Fourth team and additional club night brought in for new season

Four Shrewsbury teams will compete in the Shropshire Chess League for the first time in more than 20 years, it has been revealed.

Shrewsbury D will be led by newly-appointed captain Nick Nuthall and will compete in division three in the forthcoming season. A second club night will be introduced on Mondays to help cater for the additional home fixtures at Cromwell’s Tap House, writes Peter Kitchen.

Both the plan to introduce a D team and the idea to create a second match night were unanimously supported by members at the club’s annual general meeting on Wednesday following an in-depth discussion of views.

It was agreed the new Monday night sessions would be for league matches only in order to not dilute the atmosphere at traditional club nights on Wednesdays. Shrewsbury A and C will play home matches on Wednesdays and Shrewsbury B on Mondays, with a night yet to be agreed for Shrewsbury D.

Club secretary Peter Kitchen, who had raised the idea at the AGM, said it was hoped the move would enable as many members as possible to play competitive chess and also play at a level that suited them.

It comes just 12 months after the club reintroduced a C team and reflects the rapid rate of growth at the club, with membership now clearing the 30 mark.

In addition, the club has made a submission to league controller Dan Hilditch-Love requesting that Shrewsbury A and B compete in division two next season and the C and D teams in division three. If ratified, it would be the first time in more than two decades that Shrewsbury would not have a team competing in the top flight.

The club will also continue to field two teams in Shropshire Rapidplay Chess League and one Shrewsbury Pirates team in 4NCL Online. All of last season’s captains were re-elected to their roles at last week’s AGM.

Kitchen said: “We are really keen to ensure everyone has the opportunity to play chess at a level where they feel they can compete – that is what has driven our desire to create a fourth team and have a second night to cater for the extra matches.

“It is so encouraging that the club’s members were fully on board with this – it wasn’t by any means clear cut at the start of the evening and I’m really grateful to everyone who offered their views for and against the idea.

“What is most heartening is that so many of our newer players spoke so positively about the welcoming atmosphere and vibe at the club and how they were so keen to protect that going forward.

“It is sad that the first team looks set to drop out of division one, but there’s a bigger picture long-term – and at the moment the club feels like it is in a really healthy place and heading in the right direction.”

Shrewsbury A and B finished bottom of Shropshire Chess League divisions one and two respectively last season. It was the third season running that the A team had finished in the bottom two, despite recording a record points tally for a team finishing bottom of the table, while Shrewsbury B felt short of their bid for safety after promotion from division three the previous season.

The C team, led by Ben Howells, was made up of players almost entirely new to competitive chess and performed creditably. They finished sixth out of eight teams, securing two wins and five draws from their 14 matches.