4NCL (Nations Chess League) – Semi-Final reports!
4NCL (Nations Chess League)
Tues 25th April 23 – 7:30pm
Season 7 – Semi-Finals
Time-Controls – 45 minutes + 15 seconds increments
Dundee City teams are a joint venture between Castlehill Chess Club Dundee and Dundee Chess Club.
DIVISION ONE
Dundee City A (2260) 4 – 0 (2002) Dundee City B
Well it was an easier night than expected for Dundee City A, as they brushed aside their team mates, Dundee City B. To be fair, one of them was a default, not the best time to only have 3 players in the semis! Congratulations to Dundee City A for reaching the final for the second season in a row! Last time out in the final, they faced the very strong Charlton Cobras A and only for an error under time pressure, should have won the final then. It hurt, but time has shown what resilience and strength of character this team has to reach the final again! Well played IM Richard Polaczek; Declan Shafi; Jacques Ophoff & David Findlay!
What a fantastic campaign by Dundee City B team to get to the semi-finals of division one. An outstanding achievement, just a pity they could not field their normal side this time, Ian McDonald; Ed Spencer; Stephen Hogg & Iain Sneddon who had guided them to this stage! Well played everyone!
Dundee City A, will not be facing the Cobras in the final this season, as they surprisingly got beat by Hackney Heffalumps in the other semi-final!
DIVISION THREE
Dundee City D (1807) 1½ – 2½ (1825) Jurassic Coast
With Dundee City C getting a bye to the final, they awaited the winners of Dundee City D v Jurassic Coast! Grading wise you could not separate them, both had good players, have been here before and have battled against each other at this stage!
In season 5, Dundee City D lost to Jurassic Coast in the division 4 semi-finals, but got revenge in season 6, when they beat Jurassic Coast in the division 4 final 3-1! This time however, it was Jurassic Coast’s turn to win but only just as Dundee City D lost 2½-1½. It seems the semis are not a good omen for Dundee City D against Jurassic Coast! Well played Jurassic Coast and unlucky Dundee City D and its players, Dariusz Kosznik (0); Sir Philip Cohen (0), Rishi Vijayakumar (1) & Ross Brennan (½). What an excellent season 7 campaign once again. While they lost in the semis, they are (or should be?) promoted to division 2!
That sets up the final, Dundee City C v Jurassic Coast! Now once again there is history here and lucky for us maybe, the omens are the other way around compared to Dundee City D! Yes in season 5 Dundee City C were victorious in the Division 4 final against Jurassic Coast! They did however lose their last match against them in season 6, in the division 4 semi-final stage. So as you see the omens are in our favour here! Will history repeat its self? We will have to wait until next Tuesday for the finals to find out!
4NCL Finals – Tues 2nd May 23, 7:30pm on Lichess.org!
Come on Dundee City A & C teams!
For all the results and info, click the link below!