Braintree Chess Club Goes International!
On Saturday, 9th April 2005, Braintree Chess Club went international hosting a competition consisting of nine teams - six from UK and three from the EU. The home teams included two from Braintree and one each from Writtle, Chelmsford, Suffolk and Witham. The visiting teams were from Pierrefitte (France), Rudersdorf (Germany) and Machezen (Belgium) near Brussels. The event was held at the Village Hall in Mount Bures, Kenn Butcher’s home village.
The Germans, Tino Gremberg, Anna Voight, Veronica Kind and Madlen Walther flew into Stanstead and were met and hosted by Kenn.
The French came by EuroStar, Franck Crespek and Wife Dominique, Louis and Agnes Salvador, Robert lasoni and Samantha Betrand and Aurelien Eusebe and were met by a member of the twinning committee and taken on a tour of London before coming to Braintree. The Twinning Committee between them hosted 5 of the French and Gerald Conley and his wife Carla hosted the other two. The Belgians, Sven Collet, Yves Baert, Erwin DeMuer and Tim Dubin came over by car and were hosted by Eddy Banks and Paul Smith.
Braintree’s two teams were Kenn Butcher, Peter Byford, Gerald Conley, Weyland Medlycott, Peter Lloyd, Alex Cater, Eddy Banks and Frank Sturges. The Suffolk Team consisted of: Robert Sanders, Tim Lunn, Harold Thomas and Graham Griffiths (Peter Sonnenburg stood in for Robert Sanders for the first two rounds).
All the visitors (bar the Germans who flew in late) were taken to the Liberal Club Friday night for a get together and drinks. Weyland and Kenn worked Friday to set up tables and boards etc. for a 9.30 start sat morn. There were 9 rounds at 25 mins per game. All the pairings, board no’s and positions were brilliantly organised by Kenn with his assistant, Peter Sonnenburg, collating all the results. The trophies were beautifully made and engraved by Peter Copsey at his works in Witham and generously donated to the tournament. These were presented by Tony Evans, Chairman of the local parish council.
The Writtle team were overall winners,
with 7 points out of a possible 8, and were awarded four gold trophies, the
French team a close second with four silver and the Suffolk team 3rd. Aurelien Eusebe of the French team won a trophy for the highest
score. Refer to score tables below.
Erwin De Muer (of the Belgians) scored nil points and was awarded a fun
prize of a three-way chess set for trying. Madlen Walther (of the
Germans) won a trophy for highest ladies score.
Diane Meesom and husband Ken of the Twinning Committee and Peter Byford’s wife Ruth slaved away all day providing food and drink on tap, whilst two more committee members took the French ladies out round Braintree and the surrounding countryside.
Thanks to Witham for sending a team and providing some of the Chess equipment. All in all it was a good day and Kenn has had feedback from some teams regarding any future events.
Lots of work and running around and telephone calls and emails by the
score, but it was all worth it for the end result it produced.
Frank Sturges
Braintree Chess Club
Press Officer