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Welcome to the Cannock & District Chess League website

The CDCL was set up by 4 members of St Mary's Chess Club in Cannock - Ray Dolan, Robin Lewis, Brian Lynam & Robert Mayne - to "... promote the game of chess within its area (now designated as within 20 miles of Cannock) and to organise league matches and competitions between the participating clubs...". The inaugural AGM on 14th April 1999 was also attended by Lee Greaves (St Mary's CC), John Montague (Rugeley CC), Pete Collins (Lichfield CC), Robert Ward (Wolverhampton CC) & Steve Wilcox (Rushall CC). It was decided that the League was to be organised into 2 Divisions to start in the Autumn of 1999. Teams from Brewood, Bushbury & Tamworth also participated in that first season. Division 3 was then added in 2001 & Division 4 has been played regularly since 2022.

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Before the pandemic CDCL seasons ran from September until April. After lockdown was lifted in 2021, we were the first local league to restart playing over the board chess, but with a shorter Autumn 2021 Season from October until December. This then allowed clubs to review the number of team entries for our Spring 2022 Season which ran from January until the end of May.

In our 2022 AGM, clubs voted to return to the traditional schedule with effect from the 2022-2023 Season – the current details of which can be found in the League Rules section of this site. We have 11 member clubs with over 30 teams in total competing across our 4 Divisions & the Chase Trophy – our major club knockout competition, which has been held continually since 2011 (barring covid). In the 2024 AGM clubs also agreed to add a 2nd club knockout competition - the Chase Shield.

 

Divisions are assembled to allow a good mixture of 4 rated players to play in each team, with their combined rating within a set limit for each division. There is no promotion/relegation in the league - clubs choose which division(s) to enter each season based on the rating strength of their members & means that big & small clubs alike can compete on a level playing field. Having similar strength teams playing in each division means that matches are extremely competitive with the result on every board vital.

 

The CDCL caters for all abilities. Alongside experienced players competing in all 4 divisions, Division 1 teams also include some of the most talented players in the local area, many with ECF ratings around the 2000 mark, while often lower boards in Division 3 & many Division 4 boards contain developing players who are either new to chess or returning to it after an absence.

Individual competitions are also held - these are called the Robert Ward Trophy (our primary individual competition), Robert Ward Plate (for medium/lower rated first round Robert Ward Trophy losers) & Dolan Trophy (unrated & under 1500 ECF rated players). 

 

We use the English Chess Federation's League Management System website to record & show all of our league, cup & individual fixtures, results, standings etc. This means that every game is rated automatically by the ECF. All of the information can be found on https://ecflms.org.uk - just scroll down to the Cannock & District Chess League section or click the link on our main menu.

League Honours

Division 1 winners:

2023-2024 Tamworth

2022-2023  Wolverhampton

2022           Wolverhampton

2021           Lichfield

2019-2020  Sutton Coldfield

2018-2019  Sutton Coldfield

2017-2018  Sutton Coldfield

2016-2017  Sutton Coldfield 

2015-2016  Sutton Coldfield 

2014-2015  Sutton Coldfield 

2013-2014  South Birmingham 

2012-2013  Sutton Coldfield 

2011-2012  West Bromwich

2010-2011  Stafford

2009-2010  Stafford

2008-2009  Stafford

2007-2008  Stafford

2006-2007  Stafford

2005-2006  Rushall

2004-2005  Stafford

2003-2004  Lichfield

2002-2003  Rushall

2001-2002  Stafford 

2000-2001  Stafford

1999-2000  Lichfield

 

Chase Trophy winners:

2023-2024  Rushall

2022-2023  Tamworth

2021-2022  Rushall 

2020-2021  not held - covid

2019-2020  Tamworth & Sutton C 

2018-2019  Wolverhampton

2017-2018  Brewood

2016-2017  Sutton Coldfield 

2015-2016  Tamworth 

2014-2015   Lichfield 

2013-2014   Cannock 

2012-2013   Sutton Coldfield

2011-2012   Sutton Coldfield

2004-2005   Lichfield

2003-2004   Lichfield

2000-2001   Rushall

 

Division 2 winners:

2023-2024 Stafford

2022-2023 Rugeley

2022          Rushall

2021          Oscott

2019-2020 Oscott & Rugeley 

2018-2019 Bushbury 

2017-2018 Rushall

2016-2017 Sutton Coldfield

2015-2016 Rushall

2014-2015 Sutton Coldfield

2013-2014 Lichfield

2012-2013 Rushall

2011-2012 Sutton Coldfield

2010-2011 Rushall

2009-2010 St Mary's (Cannock)

2008-2009 Stafford

2007-2008 Stafford

2006-2007 Boldmere St Michael's

2005-2006 Sutton Coldfield

2004-2005 Rushall

2003-2004 Lichfield

2002-2003 Rushall

2001-2002 Tamworth

2000-2001 Cosford

1999-2000 Rugeley

 

Division 3 winners:

2023-2024 Lichfield

2022-2023 Lichfield

2022          Stafford 

2021          Stafford

2019-2020 Rugeley

2018-2019 Norton Canes 

2017-2018 Norton Canes

2016-2017 Wolverhampton

2015-2016 Rugeley

2014-2015 Lichfield 

2013-2014 Cannock

2012-2013 Rushall

2011-2012 Rushall

2010-2011 Rushall

2009-2010 St Mary's (Cannock)

2008-2009 Rushall

2007-2008 St Mary's (Cannock) 

2006-2007 Rugeley

2005-2006 Boldmere St Michael's

2004-2005 Rushall

2003-2004 Rushall

2002-2003 Bushbury

2001-2002 Rushall 

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Division 4 winners:

2023-2024 Lichfield

2022-2023 Norton Canes

2022          Lichfield 

2016-2017 Boldmere St Michael's 

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Robert Ward Trophy winners:

2023-2024 Stephen Gaskell

2022-2023 Tony Preece

2021-2022 David Gardiner

2020-2021 not held - covid

2019-2020 D Gardiner & Nigel Byrne

2018-2019 David Gardiner 

2017-2018 Peter Oliver 

2016-2017 Mike Hoare

2015-2016 Rich Wiltshir                    

2014-2015 Mike Hoare

2013-2014 Dave Wightman 

2012-2013 Dave Wightman

2011-2012 Dave Wightman

2003-2004 M Townsend

2002-2003 Giedrius Surplys

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Robert Ward Plate winners

2023-2024 Peter Oliver

2022-2023 John Moughtin-Leah

2021-2022 Chris Cox

2020-2021 not held - covid

2019-2020 Richard Bailey

2018-2019 Nigel Byrne 

2017-2018 Kevin Spillane 

2016-2017 Jet Ajimal 

2015-2016 Sandy Wilson 

2014-2015 Andrew Smith 

2013-2014 John Fenby 

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Dolan Trophy winners:

2023-2024  Peter Rose

2022-2023  Liam O'Connor 

2021-2022  Kevin Brooks 

2020-2021  not held - covid

2019-2020  Stephen Smithson

2018-2019  Richard Bailey 

 

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