Altrincham & Hale Chess Club

Minutes of the 2024 AGM held at 7:30 p.m. on Monday 16

September 2024

Attendees – Tony Lane, Nick Lowe, Tom Tomkins (Chair), Steve Ward, Reg Clucas,

Keith Edwards, Danilo Soares, Sheraz Khalil, Alan Tyson, Nicolas Rojas, Myles Lewis, Paul

Brown, Joseph Ko, Gaurav & Taarush Goel

1. Apologies for absence – Mark Hann, Richard White, Steve Burgess

2. Minutes of 2023 AGM were agreed to be correct.

3. Matters arising

The website has now been moved to a reputable hosting service.

4. Officers' reports

Treasurer

The accounts for year ending August 31

2024 are below.

ALTRINCHAM&HALECHESSCLUB

AccountsForYearEnded31August2024

2024 2023

£ £ £ £

Income

Subscriptions 16 1,280.00 14 280.00

Newmembers 3 125.00 1 10.00

Juniors 2 40.00 2 20.00

Interest 8.20 1.01

21 1,453.20 17 311.01

Expenditure

Rent 865.00 335.00

Insurance 0.00 0.00

ManchesterLeague 15.00 0.00

StockportLeague 0.00 0.00

SummerLeague 8.00 0.00

Websitecosts 30.00 0.00

Keycutting&batteries 0.00 19.50

Sundries 0.00 0.50



Totalexpenses (918.00) (355.00)

Surplusfortheyear 535.20 (43.99)

Reservesboughtforward (74.94) (30.95)

Reservescarryforward 460.26 (74.94)

BALANCESHEET

Balances BuildingSociety

31Aug24 505.26 31Aug23 100. 06

Cash 20.00 0.00

Debtor Subscriptions 5.00 0.00

Prepayment Subscriptions (40.00) 0.00

Accrual Rent 0.00 (75.00)

Creditors Nick 0.00 (100.00)

Reg (30.00) 0.00

NetAssets 460.26 (74.94)

Secretary's Report 2024

In last year's report, I mentioned my concern that we would not have sufficient members to cover

the room rental. So it is pleasing to report that we have had a good number of members over the last

year, despite the fairly high membership fees we had to charge. As the Treasurer has mentioned,

this means we are now able to reduce the membership fees, and hopefully this downward trend will

continue.

The year has gone smoothly from the Secretary's point of view, and there is little else to include in

this report that is not already covered in other agenda items!

Reg Clucas 15th September 2024

Tom Tomkins proposed a vote of thanks to Reg for his work as Secretary, which was agreed by the

meeting.

Team captain's report – Stockport League

It was good to return to the Stockport League after missing three seasons due to the pandemic and

our subsequent lack of a venue.

We played in Division 2, and got off to a great start with a 4½-½ win over Ashton. This was an

even better result than it looked, as Ashton subsequently went on to win all their remaining 7

matches, conceding just 5 more game points. Meanwhile we won our next two matches, and hopes

were high that we could repeat our 2023 Summer League success with promotion to the top

division. However, the wheels came off after that and our next four matches saw two defeats and

two draws. We won our final match and finished joint 3rd out of 9 teams, a respectable position.

In the Charnley Cup knockout competition we were drawn away to the eventual winners Chorlton,

which predictably ended our interest in the competition, though we did draw three of the games.

Reg Clucas 15th September 2024

Team captain's report – Manchester League

At last year’s AGM I only had a Summer League Captain’s Report to deliver. I explained in that

report how the absence of chess during the pandemic was followed by a period when we had no

venue and an uncertain membership. Consequently, we only resumed competitive chess from our

new venue here at the Timperley Village Club in the Summer of 2023.

The Manchester Chess Federation made tentative steps back to over the board chess with 4 smaller

divisions competing in Autumn 2021 and Spring 2022, and its more normal competitive format

followed in 2022/23. We resumed our participation in the 2023/24 season, so this is my first

Manchester League Captain’s Report since 2019/20. In that season we had played in the top A

division, but for only the third time in my 28 years as captain. Moreover, we had only ever won one

game in that division, and in 2019/20 we lost all 7 matches we played before covid stopped play,

scoring a mere 8.5 points out of a possible 49. We were therefore more than happy to resume in

division B on our return. The MCF agreed to promote Eccles and Atherton who had finished top of

division B the previous season, so the top division expanded from 6 to 8 teams. Swinton & Worsley

3 and ourselves replaced them to maintain 9 teams in division B. We joined the first teams of

Urmston and Great Lever, and 5 second teams from Chorlton, Eccles, Bolton, Swinton & Worsley

and 3Cs.

