THE South Hams Chess Club is back in full swing following the summer sabbatical, reports Trevor Hurt.

Gerard T’hart is sole new member thus far, we welcome back Ben Wilkinson and James Schofield and Tony Tatum is absent due to other commitments, leaving us as a highly entertaining bunch of 12.

To date, 35 games have been played in our internal competition, the Homan League.

In that competition this year, anyone can beat anyone. Alan Davies beat Trevor Hurt, Trevor beat David Archer and David beat Alan. Also, Arthur Doble beat Gerard T'hart, Gerard beat David Archer, and David beat Arthur and so on.

Our highest ranking player and often club champion, Steve Levy, after a draw with Arthur, pondering his fate, said “Way back when I could sit back and do nothing on the board and just wait… then it happened… a blunder by my opponent and I've won the game! As this game shows, that is no longer the case, I've now been found out.” Well Steve, we’re all doing our very best to make that prophecy come true. Steve has, so far, five wins, two draws and a loss!

A second quote from a game with Steve, is from our Secretary Phil McConnell from their game on November 7, in which he tried to “bore Steve into frustration”. Phil “was sacrificing pieces all over the place and it was an edgy, exciting game.” We were all cheering Phil on (silently, not visibly and suitably respectfully) and enjoyed Steve having to exchange his Queen for a Rook, just to survive.

The Chess.com engine has this down as “a sharp back and forth game, where both players had chances”. Time pressure and the thought of beating Steve got the better of him and Phil went on to lose.

Phil has 40 games against Steve on our club database (games played since 2015), they have had two draws, Phil being the victor just three times.

We are again participating in the Torbay Chess League, a series of Inter-club competitions for chess clubs in South Devon- from Torbay to Teignbridge to the South Hams.

So far this season, our team was triumphant in Division Three at home against Teignmouth and was defeated in Division One at home by both Totnes and away at Newton Abbot. We sadly had to default in the rapid-play tournament against Devonport High School For Boys.

Six South Hams Chess Club members went to the excellently run 56th Torbay Chess Congress, held at the Toorak Hotel, Torquay.

Well done to James Schofield who came joint second in his “Major” category. For Steve Levy and David Archer in the “Open” alongside Cathy Black, Gerard T'hart and Trevor Hurt in the “Intermediate” section, we can all take solace from Cuban world chess champion José Raúl Capablanca (1921-1927) “You may learn much more from a game you lose than from a game you win.”

Can I share a recent medical experience? I went to see my GP, I told him that every time I move a bishop, it aches above my stomach, every time I move a Knight, it hurts between my shoulders and my rib cage is painful when I move the Queen. My doctor said I was suffering from chess pains.

Anyone wanting further information, check out our website at www.southhamschessclub.com or ring Phil McConnell on 01803834135.

The club meets every Thursday at the Regal Club, Kingsbridge at 7pm.