There’s not many teams in Shropshire that could handle having to make three changes in a five-board team and remain competitive. But that’s exactly what Shrewsbury B did for their midweek trip to face Telford C – and it didn’t do them any harm, writes Peter Kitchen. The Bs returned back down the A5 with the points courtesy of a convincing 4.5-0.5 win, and the team’s second successive win has them handily placed in second place in Shropshire Chess League division two. They are the only team with a 100 per cent winning record, and have a game in hand on leaders Oswestry B. It has led captain David Edwards…

It was a special moment that was the culmination of many months of hard work and recovery. Nick Holmes made his first league appearance for Shrewsbury Chess Club for 18 months when he played on board two for Shrewsbury D away to Darwinian Knights C in Shropshire Chess League division three. It came a little over a year after he suffered a major stroke that has had a huge impact on his day-to-day life, considerably restricting his movement in the right-hand side of his body and seeing him need a powered wheelchair to get about, writes Peter Kitchen. Holmes also captained the side in last week’s fixture in the absence…

Every point won will have to be hard earned and treasured in perhaps the toughest Shropshire Chess League division one in recent years. That’s the view of Shrewsbury A stand-in captain Peter Kitchen after the As ground out a second consecutive 3.5-1.5 win, this time away to Oswestry A. Stephen Priestley’s spectacular sacrificial attack to beat Peter Fisher on board five was the highlight and Olusegun Ilesanmi also won on board four as the As maintained an impressive record of not having yet lost a board. They are one of just two teams – along with next opponents and league leaders Newport Junior A – to still have a 100…

Shrewsbury A will look to build on their promising start to the season in what looks set to be an extremely busy week for the club. The As will travel to Oswestry A on Wednesday (October 21) hoping to follow up a strong 3.5-1.5 opening day win over Telford A and keep pace with the Shropshire Chess League division one pacesetters, writes Peter Kitchen. It is the headline fixture in a week that will see four of the club’s teams in action – including three on the same night. Tuesday will see Shrewsbury C travel to face Newport Rooks and Shrewsbury D face a local derby away to Darwinian Knights…

Shrewsbury B captain David Edwards has hailed a “great team effort” as his side got their Shropshire Chess League division two campaign off to a flying start. The skipper said it was “fantastic” to see his side beat a strong Maddocks B side in their first league match of the season, and said while there were many challenges lying ahead he was confident in the abilities of his “competitive squad and strength in depth”, writes Peter Kitchen. A new-look top order made a huge difference against Maddocks as Olusegun Ilesanmi and Mark Smith – who were both regulars for Shrewsbury A in division one last season – both won on…

Shrewsbury C captain Ben Howells has spoken of his pride in his team after they claimed a statement win over a highly-fancied Newport B side. Howells described his players’ performance in Wednesday’s 3-1 victory as “incredible” as they ended the night unbeaten over the four boards, writes Peter Kitchen. Chris Warrilow and David Walton both made kingside attacks work to claim the all-important victories as Howells’ side got their Shropshire Chess League division three belatedly up and running following their opening 3-1 loss against clubmates Shrewsbury D. Howells was the only survivor from that defeat – and his decision to make three changes bore fruit as Ian Davies and Walton…

A lot can happen in the space of 12 months – just ask Shrewsbury B captain David Edwards. This time last year, Edwards and his side were reeling from the rude awakening of an opening day 5-0 defeat away to Oswestry B. The euphoric bubble of winning division three a few months earlier was well and truly burst by a side who had finished bottom of division two the season before. Welcome to the second tier indeed, writes Peter Kitchen. The Bs fought back from that disappointment and remained competitive throughout the season, only for a late season loss of form saw them condemned to the relegation zone and eventually…

Shrewsbury D Nick Nuthall was “proud” of his side and said he believed they deserved something out of the game after slipping to defeat on an historic night for Maddocks Junior. The newly-formed junior side claimed their first ever Shropshire Chess League victory after coming from behind to win a tight division three clash against the Ds 2.5-1.5, writes Peter Kitchen. Nuthall’s early win over Eli Kynaston proved in vain as both Richard Vernon and Richard Beard fell to defeats as the Ds failed to back up their opening day win over Shrewsbury C. But the skipper was quick to point to the positives on a night when father and…

A frantic scramble submitting the teamsheet and a subsequent half-point penalty weren’t enough to stop Shrewsbury Pirates getting their 4NCL Online division four campaign up and running at the third time of asking. The Pirates defeated an inexperienced Colchester JFF C side 3.5-0.5, with all four players in an unchanged side winning their boards, writes Peter Kitchen. But the comfortable nature of proceedings over the board belied a chaotic build up, when captain Olusegun Ilesnami’s attempts to enter the team line-up were thwarted by problems with the online login system. It contributed to the team’s line-up only being published less than an hour before the scheduled start time, and also…

The “old guard” and the new came together to help a new-look Shrewsbury A get their Shropshire Chess League division one campaign off to a winning start. While one of the side’s stalwarts Peter Kitchen gave the hosts the lead in Wednesday’s tight match with Telford A, it was one of the new generation – summer signing Fred Bench – who sealed the deal with an excellent win on board two to secure a deserved 3.5-1.5 triumph. Bench and fellow new signing Nigel Ferrington both made their league debuts for the club after signing from Telepost – and captain Dan Lockett said the new top order had made a real…