After struggling to get out of Division four for a number of years, this year Eastleigh Railway C challenged for the Division two promotion spot. This was due to the increase in strength of the team, with John Zastapilo deciding to play for the C team, rather than the B and C team; Ex British Rail stalwart Ivan Willis took the top board and played extremely well. Ivan did not lose a game and his four wins included inflicting the only loss on Iain Stenhouse.

P.Hurn

130

9

7

1

1

7.5

83.3

142.1

P.Marshall

117

8

3

3

2

4.5

56.3

120.0

D.Pletcher

u

6

3

2

1

4.0

66.7

105.6

A.Samuels

147

4

3

1

0

3.5

87.5

150.0

N.Packer

131

3

3

0

0

3.0

100.0

144.7

I.Stenhouse

145

5

2

2

1

3.0

60.0

131.8

L.C.Walters

112

2

2

0

0

2.0

100.0

136.5

A.Summers

97

4

1

1

2

1.5

37.5

66.3

G.Moore

123

1

1

0

0

1.0

100.0

164.0

D.Murchie

88

3

1

0

2

1.0

33.3

72.7

T.Hutchins

u

1

0

1

0

0.5

50.0

79.0

Total

46

26

11

9

32

68.5

As mentioned, Southampton C were the dominant force in Division Three, with a number of players that have played at a much higher level. Although the average age of the team is pretty high, players of the calibre of Peter Marshall, Iain Stenhouse and Len Walter continue to show that age does not stop you playing good chess.

Paul Hurn was extremely brutal on board two and three, losing only the one game to Bob Patterson and drawing one against John Zastapilo. Alec Samuels was also very impressive in his four games and Len Walters won both of his games. For Southampton C to survive in the very competitive Division Two next season, they will have to get their 140+ players to play in most of the matches.

M.Avery

74

7

4

0

3

4.0

57.10

92.9

M.Gransden

101

9

1

4

4

3.0

33.3

98.9

D.Fields

109

10

2

1

7

2.5

25.0

100.8

W.Richards

u

6

2

1

3

2.5

41.7

92.0

R.Casey

99

6

2

0

4

2.0

33.3

96.8

J.Sorby

90

6

2

0

4

2.0

33.3

76.0

B.J.Knight

113

3

0

1

2

0.5

16.7

99.0

Total

47

13

7

27

17

35.1

Southern Water were involved in a relegation battle with with Winchester C which they won, in no part due to drawing one of the matches against both Southampton C and Eastleigh Railway C.

M.Avery played to almost 20 points higher than his grade and was the pick of the Southern Water players along with W.Richards who had 2 wins in his 6 games.

N.Missoulis

132

9

6

2

1

7.0

77.8

141.6

B.McManus

124

5

4

1

0.0

45.5

90.0

141.6

I.Van Delft

112

7

4

0

3

4.0

57.1

112.1

Alex George

u

6

3

0

3

3.0

50.0

98.4

B.Soares

u

2

2

0

0

2.0

100.0

151.0

N.McQuillan

u

2

1

1

0

1.5

75.0

130.0

M.Hasenburch

u

1

1

0

0

1.0

100.0

174.0

A.Syed

114

2

1

0

1

1.0

50.0

102.0

G.Burgess

100

3

1

0

2

1.0

33.1

70.7

Adam Mo

u

2

0

1

1

0.5

25.0

65.5

A.Devan

u

3

0

1

2

0.5

16.7

47.0

Total

42

23

6

13

26

61.9

It took a while for University B to kick into gear, but when they got their best team out they were very dangerous, as can be seen from their heavy wins against Winchester C and Southern Water B. They did struggle to get a team out sometimes though, and defaulted one match and a number of games.

Nikos Missoulis scored very well on top board, with wins against Bernhard Kight and Peter Przbycin. Ben McManus, B.Soares and M.Hasenburch only dropped the one draw in their total of 8 games and if University B can get these players to play more games next season I think they will be be the favourites to gain the promotion spot.