Stockport and District Chess League |
Updated on 11/09/2023
Early
Years
The League was formed in 1951. It had the unusual distinction of holding its
first AGM during 1951 prior to any matches having ever been played. The founding
clubs were Stockport, Hyde, Cheadle Hulme British Legion, East Cheshire, Marple
Bridge, Macclesfield, North West Road Car Company, and Wilmslow. It is not recorded
who the first League Champions were. Other teams who played in the League during
the first few years included Northenden, Woodhouse Park/Wythenshawe, Brookdale,
and Congleton.
It was an original rule of the League that no players of "County Strength"
be allowed to play for any teams. This rule endured for many years, albeit in
modified forms. The main modification that occurred a few years later was that
a team was now allowed two "County Strength" players. In 1962 these
players were categorised as "First Class" players and the following
players were so registered: D Swift (Marple Bridge), J S Ridgway and R A Cresswell
(Wilmslow), S Milan and W Annand (Stockport).
During the first season teams consisted of 6 players, but this was then altered
to 7 players. The time limit was 24 moves in one hour and 12 moves per half-hour
thereafter.
The first President of the League was E Higginbottom of Stockport and the Secretary
was C E Sinclair of East Cheshire.
Below is an extract from the Secretary's report to the AGM held at the end of
the first season of the League:-
May 7th, 1952
Mr Chairman, Gentlemen,
When we held the first AGM of the Stockport and District Chess League a year
ago, I am sure most of us felt a bit apprehensive about the coming first season.
I certainly did, because I felt responsible for bringing you all together. Let
me say at once that, so far as I can see, we were 100% successful in our plans
and hopes. Every club taking part in the league fulfilled its programme, there
were no disputes, no defaults and, so our treasurer tells me, everybody paid
up.
As a matter of fact, talking as a chess official for some 20 years in various
leagues and clubs, I have seldom seen such a happy state of affairs. If our
clubs show the same enthusiasm and sportsmanship in the future, then we have
nothing to worry about.
In 1957 Mr Sinclair died and left substantial bequests to various Chess organisations.
The Stockport League received the sum of £1,000. These bequests were payable
on the death of his wife (Mrs Sinclair died in 1975 and the legacy was received
in 1977).
The 1970s and 1980s
In season 1971/2 the Charnley Knockout Cup was inaugurated. It was named after
the then League Fixtures Secretary, Ken Charnley. Mr Charnley died in 1979.
In 1972 the League season was extended to the middle of May because of the effects
of the Power Cuts.
In 1974/5 there was a record entry of 19 teams from 12 clubs. During 1974 the
death of John Day the secretary of Knutsford Chess Club was recorded. Mr Day
who was both blind and diabetic was an active player and administrator. He had
re-formed the then defunct Knutsford club in 1945.
The 1980 AGM was not held at the usual time of year but was eventually held
in September. A Sub-Committee subsequently sat to examine ways to revitalise
the League with special regard to the poor state of the finances of many Clubs.
Various suggestions were put forward, most of which did not come to fruition.
These included dividing the sum of £1300 between the Clubs from League
funds, and the appointment of a League Publicity Officer. Two proposals that
were accepted were that a League Handbook be produced (First Editor B Sheard
in season 1981/2) and also that a League Bulletin be issued at regular intervals
(First Editor V W Knox).
Recent Years
In 1999 the League increased the number of moves required to be made before
the first time control from 30 to 36 moves in 75 minutes in an effort to reduce
the number of adjourned games. The change had that effect.
In 2001 the League’s secretary, Mike Tunstall, started a website which
people could contribute to and visit.
Latterly the number of clubs and teams has been declining. Consequently, the
number of divisions dropped from four to three for a number of seasons.
In 2013/2014 a new division, the Limit League, was formed for players graded 120 and below.
In 2016 a Rapidplay League was started, to take place during the summer months.
Season Divisions Clubs
Teams
1996/1997 four 13 24
1997/1998 four 13 23
1998/1999 three 12 23
1999/2000 three 12 20
2000/2001 three 12 20
2001/2002 three 12 21
2002/2003 three 12 21
2003/2004 three 11 20
2004/2005 three 11 20
2005/2006 three 11 21
2006/2007 three 11 22
2007/2008 three 11 22
2008/2009 three 12 23
2009/2010 three 12 20
2010/2011 three 13 23
2011/2012 four 14 26
2012/2013 three 13 23
2013/2014 four 9 25
2014/2015 four 10 23
2015/2016 four 10 26 (+ 9 Rapidplay teams)
2016/2017 four 11 25 (+ 8 Rapidplay teams)
2017/2018 four 11 25 (+ 11 Rapidplay teams)
2018/2019 four 13 26 (+ 9 Rapidplay teams)
2019/2020 four 13 25
2020/2021 none
2021/2022 none
2022/2023 three 10 19
Trophies Record
Division 1
1955 Wilmslow
1956 E Cheshire & Wilmslow
1959 Stockport & Wilmslow
1960 Stockport
1962 Stockport
1963 Stockport
1964 Wilmslow
1965 Stockport
1966 Stockport
1967 E Cheshire
1968 Marple
1969 E Cheshire
1970 E Cheshire
1971 Marple & Wilmslow
1972 Marple & Stockport
1973 Bramhall & Marple
1974 Stockport A
1975 Stockport A
1976 Stockport A
1977 Marple & ICI A
1978 ICI A & East Cheshire
1979 ICI A & Knutsford
1980 ICI A
1981 Marple A
1982 Marple A
1983 East Cheshire A
1984 Altrincham A
1985 Macclesfield
1986 Wythenshawe A
1987 Wythenshawe A
1988 Stockport A
1989 Stockport A
1990 Stockport A
1991 Stockport A
1992 Stockport A
1993 Stockport A
1994 Stockport A
1995 Stockport A
1996 Stockport A
1997 Stockport A
1998 Holmes Chapel
1999 Stockport A
2000 Stockport A
2001 Stockport Reds
2002 Holmes Chapel
2003 Holmes Chapel
2004 Holmes Chapel
2005 Stockport Blues
2006 Stockport Blues
2007 Stockport Blues
2008 Stockport Blues
2009 Stockport Blues
2010 Holmes Chapel
2011 Holmes Chapel
2012 Marple A
2013 Marple A
2014 Marple A
2015 Marple A
2016 Marple A
2017 Chorlton A
2018 Stockport A
2019 Chorlton
2020 Macclesfield A
2021-2022 No Competition
2023 Stockport A
Division 2
1973 Heald Green
1974 Heald Green
1975 Macclesfield
1976 ICI B
1977 Hawker Siddeley
1978 Wilmslow
1979 Wilmslow B
1980 Wilmslow B
1981 Wilmslow A
1982 Altrincham A
1983 Knutsford
1984 Stockport A
1985 Wilmslow A
1986 Altrincham A
1987 Macclesfield A
1988 Knutsford
1989 Marple A
1990 Sale A
1991 Holmes Chapel
1992 High Peak A
1993 East Cheshire A
1994 Sale A
1995 Macclesfield A
1996 Stockport B
1997 Sth Manchester B
1998 Stockport B
1999 Altrincham & Hale
2000 Marple A
2001 Macclesfield A
2002 Macclesfield B
2003 East Cheshire A
2004 Marple A
2005 Altrincham & Hale
2006 Macclesfield A
2007 Macclesfield B
2008 East Cheshire A
2009 Denton
2010 Chorlton
2011 Macclesfield A
2012 Macclesfield A
2013 Marple B
2014 East Cheshire A
2015 Macclesfield A
2016 Stockport B
2017 Macclesfield B
2018 East Cheshire A
2019 Stockport B
2020 East Cheshire A
2021-2022 No Competition
2023 Urmston
Division 3
1981 Wilmslow B
1982 Marple C
1983 Brit Aerospace A
1984 E Cheshire B
1985 Wythenshawe B
1986 Altrincham B
1987 Wythenshawe B
1988 Bramhall A
1989 Macclesfield B
1990 Holmes Chapel
1991 High Peak B
1992 Sth Manchester
1993 High Peak B
1994 Bramhall B
1995 Marple & District A
1996 Sth Manchester B
1997 Altrincham & Hale
1998 E Cheshire A
1999 High Peak B
2000 Marple B
2001 Stockport C
2002 East Cheshire A
2003 Chorlton
2004 Bramhall A
2005 Denton
2006 High Peak B
2007 Bramhall A
2008 Altrincham A
2009 Bramhall
2010 Altrincham
2011 Wilmslow B
2012 Marple B
2013 Ashton
2014 Macclesfield B
2015 Macclesfield B
2016 Macclesfield C
2017 Wilmslow
2018 Denton
2019 Worsley
2020 Macclesfield C
2021-2023 No Competition
Division 4
1983 Inaugural Year
1984 Faulkners Arms
1985 Stockport B
1986 Wythenshawe B
1987 Chess Nuts
