Truro and Falmouth Chess Club - News Archive

Following the cessation of official chess activity in Cornwall on March 16, only three rounds of the club championship were completed. Table and results after three rounds.

A lunch was held at Manning's Hotel, Truro on 30^th July to celebrate the award to Robin Kneebone of the ECF President's Award for Services to Chess for 2019. This richly-deserved award recognises the great contribution that Robin has made to Cornish chess for nearly 40 years (and counting!). The citation reads:

"The current healthy state of Cornish chess is in no small regard the legacy of Robin Kneebone. His strong organising ability has served the Cornwall CA well for 30 years as County Secretary, President and Secretary for Junior Chess. He has captained a number of club teams, currently three at the Truro and Falmouth Club and organised a variety of events from the Annual Congress to many junior events. He has also represented the county on the BCF/ECF council."

As well as the ECF award itself (pictured), our President David Jenkins presented Robin with a certificate of congratulation on behalf of Cornwall's chess players.

Ian George

This was played at Carnon Downs Village Hall on Wednesday, May 22. The winner was Jeremy Menadue with 6/7. Peter Doubleday won the Under 130 grading prize and Maria Evdokimova the Ladies' prize. Final scores as follows:

• 6 : Jeremy Menadue
• 5½ : Grant Healey
• 5 : Colin Sellwood (CBN)
• 4½ : Percy Gill (CBN)
• 4 :Peter Doubleday, Ian George (CBN), Richard Smith (CBN)
• 3½: Maia Evdokimova, Ivan Gerasimenko
• 3 : Bryan Jones, Robin Kneebone (out of 6)
• 1 : Sam Edwards, Ornela Mallick

Robin Kneebone

This was played at Carnon Downs Village Hall on Wednesday, February 20. The winner was Grant Healey with 4½/5. Final scores as follows:

• 4½ : Grant Healey
• 4 :Colin Sellwood (CBN), Boris Kostadinov
• 3½: Ian George (CBN)
• 3 : Jeremy Menadue, Richard Smith (CBN), Toby Willis, Dominic Mayhew
• 2½: Ian Renshaw, Hugh Brown
• 2 : Sam Edwards, Peter Doubleday, Jamie Packman, Ivan Gerasimenko
• 1½: Gethin Jones
• 1 : Craig Fenwick (CBN), Tom Neal
• ½: Ornela Mallick

Robin Kneebone

Falmouth Tankard

The club championship has been completed. With six entries it was played as a double round-robin with players arranging their own matches. It was won by Richard Stephens with four wins and a draw from five games played. Ian Renshaw was second with four wins from eight games and Hamad Al-Jaber third.

The Tankard was presented to Richard by Robin Kneebone, the previous holder.

The final standings are as follows:

Results

Standings

13 players contested this event held on April 13^th at our Truro High School venue. The winner was Jeremy Menadue with 4/5. Ian George, Simon Bartlett and Robin Kneebone finished equal 2^nd on 3½ Full scores here.

The final against Camborne took place at the club on 16^th February. The result was a tie with Truro winning on board elimination.

On Monday 12^th January the Cornwall Blitz Championship was revived after a gap of 15 years at our new venue at the High School. It was played as a nine round Swiss with five minutes each on the clock. .

Having won the title and cup three times in a row between 1998 and 2000, Jeremy Menadue resumed where he had left off finishing with 8/9. Equal 2^nd on 6½ were Robin Kneebone and Richard Stephens who inflicted Jeremy's only defeat. There were 16 entries.

Final standings are here

This was held at Tremough on Wednesday, 26^th November 2014. It ended in a three-way tie between Robin Kneebone, Jeremy Menadue and Gary Trudeau on 4/5. Gary retains the lead in the Grand Prix. Results here.

I am sorry to have to report that Mike Middleton has died after a long illness. The funeral took place on Wednesday 5th November.

He was a loyal and valued member of this club for over twenty five years. I remember when he first turned up at the club, I think it was 1987,it didn't seem long before he was helping to run the club, going on to captain one of the teams for many years and on several occasions acting as super sub in the first team when other players dropped out.

I always thought he was younger than he was with all his energy, good humour and enthusiasm. Together with everybody at the club we will all miss him greatly. For the last few years Mike travelled to most of the matches with Terry and Richard; there was never a dull moment in the car: they would discuss current affairs, the good old days and put the world to rights on numerous occasions!

We always try to win the League and the Cups but this year we'll try just a bit harder. A number of Mike's friends from the club came along to the funeral and met his relatives ; we hope in time the family recover from their loss.

Jeremy Menadue