In 2019/20 we had a near record 15 players who represented the club. I am pleased to say that 9 of

these featured again at some stage in the current season. Moreover, 3 previous players made a

return, and AJ and Alan were new players bringing the total representation this season up to a very

respectable 14.

The season got off to a great start with a 3.5-2.5 win in the Wahltuch Trophy against 3Cs2 and we

followed that up with a draw in the league at Urmston. A key factor in those results were two fine

wins on top board by Danilo. Unfortunately, he was unavailable for the rest of the season. His

absence proved transformational for our fortunes. In the other 8 matches we managed only two

more draws. Replacing him on top board proved to be a tough task. Mark managed 2 draws from 3

games, Reg one from 3 games and predictably I lost both times I was required to play on board 1. In

addition, his absence meant that everyone in the team played a board higher than they would

otherwise have expected, a difficult situation which was exacerbated by Mark also being

unavailable for 5 of the last 8 matches.

After our initial league match, we suffered 3 heavy defeats to Swinton & Worsley 2, 3Cs2 and

Great Lever, our only winner being Thomas in his sole appearance, who had a splendid win against

a 1800+ player on Swinton’s bottom board. The New Year saw us exit the Wahltuch with a

disappointing 3.5-2.5 quarter final defeat to Northenden. The remaining 4 league matches saw

losses at Swinton 3 and Chorlton 2 interspersed with home draws against Bolton 2 and finally

Eccles 2. Individual winners in the New Year included Reg, myself, Sheraz, Steve Douglas, Tom

and Richard, the latter two achieving that feat on two occasions. At the end of the season our 3

draws left us at the foot of the table, just 2 points adrift of both Urmston and Bolton 2.

I am pleased to say that despite the tough matches we played, we fielded a full side every game.

Other than Danilo and Thomas who won their early games, Richard had the best percentage score

with 2.5 from 4 games. His total score was bettered by Reg, Sheraz and Tom who all scored 3

points. Mark drew 4 of his 5 games. Although I played every match, I only scored 1.5 points while

Steve Douglas achieved that playing in just half the matches. Bill and Alan chipped in with a point

and half a point, while AJ, Vijay and Steve Ward went unrewarded for their efforts.

Once again I would like to thank all the team members for their support. Next season is due to start

with a cup match next week, and the plan is for A division to revert to just 6 teams and B division to

split into 2 sections of 5 teams each with a play off between the section winners to determine the

overall B division winner. I guess that’s an ingenious way to avoid relegation!

Tony Lane 16 September 2024

Team captain's report – Summer League

Last year I reported how we had managed to become an established member of Division A in the

pre-pandemic era but had returned last summer in Division B after an absence of 3 years. It was a

glorious return as we were rewarded with winning the Division B championship. Consequently, this

summer we were once again able to challenge the finest of Greater Manchester chess in the top

division. This was always going to be a tough assignment but turned out to be much tougher than

expected, given that our top two players, Danilo and Mark, who had served us so well in our title

success playing seven games between them, were only available for a single game.

We started the season with a cup fixture at Swinton. Last year saw us drawn against a Division A

team, Blue Club, and without Danilo or Mark for that particular fixture we had lost 5.5-0.5. So, it

was no surprise when we went out of the cup this summer by the same score. We fared slightly

better in the league but respectable 3.5-2.5 defeats in our first match against 3Cs and our

penultimate fixture against Eccles were sandwiched by heavier 4.5-1.5 defeats to Chorlton and

Atherton and a 5-1 defeat to Blue Club by virtue of a walkover when one of their team went

missing. That was a close escape from a 6-0 hammering, but we were unable to avoid that outcome

in our final fixture last Thursday at Swinton, although AJ came very close to drawing a late finish

endgame. A 4-2 win that night would actually have placed us above Swinton, but the heavy defeat

left us firmly anchored at the bottom of the table, four points adrift of Swinton and Eccles.

