in prospect. Full results at ICCF website.
MCCU correspondence team plays Natcor: MCCU lead 12-8
17 Apr 2018. Brian Turner (Worcs) completes his winning games.
6 Apr. Ian Scott (Lincs) completed a second victory by post.
18 Feb. Lead now stretches to 8-3 with another win from Larry Hayden.
22 Jan. MCCU now lead 7-3 with a win from Ian Scott (Lincs).
15 Jan. Match now 6-3 in favour of MCCU after Laurence Hayden's (Leics) win on board 1 in his white game.
18 Dec. Match now 5-3 in favour of MCCU after a loss on board 2.
20 Nov. Rob Sutton (Worcester) wins on board 2 to take MCCU 5 - 2 up.
26 Oct. MCCU now 4-2 up after Natcor captain wins his games.
10 Oct. MCCU are now 4-0 up after Stephen Woodhouse (Worcs) won both his games on board 5.
14 Sep. Shock early win for MCCU. Rob Marks (Warks) on board 4 won both his games.
30 Aug, Ray Dolan reports. Ray Dolan leads the MCCU team and Paul Pope the Natcor team. The MCCU line-up using web-server is Matthew Jordan (Worcs), Robert Sutton (Worcs), Brian Turner (Worcs), Rob Marks (Warks) and Brian Turner (Worcs); using e-mail, are Alan Ruffle (Worcs), Geoff Rosser (Staffs), Peter Sherlock (Notts), Tony West (Worcs), Tom Stokes (Lincs); and using post are Laurence Hayden (Leics), Ian Scott (Lincs), Graham Payne (Staffs) and William Taylor (Notts). All players have two games one as white and one as black against the same opponent. Ten moves should be completed within 30 days and unused time is carried forward until a result is agreed.
27 Jul, Ray Dolan reports. Thirteen players will represent the MCCU in the match that is scheduled to start in August. Worcestershire provide Tony West, Alan Ruffle, Stephen Woodhouse, Matthew Jordan, Brian Turner and Robert Sutton, Lincolnshire Tom Stokes, Peter Sherlock and William Taylor; Staffordshire, Graham Payne; and Leicestershire Laurence Hayden.
National Correspondence Chess Club
The club offers members the En Passant magazine. There are individual, team and freindly tournaments to enter.
2014-15 Warks get Bronze in Division 1
Warwickshire A were again third on 9½, one point behind winners Essex A, who beat Yorkshire A on tie-break in the Ward Higgs competition of the Counties & District Corresponsdence Chess Championship.
2013-14 Warks third in Division 1
Warwickshire A shared second place with Yorkshire B on 10 points in the Ward Higgs competition. The winning team was Yorkshire A on 11½ points.
2012-13 tournament is by electronic transmission
The rising price and slower delivery of postal mail means that this year's tournament is by electronic transmission of moves. The Controller was Cyril Johnson to whom entries by e-mail should be sent by 15 December. Entry is free to MCCU players and there is a gift voucher prize sponsored by Chess Direct.
2011-12 Midlands correspondence chess championship won by Keith McLaughlin
Not only did Keith win with a clean sweep 6 out of 6: this is also the fifth year in succession he has won the tournament.
The PC Gibbs Midlands correspondence chess championship
The PC Gibbs Tournament was open to anyone eligible to play for the MCCU counties (Derbyshire, Greater Manchester, Herefordshire, Leicestershire & Rutland, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire,Warwickshire, Worcestershire). The 2011-12 competition starts in August. The competition is run as an all-play-all tournament.
For 2011-12 competition, and previous year's results, please use the menu on the left. There was no competition in 2004. The editor does not have results for 2005 or 2006.
Correspondence chess
Correspondence chess in now mostly played by e-mail to save on postal costs, but the webmaster understands that one competitor prefers to play by post. Correspondence chess is ideal for players who have an unpredictable work schedule or place of work and those who cannot leave the house because they care for a member of their family, or who are housebound themselves. In theory you can take a day to decide your move, but in the real world, wives, girlfriends, neighbours and other distractions claim all but a few disciplined players. It is just so easy to write down or type unintended moves even when you have put thought into deciding the best move to play. Serious blunders are nearly as common as in over-the-board games. At the highest level, competitors often try out 'experimental' openings to get opponents away from established lines of play and games are often spectacular.