Club Championship

The Club Championship will be a 6-round Swiss tournament, with each round to be played on the dates specified below. Results and rankings are displayed on the right.

Round 1 25/10/23

Round 2 22/11/23

Round 3 13/12/23

Round 4 17/01/24

Round 5 20/03/24

Round 6 17/04/24



Club Championship Rules

Click here to download the full rules as a pdf. The main points are summarised below.

  1. All club members are eligible to enter the Club Championship but, as for league matches, it is also necessary to be an ECF member as the games are graded.
  2. The draw for each round is made using the standard Swiss system with 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw and 0 points for a loss.
  3. All games must be played on the specified date. Exceptions are allowed at the discretion of the tournament controller. However the last round can only be played on the specified date unless there are exceptional circumstances.
  4. Players unable to play on the date specified for a given round must inform the tournament controller before the draw is made (usually by 5pm on the Tuesday 8 days before the round). In such cases the player will receive a ½ point bye, subject to a maximum of two such byes.
  5. Games should normally be played at the club, starting at 7pm, but players are allowed to arrange to play outside the club, subject to the agreement in advance of the tournament controller.
  6. The time control is 75 minutes for the game but with an extra 10 seconds per move, as in the Durham County and Northumberland Leagues.
  7. Players are responsible for sending results to the tournament controller and/or writing the result on the list of fixtures if a printed copy is at the club that night.
  8. The Championships are played as a combined tournament until the final two rounds. Then players with a grade under 1750 enter the Minor Championship section (carrying forward their points) while the other players compete in the Club Championship section. Ungraded players are not automatically eligible for the Minor Championship. The tournament controller will decide on eligibility based on estimate or previous grades.
  9. After the final round the player in the club championship section with the most points is declared the Club Champion. Similarly the highest ranked player in the Minor championship section becomes the Minor Championship Winner.

Club Championship 2023-24 Tables, Fixtures and Results


Current Club Champions (2022/23 season winners)

  • Club Champion: Ken Neat
  • Minor Championship (U-1750) Winner: Philip Brooks


Ranking after Round 5 - 20/03/2024
PosNameGmsWDLScore
1George Gazis44005.0
2Ken Neat54014.0
3Fedir Dyshliuk42113.0
4Philip Brooks*42023.0
5Sebastian Palucha*42023.0
6Thomas Finn*42023.0
7Steve Jefferies*31112.5
8Hari Kumar31022.0
9Sam Brain*21012.0
10Geoff Raw*41031.5
11Keegan Hope*10011.0
12Oliver Belcher*10011.0
13Marco Balocco*30031.0

Players marked * are graded under 1750 so are eligible for the Minor Championship.



Games in Round 6 - 17/04/2024

1Fedir Dyshliuk-Ken Neat.....
2Philip Brooks*-Sebastian Palucha*.....
3Thomas Finn*-Sam Brain*.....
4Keegan Hope*-Geoff Raw*.....
5Marco Balocco*-Oliver Belcher*.....

Absences

Steve Jefferies*-Abs with msgHari Kumar-Disqualified
George Gazis-Pairing alloc bye



Games in Round 5 - 20/03/2024

1Ken Neat-Hari Kumar1-0 (Default)
2Geoff Raw*-Philip Brooks*0-1
3Thomas Finn*-Marco Balocco*1-0
4Sam Brain*-Keegan Hope*1-0

Absences

Oliver Belcher*-Abs with msgSteve Jefferies*-Abs with msg
Fedir Dyshliuk-Abs with msgSebastian Palucha*-Pairing alloc bye
George Gazis-Pairing alloc bye



Games in Round 4 - 17/01/2024

1Steve Jefferies*-George Gazis0-1
2Ken Neat-Hari Kumar1-0 (Default)
3Sebastian Palucha*-Fedir Dyshliuk0-1
4Thomas Finn*-Sam Brain*1-0 (Default)
5Marco Balocco*-Geoff Raw*0-1

Absences

Philip Brooks*-Pairing alloc byeOliver Belcher*-Abs with msg
Keegan Hope-Abs with msg



Games in Round 3 - 13/12/2023

1George Gazis-Ken Neat1-0
2Oliver Belcher*-Steve Jefferies*0-1
3Hari Kumar-Philip Brooks*1-0
4Sebastian Palucha*-Marco Balocco1-0
5Fedir Dyshliuk-Geoff Raw*1-0

Absences

Thomas Finn*-Pairing alloc bye



Games in Round 2 - 22/11/2023

1Ken Neat-Sebastian Palucha*1-0
2Fedir Dyshliuk-George Gazis0-1
3Philip Brooks*-Thomas Finn*1-0

Absences

Oliver Belcher*-Abs with msgGeoff Raw*-Abs with msg
Steve Jefferies*-Abs with msgMarco Balocco-Abs with msg
Hari Kumar-Abs with msg



Games in Round 1 - 25/10/2023

1Geoff Raw*-Ken Neat0-1
2George Gazis-Philip Brooks*1-0
3Steve Jefferies*-Fedir Dyshliuk½-½
4Sebastian Palucha*-Thomas Finn*1-0

Absences

Oliver Belcher*-Abs with msgMarco Balocco-Abs with msg
Hari Kumar-Abs with msg



Previous Club Champions

2022-23

  • Club Champion: Ken Neat
  • Minor Championship (U-1750) Winner: Philip Brooks

2021-22

  • Club Champion: Ken Neat
  • Minor Championship (U-140) Winner: Edwin Smith

2020-21

  • Club Champion: Ken Neat
  • Minor Championship (U-140) Winner: Charlie Hazlerigg

2019-20

  • Club Champion: Thomas Eggleston
  • Minor Championship (U-140) Winners: Edwin Smith

2018-19

  • Club Champion: Thomas Eggleston
  • Minor Championship (U-140) Winners: Steve Jefferies

2017-18

  • Club Champion: Thomas Eggleston
  • Minor Championship (U-140) Winners: Steve Jefferies & Geoff Raw

2016-17

  • Club Champion: Ken Neat
  • Minor Championship (U-140) Winner: Geoff Raw

2015-16

  • Club Champion: Ken Neat
  • Minor Championship (U-140) Winners: Maurice Bell & Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya

2013-14

  • Club Champion: Ken Neat
  • Minor Championship (U-140) Winner: Maurice Bell

2012-13

  • Club Champion: Ken Neat
  • Minor Championship (U-140) Winner: Szymon Palucha

2011-12

  • Club Champion: Dave Renton
  • Minor Championship (U-140) Winner: Tony Shires

2010-11

  • Club Champion: Ken Neat
  • Minor Championship (U-140) Winner: Peter Turner

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