Archive
SAXMUNDHAM & DISTRICT CHESS CLUB
Secretary's Report: Season 1995 – 1996
Saxmundham Chess Club has had a disappointing season with poor attendances on club nights and membership falling to a record low.
It is perhaps inevitable that a small club will be especially vulnerable to severe swings in fortune. Nevertheless, it is of great concern that membership should have halved in the space of two seasons and shows every sign of falling further. I think it is apparent to everyone that there is a limit to how far the club can contract and this must be very close – an injection of new blood is essential.
Lack of support has forced us to withdraw from the National Knockout Competition and the Norfolk & Suffolk Cup. In the Suffolk League Saxmundham fielded two teams instead of three and may only be able to field one next season. It has to be said that were it not for Andrew Paige and Hugo Brown, both of whom stepped in to captain the league teams, we would have had no league competition last season at all!
Not surprisingly, results were equally disappointing. In the first division of the Suffolk League the ‘A’ team finished in bottom place 1½ pts behind Bury St Edmunds. The results of the ‘A’ team were played 11, wins 1, draws 2, losses 8 and points 10.
The ‘B’ team also finished bottom of division 2. Of the 10 games played there were no wins, 2 draws, 8 losses and 9 points collected.
The 1994/95 Club Championship was won by John Feavyour.
Many members will be aware that, sadly, Arthur Crisp died earlier this year. Mr Crisp had been ill for several years, but had previously been very active in Saxmundham chess being a founder member of the club and chairman for many years.
R.F. Gray