1988 Macclesfield B
1989 No Competition
1990 Sale B
1991 Stockport C
1992 Bramhall B
1993 Stockport C
1994 Bramhall C
1995 Sth Manchester B
1996 Bramhall B
1997 Trafford Eagles B
1998 High Peak B
1999-2011 No Competition
2012 Macclesfield B
2013-2023 No Competition
Limit League
2013 Inaugural Year
2014 East Cheshire
2015 Marple
2016 Stockport
2017 Denton
2018 Denton
2019 Stockport
2020 Stockport
2021-2022 No Competition
2023 Ashton
Charnley Cup
1973 Macclesfield
1974 ICI
1975 Wilmslow
1976 Wilmslow
1977 ICI
1978 Wythenshawe
1979 Wythenshawe
1980 Stockport
1981 Wythenshawe
1982 Wilmslow
1983 Wilmslow
1984 Wythenshawe
1985 Stockport
1986 Wythenshawe
1987 Stockport
1988 Macclesfield
1989 Stockport
1990 Altrincham
1991 Stockport
1992 Stockport
1993 Stockport
1994 Stockport
1995 Holmes Chapel
1996 Stockport
1997 Stockport
1998 Stockport
1999 Stockport
2000 Stockport
2001 Stockport
2002 High Peak
2003 Holmes Chapel
2004 Stockport
2005 Stockport
2006 Stockport
2007 Stockport
2008 High Peak
2009 Stockport
2010 Denton
2011 Holmes Chapel
2012 Marple
2013 Holmes Chapel
2014 Marple
2015 Marple
2016 Marple
2017 Stockport
2018 Stockport
2019 Stockport
2020 unfinished
2021-2022 No Competition
2023 Stockport
President's Cup
2012 Inaugural Year
2013 Marple
2014 Altrincham
2015 Macclesfield
2016 Stockport
2017 Stockport
2018 Stockport
2019 Stockport
2020 unfinished
2021-2022 No Competition
2023 Urmston
Rapidplay League
2016 Stockport Aces
2017 Stockport Aces
2018 Altrincham Archers
2019 Stockport Aces
2020-2023 No Competition
Individual Knockout "A"
1963 A Booth & PJ Moore
1964 Ligema
1966 Marshall
1972 R Watts
1973 E Harrison
1974 GM Jones
1979 AD Wilson
1980 T Bennett
1981 AR Soames
1982 HB Leigh
1983 JK Storrow
League Trophy Winner (Major) - successor to Individual Knockout
"A"
1984 G Trueman
1985 G Kolbusz
1986 S Pain
1987 M Doherty
1988 P Southwell
1989 J Walton
1990 J Alderton
1991 D Boyle
1992 JD Clements
1993 J Vivante-Sowter
1994 RP Vann
1995 AL Coe
1996 G Laurence
1997 G Kolbusz
1998 A Longson
1999 J Fish
2000 G Laurence
2001 G Kolbusz
2002 G Laurence
2003 M Tunstall
2004 AL Coe
2005 S Murray
2006 D Lobo
2007 DA Risley
League Trophy Winner (Inter)
1994 KR Choudhury
1995 T Papachristou
1996 S Saxon
1997 RJ White
1998 RJ White
1999 M Crowther
2000 M Crowther
2001 MI Connor
2002 K Linke
2003 AL Coe
2004 C Gartside
2005 T. Woodfinden
2006 K Linke
2007 C Gartside
Individual Knockout "B"
1966 R Knowles
1967 EM White
1972 D Brennan
1974 GM Jones
1980 P Woodfinden
1981 A Lane
1982 M Renshaw
1983 R Norcliffe
Vic Knox Trophy
(in the early years, before the Trophy was instituted, this list names those
players with the best percentage performance over the season)
1999 R Newman
2000 DI Hulmes
2001 AL Coe
2002 K Linke
2003 MR Addie
2004 A Longson
2005 JSM Lysons
2006 RJ Edwards
2007 C Jackson
2008 Alan Luo
2009 C Lewdanski
2010 Karl Lockett
2011 Philip Armstrong
2012 Rob McLean
2013 Philip Armstrong
2014 Daniel Fernandez & Alex Longson
2015 Michael P Crowther
2016 Alex Longson
2017 Richard Evans
2018 Sarah Longson
2019 Roger Fairfield
2020 Damien McElvenny
2021-2022 No Competition
2023 Allan Beardsworth
Eric Harrison Cup
1990 J Alderton
1991 JS Walton
1992 D Lee
1993 J Collier
1994 R Aynsley-Smith
...
1996 J Fish
1997 R Taylor
1998 A Longson
...
2001 J Blackburn
2002 J Blackburn
2003 J Lobo
2004 J Lobo
2005 B Topper
2006 V John
2007 not awarded
2008 James Wei
2009 Joris Gerlagh
2010 James Wei
2011 Michael Fernandez
2012 Michael Fernandez
2013 Kevin Ye
2014 Ioannis Lentzos
2015-6 not awarded
2017 George Bell
2018 James Neve
2019 Denzel Supatan
2020-2023 not awarded