Britain’s 4NCL has closest ever three-way finish

Britain’s 4NCL national chess league has traditionally been the preserve of one or two very strong and wellfinanced clubs. Guildford, the record holders, went unbeaten for eight seasons with 81 wins and two draws before they abdicated their title and downsized in 2021.

The 2023-24 season ended on Monday with the closest finish in the league’s history as Wood Green, with 20/22 match points and 61 game points, edged out Manx Liberty by just half a game point and the Sharks by one game point.

Wood Green have dominated the London League unbeaten for many years before a recent loss to Hammersmith, while Manx Liberty, from the Isle of Man, are also a professional team with a nucleus of Romanians. Manx had 2600+ rated grandmasters on the top three boards, and had won the 4NCL for the last two seasons.

The Sharks, for whom GM Dan Fernandez scored an unbeaten 7/9, were the surprise. Their squad of mainly English IMS upset a weakened Manx team in an early round, then stayed in the leading group. Wood Green’s Loz Cooper and Sharks’ Ben Purton are team managers with excellent long-term records, and for both this was probably their finest achievement yet.

One individual result stood out. GM Gawain Jones of Chessable White Rose made an impressive return following the tragic death of his wife, Sue Maroroa, last year. Jones won all three of his games, starting with a rare defeat of the eight-time British champion Michael Adams in a rook and pawn ending, and concluding with the tactical coup against Alexei Shirov.

Shirov is a legend. In 2000 the Latvian-born GM, who now represents Spain, qualified for a world title match with Garry Kasparov but was denied it due to lack of funds. His Fire on Board book is a classic, his style is a constant search for complications, while before last weekend his 4NCL total for Manx was 12 wins, no draws, and no losses.