On Sunday we had to play Surbiton 1, who average about 60 points below us but when we looked at ECF grades they are in fact a stronger team. Luckily we found form and gave them a drubbing. Chris made an enterprising-pawn sacrifice to create a kingside attack with the Black side of a French; Jerry managed to come back after losing material and created an unstoppable passed-pawn; David won a B v N endgame and Richard managed to grind his opponent down after more than 6 hours play with R + 2 pawns each. (Michael managed to draw a lost position and Martin shunned a draw offer for attacking chances that unfortunately backfired.)

So the team start off strongly and can look forward to decent opposition in the next weekend. It will be hard to gain promotion (especially as Div 3 North are included in the 4 promotion spots available), but we are certainly among the contenders and are intent on putting up a good showing for the whole of the season.

As an indication of the likely target, last year the Div 3 winners Guildford 3 scored 10 wins and 1 draw, while the 3 teams promoted in 2nd-4th each had 7 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses.

League Table after 2 rounds

| Team | P | W | D | L | GP | Pts | | Fermented Sharks | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 | | e2e4.org.uk 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10.5 | 4 | | West is Best 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | | Celtic Tigers 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9.5 | 4 | | Iceni 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | | Downend & Fishponds | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8.5 | 4 | | Leeds University Old Boys | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8.5 | 4 | | Rhyfelwyr Essyllwg 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8.5 | 4 | | Guildford 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | | Shropshire | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | | The Rookies | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | | Broadland Bitterns (1) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | | Oxford 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | | Poisoned Pawns | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | | Iceni 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6.5 | 2 | | Banbury Bulldogs | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6.5 | 2 | | Surbiton 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | | Cambridge University 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | | Anglian Avengers 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | | Warwickshire Select 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | | The Full Ponty | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | | e2e4.org.uk 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | | Surbiton 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5.5 | 2 | | Anglian Avengers 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5.5 | 2 | | BCM Hippos (3) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5.5 | 2 | | Hackney 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5.5 | 2 | | BCM Rhinos (2) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5.5 | 2 | | KJCA Knights | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5.5 | 2 | | Barnet Knights 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | | West is Best 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | | Ashfield-Breadsall | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | | Celtic Tigers 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4.5 | 2 | | Throw in the Tal | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4.5 | 2 | | MK Phoenix 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | | Midland Monarchs 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4.5 | 0 | | e2e4.org.uk 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | | Sussex Martlets 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | | Witney Brown Jack | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3.5 | 0 | | e2e4.org.uk 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3.5 | 0 | | Oxford 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | | Check Us Out | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | | Barnet Knights 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2.5 | 0 | | The Pitstop | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | | Barnet Knights 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | | West is Best 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Midland Monarchs 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Broadland Harnsers (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |