A Blitzing Success at Boston Spa!

Last Wednesday, Boston Spa played host to our annual Handicap Swiss Blitz Tournament, and although the sun may have tempted a few players away, 12 brave entrants turned up ready for battle over the 64 squares.

A big thank you to John Grasham, who once again ran the event seamlessly—keeping the clocks ticking and the players honest!

After eight intense rounds, one name rose above the rest:

🎉 Congratulations to Peter Ackley, our 2025 Blitz Champion, finishing with an impressive 7.5/8!

🏅 Second place went to the ever-consistent Richard Sanger, and

🥉 Last year’s winner, Richard Hardy, took a strong third.

Interestingly, all three podium finishers came from the top third of the grading handicap, proving that even when you’re giving time odds, cool nerves and sharp tactics still prevail.

That said, many of their wins came with just seconds left on the clock, so next year we might consider turning the handicap dial up a notch!

Category Winners & Book Bounties

📚 In the middle grading category, Ian Carrigan took top spot and walked away with his choice of chess literature—generously donated by David Halpin and Alan Riddle. True to form, Ian picked up a book on the 1.b4 opening—a fitting choice for a man of bold ambitions!

🏆 The lower grading category ended in a tie between Mick Carrigan and Vas, who both earned well-deserved book prizes of their own.

Player of the Season

This year’s hotly anticipated Player of the Season award, which goes to the club member with the best win rate in Leeds Chess Association team events, saw a changing of the guard:

🥉 3rd – Peter Ackley, 8/11

🥈 2nd – Mick Connor, 10.5/14

🥇 1st – Dan Staples, 5/6

👏 Huge congratulations to Dan, who not only earns bragging rights, but also takes home the Shield for the year and keeps the trophy!

Most Improved Player – A Blast from the Past

A brand-new prize this season, the Most Improved Player award comes courtesy of a vintage trophy, rediscovered and donated by Jim Postill from the old Boston Spa club—last awarded back in the 1980s!

This prestigious prize goes to the player with the biggest rating increase between September and June (excluding provisional ratings):

🥉 3rd - Peter Ackley – +75

🥈 2nd - Richard Sanger – +80

🥇 1st - Bertie Leatham – a jaw-dropping +235!

👏 What a season for Bertie—definitely a name to watch in the coming years! Again, Bertie gets to take home the trophy and gets to keep the smaller one.

Final Draw of the Night

To wrap up the evening, the raffle for four hours of online training with IM Brandon Clarke was drawn... and guess whose name came up yet again?

🎉 Congratulations to Peter Ackley—proving that on and off the board, he's this season’s man to beat!

Here’s to another fantastic event full of camaraderie, clock pressure, and competitive spirit. See you over the board soon!

Leeds Chess Association AGM – New Faces, Fond Farewells, and Fresh Victories

To round off the season, the Leeds Chess Association AGM brought a few big announcements and well-deserved recognitions.

🆕 First up, a new club joins the fray! Welcome to Farsley Chess Club, who will be entering the league next season—we look forward to meeting them over the board!

💼 Closer to home, we’re proud to announce that our very own Steve Hodgson has taken on the role of LCA Treasurer. Huge congratulations, Steve!

👏 The meeting also included a vote of heartfelt thanks to Steve Burton, who steps down after many dedicated years of service in the Treasurer role. His contribution was recognised with a spontaneous and well-earned round of applause, and the accounts were accepted unanimously.

Trophy Presentations – Celebrating a Season of Success

The evening concluded with the presentation of league and individual trophies, highlighting outstanding performances across all divisions and events:

Congratulations to all the winners—a fantastic finish to a season full of sharp play, sportsmanship, and surprises.

I won the Gambit Trophy (Duncan Stables from our club won this in 2022-23 season) which is presented to the person with the most wins across all the Leeds Competitions (Probably down to me playing more games than most people!)

Here’s to another exciting season ahead!