C team loving every moment of division three adventure
Ever since their adventure started at Telford back in September, the players of Shrewsbury C don’t seem to have stopped smiling.
Even though that opening Shropshire Chess League division three encounter ended in a 3.5-0.5 loss to Telford C – the first of three straight defeats – the enthusiasm of the squad hasn’t waned, writes Peter Kitchen.
It has paid off in spades. A 2.5-1.5 win over Newport Knights in November was their first win at the fourth attempt, and the Cs have followed that up with draws against Newport Junior C and Darwinian Knights D to sit sixth in the eight-team division.
It represents a decent start considering none of the squad have ever played competitive league chess, and the aim remains for the team to provide valuable experience to those new to the game.
But that hasn’t stopped captain Ben Howells from being optimistic about what his charges can achieve during the second half of their debut campaign.
“It’s been a very good season so far as experiences stand,” he said. “We’ve got a large team so there is good competition for places.
“Our points tally is increasing game by game and I’m thrilled to see what the next half of the season has to offer.”
The return of the C team has already been a cause for celebration within the club. Shrewsbury traditionally fielded three teams, but had not done so since before the Covid-19 pandemic, and for a time the club only had one team in the local league.
So going back up to three teams shows that the club is in rude health, reflecting the rapidly growing membership and keenness of these new faces to play competitive chess.
Eight players have been used across the side’s six matches so far – all bar one of which had not played league chess for the club before.
Nick Nuthall is the only ever present, and his 2/6 has been achieved playing mainly on the higher boards. Orlando Bell has an impressive 2/3, while Howells is the next highest scorer with 1.5/5.
In addition, it is hoped that some of the players who have joined the club during the season will get more opportunities to play in the new year. Pedro Perez Dominguez made his over-the-board debut for the club during the draw with Newport Junior C, while Patrick Fitch and Chris Warrilow have played online for Shrewsbury Pirates and are pushing for over-the-board debuts themselves.
When asked if he has any targets for the remainder of the season, Howells’s confidence remains undimmed.
“I’d imagine we’d be fighting for the top four spots in our division come the end of the season.”
The first step towards that target comes with a match against Darwinian Junior C on January 20. It is the first of seven fixtures before Howells’ side ends the season away to the same opponents on April 28. It will be fascinating to see how the adventure goes.