Ashfield Anonymous C has progressed to the Final of Division 4 of the 4NCL Online with a 3-1 win over Hertford 2. We reached this stage by winning our League section, scoring 13/14 points. Our top board, Martin Pettinger, has won his 8 games in this season’s competition.
The Semi-Final was a new and daunting experience for the team as it was played on Zoom, under the direction of FIDE International Arbiter and Executive Director of Chess Scotland, Andy Howie. He was controlling from Dubai, where he was officiating in the slightly more important World Chess Championship Final. Players were all on camera and required to share their screens with the arbiter.
Having now sampled this means of play, which was a step into the unknown for our team, I am convinced for environmental and cost reasons that this offers an exciting and literally ground-breaking option for developing future team chess at all levels.
Ashfield Anonymous will face the strong, York-based, Eagle and Child Chess Club in the Final at 7.30pm on Tuesday 14 December, and can be watched live on the 4 NCL Website here 4NCL Division 4 Final
Phil Morgan