Archive: 2024-2025
2024-2025 Season Report
Our A-Team played the 2024-25 season in the Bristol & District League Division 3.
While results didn't go the way we wanted, most matches were close and there were some excellent individual performances. With greater consistency (and a change in luck!) we'd have been able to change those unfortunate 3½-2½ reverses into wins and climb the table to safety. Sadly it wasn't to be, and we finished bottom of the table at the end of a tough campaign where we fought hard every step of the way, usually against higher-rated opposition. Well done to everybody who represented our A-Team this season, you are all a credit to the club! We'll be back; relegation was just a flesh wound.
After taking a sabbatical during 2023-24, North Bristol's B Team made a proud return for the 2024-25 season, playing the first half of the season competing in the Bristol & District Chess League Division 6, before moving into the newly created Bristol & District Chess League Division 7 for the second half of the season. We grew stronger and stronger as the season went on, steadily climbing the table and eventually finishing in a very creditable third place, which turned out to be sufficient to win promotion back to Division 6. Well done to everybody who represented our B-Team this season, you are all a credit to the club!
2025 Club Championships
Congratulations to Patrick Bourne, Felicity Sharratt and Irill Ishak, who won the club's three internal 2025 championships.
Patrick won the classical tournament with a score of 5/5, defeating James Bingham in the deciding final round in a sharp game where momentum swung back and forth, and both players had winning chances. With both players in time trouble, Patrick managed to land the decisive blow with a brilliant bishop sacrifice. Whilst the engines didn't approve of every move, the players and spectators certainly enjoyed it!
Felicity won a well-attended and fiercely contested junior championship, fighting off some very strong competition.
Irill won the blitz championship with a score of 7 points, narrowly ahead of Patrick Bourne and James Bingham, who each finished on 6. The 5+0 time control led to some frenetic games and unforeseen upsets. Matthew Bingham was the night's surprise package, scoring 4 points that included two victories over established league players (one of whom was his proud Dad!).
Thanks and congratulations to everyone who played in the tournaments. There were some exciting games, fantastic performances, and good fun was had by all. Special thanks to Jason LeRoy and Pete Saunders for organising.
2024-25 Player of the Season
Once again, Richard Millener showed his class in the league, finishing as the A-Team's highest scorer with 7½/12 and deservedly scooping the club's player of the season award for 2025. Congratulations Richard!
Advik Goyal top-scored for the B-Team with a score of 7/8. Another player to make a huge impact was Patrick Bourne, who joined the club early in the season and went on to score 6/11 for the A-Team and 6½/7 for the B-Team, making him the club's top-scorer spread across our two teams.
Jason LeRoy will tell you his 100% win record and division-topping 2,174 performance rating for the B-Team trumps all the above achievements. We won't say how many games those superb stats were based upon :-)
Thank you to everyone who represented the club in the league during 2024-25. You all did yourselves and the club proud.