League news

• 04-09-2024: The system is being readied for the 2024 - 2025 season. We await fixtures from the Fixtures Coordinator.
• 27-08-2023: The system is being readied for the 2023 - 2024 season. We await fixtures from the Fixtures Coordinator.
• 02-09-2022: The system is being readied for the 2022 - 2023 season. We await fixtures from the Fixtures Coordinator.
• 23-10-2021: The system is being readied for the 2021 - 2022 season. We await fixtures from the Fixtures Coordinator.
• 23-10-2021: Fixtures uploaded. Please distribute these to your Team Captains and players.
• 28-08-2019: Fixtures for the 2018 - 2019 season are available from the Surrey Border League League Management System at http://www.borderleague.org.uk/ As usual if you wish to import all of the fixtures in one go for A team A Club A Division A League then you may do so. :D John Upham, Database Manager
• 21-07-2019: The system is being readied for the 2019 - 2020. We await fixtures from the Fixtures Coordinator.
• 04-06-2019: The 2018 - 2019 season completed on May 31st 2019 and all competitions are decided. Congratulations to all the winners and all players taking part.
• 22-08-2018: The system is being readied for the 2018 - 2019. We await fixtures from the Fixtures Coordinator.
• 22-08-2017: The system is being readied for the 2017 - 2018. We await fixtures from the Fixtures Coordinator.
• 31-05-2017: The 2016 - 2017 season completed on May 31st 2017 and all competitions are decided. Congratulations to all the winners and all players taking part.
• 03-09-2016: Welcome to the new season of the Surrey Border League. We hope you enjoy the 176 chess matches currently planned. The notes below may help you to run your teams effectively, they explain but do not supersede SBL rules. Fixtures and entries The league fixtures are now on the website. This season they follow a pattern of Divisions 1 and 4 (6 teams) in the same weeks, Divs 2 and 5 (7 teams) together, and similar for Divs 3 and 6 (few teams) which fills the weeks from mid September to mid May. As always, you are free to negotiate changes and update the fixture dates published on the website. There are some early fixtures - before Sept 26th. We have scheduled the Bell Trophy in the week 19th to 23rd September to avoid a clash with divisions 2 3 4 5, also two Wellington College B Division 5 fixtures are on 16th & 22nd Sept to put them into term-time. Please note rule 11.1 about confirming with your opponents all arrangements for the match beforehand, especially at the start of the season when some clubs may be less well prepared. If you wish to make a late change to the teams entered, please advise Trevor Jones and Gareth Ward as soon as you can, and (in case we are busy or away) copy other league officers. Division 6 currently has 3 junior teams entered and could accommodate more. Matches in any competiton should start at the time you advertise on the SBL website. Godalming's 7:15pm is the time the club opens - their matches start at 7:30 as for all other clubs. However captains are free to negotiate alternative start times in accordance with rules 11.1 and 11.3 - if you do this, please ensure all team members know. The SBL can support the idea that junior matches start earlier by agreement. Player registration If you are planning to field players who are ungraded or new to the league or your club, please check whether the website has them registered correctly for your club. In particular ungraded or inactive players can drop off last season's list. Players must be registered before playing in any Cup competition or their 2nd league match. It is less work for all if registration is complete before their 1st league match, unless there is good reason (e.g. unplanned substitute). Estimate grades The August 24th revisions to ECF published grades are now on-line and are definitive for the SBL 2016-17 season. All players without an ECF grade should have an SBL estimate grade as defined by rules 9.8 to 9.10 and E4. Any club is free to agree an SBL estimate with me in lieu of an unrealistic F grade (and by exception higher categories). If the player has a past published grade, it is depreciated by 2 ECF per year to form the SBL estimate, unless the the player is stronger than this estimate. For players requiring an SBL estimate (no previous grade, or F grade or depreciated estimate wrong), we need to see sensible evidence in support of a club's estimate. For players with no previous grade, and where a club has too little evidence to estimate playing strength under rule E4, we use one of 3 'grades' ('44' '77' '144') to denote the player has no estimate. These values apply for grade limit eligibility purposes, but do not supersede rule 9.4 to field teams in order of current (un-)known playing strength. Division 5 and 6 changes The 2015 AGM voted for 5 divisions, and the 2016 AGM confirmed for the season about to start. Therefore Division 5 and 6 will operate under published SBL rules (which need some corrections to agree with AGM 2015 decisions), and the following clarifications. Some of the suggestions I communicated a few weeks ago (e.g. on failure to agree the match start time) will NOT apply. Division 5 will comprise 4 players per team, grade limit 115. The time control is 60 minutes for all moves as per rule 10.6, and not incremental time controls, and not 90 minutes (rules 10.3/10.4 need correction). Division 5 will allow 2 overgrade players for the 2016-17 season as a temporary amendment to rule 9.11 made under rule 6.2 (to balance the league structure, we consulted all affected clubs). Using the overgrade rule benefits Godalming D less than the rejected option of a 1pt increase to 116, and provides their opposing 6 teams more flexibility to match them. Division 6 (because of AGM decisions) is operated under rule 8.2 (additional friendlies), and will also follow the published rules for Division 5 (4 boards, 60 minutes all moves, 1 overgrade player) but with a Grade limit of 100. This is to help ensure the games can be graded compliant with ECF rules, and to make it easier for the 2017 AGM to award the Bill Lowe Trophy if it so chooses. Division 6 currently has 3 junior teams entered and could accommodate more. Entries were sought with a promise that Division 6 would involve no more than 6 fixtures, but if 5 teams enter there may be scope to agree whether to play 4 or 8 matches. Gareth Ward SBL Tournament Controller 3rd September 2016
• 31-08-2016: Fixtures have been uploaded for the 2016 - 2017 season.
• 27-08-2016: The system is being readied for the 2016 - 2017. We await fixtures from the Fixtures Coordinator.
• 07-12-2015: We regret to announce that Drunken Knights Chess Club have withdrawn their A team from Division one with immediate effect. Matches played will be submitted for grading but will not be used in league table calculations.
• 01-09-2015: Welcome to the new season!
• 03-06-2015: The 2014 - 2015 season has now completed. Congratulations to the various winners! See you in September!
• 22-09-2014: Welcome to a new season!
• 28-08-2014: Fixtures loaded for the 2014 - 2015 season.
• 31-05-2014: The 2013 - 2014 season has now completed. Congratulations to the various winners! See you in September!
• 02-10-2013: Regretfully the Crowthorne D team has been withdrawn from the Surrey Border League as no-one wished to be team captain.
• 28-08-2013: Fixtures uploaded for the 2013 - 2014 season.
• 20-08-2013: The system is being readied for the new season which starts in September 2013
• 31-05-2013: The 2012 - 2013 season has concluded and the winners of each competition are decided. Congratulations to all winners!
• 31-08-2012: Fixtures for the 2012 - 2013 season are now on-line and declared to the final.
• 28-10-2011: Sandhurst Chess Club regretfully announce the withdrawal of their A and C teams from Divisions 1 and 2 respectfully and apologise to all other teams for any inconvenience caused.
• 01-09-2011: Fixtures for the 2011 - 2012 are now on-line and have been declared final. any changes from now on need to be agreed by both Captains and then may be altered via the web site.
• 17-11-2010: It is with regret, that Reading B announce their withdrawal from Division Three. All matches played will be submitted for the purposes of rating but will not count in the calculation of league tables.
• 18-05-2010: Congratulations go to Camberley Chess Club for winning the rating limited Bell Trophy final winning an exciting home match versus old friends and rivals, Sandhurst Chess Club.This is their fifth victory in this competition since its 1995 inception.
• 05-05-2010: Congratulations go to Sandhurst Chess Club for winning The Tom White Rook after a very close season long battle with Crowthorne. This is the first win for Sandhurst since 1977 when the competition started.
• 19-05-2009: Congratulations go to Camberley Chess Club for winning The Tom White Rook after a very close season long battle with Guidlford. This is the fourth win for Camberley since 1977 when the competition started.
• 18-05-2009: Congratulations go to Crowthorne Chess Club for winning the Graham Smith Shield. Division Three was a tight battle all season long with five teams in the running.
• 14-05-2009: Congratulations go to Godalming Chess Club for winning Division Seven after a season long tussle with Crowthorne. This is only second season for Division Seven and the trophy has yet to be named.
• 11-05-2009: Congratulations go to Sandhurst Chess Club for winning The Waechter Shield for the second successive season. They won all of their matches without being troubled by the amateur teams facing them.
• 07-05-2009: Congratulations go to Camberley Chess Club for winning the rating limited Bell Trophy final winning an exciting away match versus old friends and rivals, Sandhurst Chess Club.This is their fourth victory in this competition since its 1995 inception.
• 05-05-2009: Congratulations go to Godalming Chess Club for winning The Bill Lowe Shield for the second successive season.
• 23-04-2009: Congratulations go to Sandhurst Chess Club for winning the Haslemere Trophy for the second successive season overcoming Farnham 4.5 - 0.5 in a closely fought final.
• 23-04-2009: Congratulations go to Farnham Chess Club for winning The David Pritchard Trophy for the first time since 1997. Guildford E were runners-up.
• 24-11-2008: I regret to have to inform that Sandhurst have just withdrawn their 'D' Team from Division 4, due to difficulties in finding a Team Captain. John Watts, SBL Secretary
• 10-09-2008: The fixture list has been received, processed and uploaded to the database. The fixtures are now on-line and official.
• 07-09-2008: We are currently awaiting the fixture list from the Fixtures Coordinator to upload to the database.
• 04-09-2008: The SBL web site has been readied for the new season bar the fixture list. This should be online by the weekend. John
• 18-07-2008: The Annual General Meeting was completed after much vigorous debate. The minutes from this meeting will be published within thirty days on this site in the Archive section.
• 31-05-2008: The 2007 / 2008 playing season has now completed. Have a great summer and see you for the start of the new season in September 2008.
• 29-05-2008: Congratulations to Basingstoke C who finished their season with two 4-0 wins over Sandhurst H to win division 7 on game points difference from Godalming E. They are the first winners of the as yet unnamed Trophy.
• 22-05-2008: Congratulations go to Sandhurst for winning the Haselmere Trophy at their first attempt. The match with Camberley was drawn despite having three professional Grandmasters on the top boards. Application of the tie break rules gave the match to Sandhurst.
• 20-05-2008: Congratulations go to Camberley E for retaining the Division Five title despite a strong challenge from Guildford F. The Colin Price Trophy is their reward.
• 15-05-2008: Congratulations go to Guildford for winning the final of the Bell Trophy knockout competition 4-1 in a home match versus Sandhurst. Amazingly, this is first time that Guildford have captured the Bell Trophy.
• 13-05-2008: Congratulations go to Sandhurst A for winning Division 1 and the Waechter Shield at their first attempt. They were also unbeaten and provided three professional Grandmasters for the opposition teams.
• 29-04-2008: Congratulations are due to the Fleet & Farnborough C team for winning Division Four and the David Pritchard Trophy. This is the second time this team has won this trophy, the previous occasion being 1998-9.
• 01-04-2008: Congratulations are due to Guildford C for winning Division by 0.5 of a match point on the last match of their season. A Guildford team has won Division 3 and the Graham Smith Shield on four previous occasions.
• 27-03-2008: Congratulations are due to the Godalming D team which won Division Six without loss for the first time. They win the recently named Bill Lowe Shield.
• 08-09-2007: Woking have registered Nicholas J Pinkerton as an overrated player for their A Team in Division 4. Opposing teams are permitted to field a player whose standard-play rating is 129 or less for any match versus Woking A.
• 07-09-2007: Addlestone have declared Swavek Kalinowski to be an overrated player for their A team in Division 2. Opposing teams are entitled to field a player of a rating up to 200.
• 01-08-2007: As many of you will doubtless know, Bill Lowe passed away on Sunday July 22nd. He was an outstanding contributor to the success of the Border League. His wife, Edna, has requested the following details to be passed on: In my haste to write all the emails I realise I was a bit vague about some important things so I’ll try to put that right and thank you for reminding me. No black ties (I may have said that already!) only family flowers. Donations to : The Proclamation Trust, Wilcox House, 140-148, Borough High Street, London, SE1 1LB This is a registered charity so donations can be made under the Gift Aid Scheme whereby tax, if the donor pays tax, can be recovered from the Tax man. There will be a brochure telling something about the Trust on display Sunday evening and it is connected with the church in the city, St. Helen’s, Bishopsgate where Bill and I got to know each other many years ago and where we both benefited from faithful teaching which was true to the Scriptures. I have arranged for us to have a thanksgiving service at Emmanuel Church in South Street, (where we were married) on SUNDAY 5th August at 6.0p.m. followed by tea/coffee so that I and the family have the chance to meet and speak to his chess friends. The cremation is to be at Guildford Monday morning. I wonder if you would be good enough to circularise the people in the chess world who would want to know about this? Thank you. Edna
• 27-07-2007: The Annual General Meeting took place and much vigorous discussion ensued. Minutes will be published shortly.
• 25-07-2007: We regret to announce that Bill Lowe (Results Coordinator and Farnham Chess Club amongst many other things) sadly passed away in his sleep on Sunday, July 22^nd 2007 after a lengthy illness. Our condolences go to his wife Edna, Bill's family, Farnham Chess Club and all those who knew him.
• 01-06-2007: The League season has now concluded. Congratulations to all clubs who won their Divisions and the knockout trophies.
• 24-05-2007: Congratulations go to Camberley B winning Division 2 from Reading A narrowly on board points.
• 21-05-2007: Congratulations go to Guildford E for winning Division 4.
• 17-05-2007: Congratulations go to Guildford on winning the Haslemere Trophy with win by bottom board elimination.
• 14-05-2007: Congratulations to Crowthorne who overcame Ashtead to win the Bell Trophy final. This is the fourth time Crowthorne have won this rating limited Trophy introduced in 1995.
• 14-05-2007: Congratulations to Guildford B who win Division One as a result of Guildford A being beaten by Camberley. This is third time Division 1 has been won by the B team since records began in 1962.
• 06-03-2007: Congratulations go to Wellington College A who are provisional winners of Division 6 as they cannot now be caught.
• 01-01-2007: Happy New Year to one and all!
• 22-10-2006: Sandhurst player, Simon M McCullough has been deemed ineligible to continue to play in Division Three (3) since he was rerated by the ECF at 140 on October 2^nd 2006. The notice period is fourteen (14) days hence and therefore is effective on November 6^th, 2006.
• 09-10-2006: Fleet A fielded Alastair S Morley, an overrated player in their match against Crowthorne B. All teams in Division 2 may now field a player upto a rating of 192 in their matches versus Fleet A.
• 21-09-2006: Sandhurst B fielded Mark Cross, an overrated player in their match against Guildford D. All teams in Division 3 may now field a player upto a rating of 146 in their matches versus Sandhurst B.
• 10-09-2006: Welcome, once more, to a new season!
• 27-05-2006: Following the final match, all the winners of Divisions 1 - 6 plus the Haslemere and Bell Trophies are now known. We hope you enjoyed your season and look forward to seeing you again for the 2006 - 7 one! John Upham, Web Manager.
• 26-05-2006: Farnham win the Bell Trophy having drawn the match with Camberley and then winning the tie-split using the top board elimination rule.
• 16-05-2006: Crowthorne player, David Herring, has been rerated at 122 and Camberley player, Steve Harley at 127. This notice has a grace period of 14 days hence.
• 15-05-2006: Guildford win the Haslemere Trophy after Crowthorne's six year streak from Camberley winning 4-1.
• 28-04-2006: Camberley player, Simon McCullough is deemed inelligible to play in Division 4 as a rerating calculation exercise (carried out for him only) re-estimates hs grade as risen above the limit for that Division. Also he cannot play lower than board three in any further Bell Trophy fixtures. This ruling has a two week notice period for it to take effect.
• 25-04-2006: Overgraded Player: Alastair Morley (182) will play for Fleet & Farnborough A.
• 28-03-2006: International Master, Michael Basman plays on board three(!) for Addlestone versus Farnham. It is not known if g4 or g5 featured in the game versus Roger Griffiths.
• 31-01-2006: Guildford top board, Simon Williams moves closer to ratifying his IGM title after strong performance at Hastings International tournament.
• 16-12-2005: League stalwart and former Guildford CC and Godalming CC member, David Brine Pritchard has died today at the age of 86 following a fall whilst in London. Latterly, he lived in Gloucester and is survived by his wife, Elaine and daughter, Wanda.
• 21-09-2005: Overgraded Players: Bob Moore (116) will play for Addlestone D and Alan Bice (136) will play for Haslemere A.
• 13-09-2005: Overgraded Player: Peter Byre (120) will play for Bracknell A.
• 11-09-2005: Overgraded Player: Phil Stimpson (168) will play for Godalming A.
• 10-09-2005: Welcome to the New Season!