Welcome to the Huddersfield League Team page for the Knights, Bishops and Handicap. I hope you are having a good break from chess and I look forwards to the start of a new season. The League should be hotting up this year, with several returning players and David Brown's bulking their membership up. We should expect big hitters to return, such as Peter Shaw and Leo Keeley. 

Get your English, London's, Queen's Gambit, Reti's, Ruy Lopez, Tromp's and E4's ready!

Forgive the bias. I am the Captain for the Knights...

 

The end of Feb game vs David Browns was cancelled due to snow shutting everything down. We are waiting on David Brown's to arrange another date. 

 

24th Jan

Tonight's result is Knights 4 - Bishops 1.

1. Dave Keddie 1 - 0 Nigel Hepworth
2. Steve Westmoreland 1/2 - 1/2 John Lavan
3. Dave Tooley 1 - 0 Kyle Sharpe
4. Nick Sykes 1/2 - 1/2 Rob Sutcliffe 
5. Andrew Dearnley 1 - 0 Craig Sharpe

 

Match Report 22/11/17 Wakefield Vs Huddersfield Knights

On a dark and stormy night, the Knights faced their old rivals Wakefield at the bowling club. The game promised to be a tense affair with grades even on 2 & 3, Wakefield having the advantage on 1 and the remainder in the ‘Field’s’ favour.

Huddersfield nearly got off to a terrible start, with Steve’s opponent failing to turn up for the start and the captain accidentally starting his own clock. Based on this piece of lunacy, it was probably a good idea that Bein fell asleep at home and failed to show until past 9pm, with a default was dully registered by then.

Within minutes of defaulting was Dave Keddie, who 20 minutes behind on the clock threw in the Benko gambit. Taking a pawn lead into end game, it was to look strongly like a draw. Dave had other ideas though, launching a doomed try for a win with just a minute on the clock. It failed.

Nigel Hepworth had an entertaining game using the French defence against Richard Wilson. Entering into the exchange, Nigel castled queen side with a lunge at the white king. A win followed in quick order.

Dave Tooley found himself facing the London, utilising the stonewall Dutch. A lack of aggression from his opponent, led to a draw however.

Which left our debutant Nick Sykes, sweating it out on Board 4….

Ok, the Calderdale League is full of booked up classical players. The Huddersfield is not. It is full of natural, non-book types. To win you need to take risks. Dean had a storming games, with Nick grinding through the game solidly until he found out his opponents grade. Which is when the pressure hit and Nick’s attack went in. Typically, it was the end game that won it but that was the toughest game of the night. Dean should not be graded at 118!

So, 1.5 to 3.5 to Huddersfield and the half way point of the league. A Mexican stand off has now developed between the Knight, Wakefield and David Browns.

See you all next year!

11/10/17 – Huddersfield Knights 1.5 vs David Browns 3.5
1. Dave Keddie 0 vs Leo Keeley 1
2. Steve Westmoreland 1 vs Granville Boot 0
3. David Tooley ½ Vs Alec Ward ½ 
4. Nigel Hepworth 0 vs Simon Anscombe 1
5. Kyle Sharpe 0 vs Brynn Charlesworth 1

13/09/17 - And the Season starts again with....CIVIL WAR!!!!!!

The season commenced with the fixture that the first team did not want. At anytime. That is to start against the B team, who all lined up for a spot of giant slaying, especially with everyone so rusty. To be honest, the Bishops are tricky at the best of time and were the Knight’s main competition last season. Despite the large disparity in grading, this was heavy going.

Usually in a write up, I would say something like ‘first blood was to…’. However, that would be rather unfair as all the games lasted a considerable amount of time. In summary, Dave T in a tight position, prevailed against Brynn. Dave, struggled to make headway against Stuart with a draw resulting. A Mordred Vs Arthur battle was occurring on board 5 as the Sharpe’s drew a father son battle, with Craig confirming his 130 status from last season.