The pain of this tough campaign was at least shared out among plenty of the club’s members as 14

of us made an appearance at some stage. In the absence of Danilo and Mark, Reg and I suffered on

the top two boards, apart from Mark’s single appearance against Eccles. Although he lost in that

match, he helped us nearly secure a point, as two of the bottom 3 boards won while Nick accepted a

draw hastily offered by his opponent when he noticed he was about to lose the exchange!

Reg and I stoically played every game. Although we didn’t win any of our combined 14 games, I

would like to point out that I had several extremely close matches against players rated around the

2000 mark. However, ultimately I lost them all! However, despite no wins, Reg had an excellent

season as he drew with 3 of his opponents thereby enhancing his own grade over the course of the

season.

We were very well supported by Sheraz and AJ who played mainly on the next two boards on five

occasions. Both had excellent wins against 1900+ players and Sheraz drew another with a similarly

rated player. Only two of our other players won a game all season. Bill achieved the feat twice in

his 4 appearances and Nic once from the three consecutive games he played at the end of the

season. Unfortunately he’s off to Uni next week so will only now be available in the holidays.

The other seven members to play comprised Nick and Richard who each played twice and both

managed to pick up a draw, and Steve Douglas, Tom, Alan, Faris and Vinay who all played once

with Tom securing a good draw at Chorlton.

Our results may not have been impressive this season, but the fact that we were present for all 49

games despite losing 29 of them and involved 14 members of the club is a fine achievement and I

thank all those who made it possible.

We also ran a 2nd team in the Summer League, for the first time since 2017, enabling several

members to get their first experience of competitive chess. With a mix of juniors, new members and

more experienced players, the team won two and lost four of its six matches, finishing fifth out of

seven teams.

Tony Lane 16 September 2024

5. League Entries for 2024-25

As usual we have entered our first team in both the Manchester League and the Stockport League,

and fixtures are on the respective websites.

Following the popularity of our 2nd team in the Summer League, we have also decided to enter a

2nd team in the Stockport League, in its Limit League division, which is for players rated no higher

than 1600. This means we can continue to give the opportunity for lower rated players, and

inexperienced players, to play competitive chess. The fixtures for this division are not yet available,

but should be out before the end of September.

6. Internal Competitions

No competitions have been held since before the Covid pandemic. The Secretary felt that it is time

these were resumed. So when all our winter league fixtures are known, we will select a free date to

hold the Blitz competition (aka the Captain's Cup). Mark Hann won this when it was last played, in

2019, and will return the trophy.

We also used to hold a handicap blitz competition, in which stronger players are handicapped by

having some of their pieces removed. This is a fun event, so a date close to Christmas may be

appropriate.

The club championship will also be resurrected next year. This is played at standard time rates. In

the past this has been held in two sections, based on ratings, with a trophy for each section.

7. Membership fees

Due to the healthier state of finances compared to this time last year, adult subscriptions for the year

to 31st August 2025 will be reduced to £60. Juniors will remain at £20.

8. Election of Officers

The following officers indicated their willingness to continue and were elected nem con.

Secretary - Reg Clucas to continue

Treasurer - Nick Lowe to continue

New member representative - Steve Ward to continue

Manchester League Captain - Tony Lane to continue

Stockport League team - Reg Clucas to continue (we may subsequently appoint a captain for the

Limit League team)

Summer League team - Tony Lane to continue

President - Tony Lane to continue

Chairman – Tom Tomkins to continue

Mark Hann has stepped down as Competitions organiser, so this post is currently vacant.

The Secretary thanked Steve Ward who, in addition to welcoming potential new members, is

practically an ever present at our weekly meetings, ensuring there is always someone there to open

up. Our previous venues were on licensed premises where there were staff present, thus no access

problems, but at our current venue we have to open and lock up ourselves.

9. Any other business

• It was suggested that, because the club holds members' personal data, we may have to

• Having kitchen facilities available, it was suggested that we provide tea/coffee, at least on

match nights. Many of the clubs we visit have a bar on the premises where refreshments can

be purchased, some others provide refreshments to visiting teams. We could either make a

small charge, or just have a donation box.

• Publicity – (1) it may be possible to get the club shown on Google Maps. There is a

procedure involved to accomplish this, which we will investigate. (2) Timperley Village

Club can arrange for a sign advertising the club on the outside of the building – we will

investigate the cost of this. (3) It would be good to have a volunteer to organise promotion

of the club, e.g. head a small informal group to share ideas and distribute posters, etc.