This is a new website to let our friends know a little about Chess In South Tyneside.
3 thoughts on “Hello Chess World!”
In the history of South Shields chess club I doubt there was a stronger player than Lance Oliver .
When I started playing seriously in about 1972 Lance was absent from the club . He had struggled with health problems and when he came back in the early 1980s his best days were probably behind him . Nevertheless he was a fierce attacking player with both black and white . He had an excellent eye for combination and sacrifice . In his fifties and without playing for several years he rapidly gained in strength enough to beat the existing county champion , Ken Neat . Lance himself was Northumberland county champion at some point and was afraid of no one over the board . He was a great collector of chess books and pieces and many items were bequeathed to the club and it’s members on his passing in the 90s . I never knew Lance very well personally , as he was a very private person . But he should go down as probably the strongest South Shields chess player ever .
When South shields Chess Club played at Mortimer School David Walker from Sunderland played board 1 for the A team and he was well over 200 ECF grade so he may challenge Lance for the strongest player to play for South Shields
In the history of South Shields chess club I doubt there was a stronger player than Lance Oliver .
When I started playing seriously in about 1972 Lance was absent from the club . He had struggled with health problems and when he came back in the early 1980s his best days were probably behind him . Nevertheless he was a fierce attacking player with both black and white . He had an excellent eye for combination and sacrifice . In his fifties and without playing for several years he rapidly gained in strength enough to beat the existing county champion , Ken Neat . Lance himself was Northumberland county champion at some point and was afraid of no one over the board . He was a great collector of chess books and pieces and many items were bequeathed to the club and it’s members on his passing in the 90s . I never knew Lance very well personally , as he was a very private person . But he should go down as probably the strongest South Shields chess player ever .
High praise indeed for Lance, given the comment comes from Simon who must have been the highest graded player to play for South Shields Chess Club.
The web site looks good and I wish you every success with it.
The app that lets you step through the published game is a good feature. Stan Johnson’s game looks to have swung back and forward with a fair result.
Finally, can I suggest the result against Wuppertal simply be recorded as embarrassing!
Good luck with your membership drive.
When South shields Chess Club played at Mortimer School David Walker from Sunderland played board 1 for the A team and he was well over 200 ECF grade so he may challenge Lance for the strongest player to play for South Shields