South Hams Chess Club
South Hams Chess Club

DCCA Mamhead Challenge Cup

In 2017-18, South Hams has a team competing in the Devon County Chess Association (DCCA) Division 2 League, also known as the Mamhead Challenge Cup. The league is named after Lord Mamhead - Sir Robert Newman MP - who became the DCCA's third president in 1920. The Keverel Chess website has an interesting article on Sir Robert and Mamhead House, including a picture of the Challenge Cup.

The Mamhead is a 4-board competition, with an aggregate grade limit for each match of Under 640. There is no limit on individual player grades.

The Mamhead is a Saturday competition in order to enable teams from throughout Devon to travel to their away fixtures. The generous time controls - each player starts with 90 minutes, with 30 seconds added afer each move - are intended to encourage a high standard of chess!

In the 2017-18 season, South Hams has home fixtures against Barnstaple, Exmouth and Newton Abbot, and away fixtures against Plymouth and Teignmouth.

Except when otherwise agreed between team captains, South Hams home matches in the Mamhead Challenge Cup will be played at the club's normal venue - the Regal Club, Kingsbridge.

The South Hams team captain is Steve Levy, who can be contcted by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The DCCA competition rules can be downloaded here.

Fixtures and Results

You can apply a filter to the fixtures by typing into the Search box. For example, if you type Ply then only the fixtures against Plymouth will be displayed.

Click on a match score to view the game results for the match concerned. If the word "Report" appears against a particular match, then when you view the game results you will also see the match report.

DayDateCompetitionCompHomeAwayResScoreReport
Saturday18 Nov 2017DCCA MamheadMamhSouth HamsNewton AbbotD2-2Report
Saturday03 Feb 2018DCCA MamheadMamhSouth HamsExmouthL1½-2½
Saturday03 Mar 2018DCCA MamheadMamhTeignmouthSouth HamsW1½-2½Report
Saturday16 Dec 2017DCCA MamheadMamhPlymouthSouth HamsL4-0Report
Saturday21 Apr 2018DCCA MamheadMamhSouth HamsBarnstapleL1½-2½
 

Individual Player Statistics

Here are the current player statistics for South Hams players in the DCCA Mamhead Division during the 2017-18 season:

NameGradeECFPWDLAve OpPerf%Pts
McConnell, Phil128285386D320112614366.72.0
Schofield, James156310014F10011551050.00.0
Archer, David154300734A302115213633.31.0
Levy, Steve179134450L4400161211100.04.0
Wilkinson, Ben138162703L20021611110.00.0
Peach, Cliff106116851E20111169125.00.5
Ashby, Ken97181837F100188380.00.0
 

Overall Team Statistics

Matches Played:5
Matches Won:1
Matches Drawn:1
Matches Lost:3
Match Points:3
Percentage:30
Average South Hams Team Rating:460.6
Average Opponents' Team Rating:455.2

DCCA Mamhead: South Hams v Newton Abbot 18 Nov 2017

Bd South Hams Col Rating ECF Result Newton Abbot Col Rating ECF PGN
1 Levy, Steve B 179 134450L 1-0 Brooks, Paul W 170 215149C View
2 Archer, David W 154 300734A 0-1 Brusey, Alan B 158 107557D View
3 Schofield, James B 156 310014F 0-1 Howard, Charles W 155 113071H Submit
4 McConnell, Phil W 128 285386D 1-0 Allen, John B 134 264751F View
Overall Match6172-2617
Bd South Hams Grade Res Newton Abbot Grade PGN
1 Levy, Steve 179 1-0 Brooks, Paul 170 View
2 Archer, David 154 0-1 Brusey, Alan 158 View
3 Schofield, James 156 0-1 Howard, Charles 155 Submit
4 McConnell, Phil 128 1-0 Allen, John 134 View
Overall Match6172-2617
 

Match Report

Author:  Steve Levy

Date:  20 Nov 2017

Our first Mamhead match this season was held at Phil's house in Dartmouth.

And what a good match it was, with two evenly matched teams (both had an identical grade point total of 617!), and all four games contested hard.

On Board 1, Steve surprised us all by playing Queens Gambit Accepted against Paul Brooks. They fought out a game which was very close for 30 moves (Steve was just edging it) when Paul blundered a rook under time pressure and resigned a couple of moves later.

On Board 2, David got himself a pawn up against the experienced Alan Brusey, and was in the box seat. However, after David had castled kingside, Alan succeeded in opening up the h file, and, with his queen and two rooks on that file, there were just too many threats.

On Board 3, James fought an exciting, "edgy" game against Charles Howard, with James a minor piece up, but with Charles three pawns to the good and on the attack. It went all the way to the end game, but in the end Charles prevailed.

On Board 4 Phil got a kingside attack going against John Allen, which resulted in Phil gaining the exchange and two pawns after 20 moves. However John resisted strongly, cleverly using his minor pieces, and it took Phil another 35 moves to convert this advantage into a win.

So, an honourable 2 - 2 match draw, and a very enjoyable Saturday afternoon. While we were playing, England beat Australia in the Rugby, so it was a very satisfactory afternoon all round.

DCCA Mamhead: Plymouth v South Hams 16 Dec 2017

Bd Plymouth Col Rating ECF Result South Hams Col Rating ECF PGN
1 , B 0 1-d , W 0
2 , W 0 1-d , B 0
3 , B 0 1-d , W 0
4 , W 0 1-d , B 0
Overall Match04-00
Bd Plymouth Grade Res South Hams Grade PGN
1 , 0 1-d , 0 Submit
2 , 0 1-d , 0 Submit
3 , 0 1-d , 0 Submit
4 , 0 1-d , 0 Submit
Overall Match04-00
 

Match Report

Author:  

Date:  16 May 2024

Match defaulted in advance by South Hams.

DCCA Mamhead: South Hams v Exmouth 3 Feb 2018

Bd South Hams Col Rating ECF Result Exmouth Col Rating ECF PGN
1 Levy, Steve B 179 134450L 1-0 Shaw, Meyrick W 169 290163J View
2 Archer, David W 154 300734A ½-½ Wensley, Oliver B 172 285021H View
3 Wilkinson, Ben B 138 162703L 0-1 Scott, Chris W 160 248908K Submit
4 McConnell, Phil W 128 285386D 0-1 Belt, Malcolm B 119 173289E View
Overall Match5991½-2½620
Bd South Hams Grade Res Exmouth Grade PGN
1 Levy, Steve 179 1-0 Shaw, Meyrick 169 View
2 Archer, David 154 ½-½ Wensley, Oliver 172 View
3 Wilkinson, Ben 138 0-1 Scott, Chris 160 Submit
4 McConnell, Phil 128 0-1 Belt, Malcolm 119 View
Overall Match5991½-2½620

DCCA Mamhead: Teignmouth v South Hams 3 Mar 2018

Bd Teignmouth Col Rating ECF Result South Hams Col Rating ECF PGN
1 Ingham, Bill W 163 173310C 0-1 Levy, Steve B 179 134450L View
2 Wilson, Matthew B 161 128713J 1-0 Wilkinson, Ben W 138 162703L Submit
3 Cockerton, Mark W 125 227246F 0-1 McConnell, Phil B 128 285386D View
4 Doidge, Charles B 108 109767C ½-½ Peach, Cliff W 106 116851E View
Overall Match5571½-2½551
Bd Teignmouth Grade Res South Hams Grade PGN
1 Ingham, Bill 163 0-1 Levy, Steve 179 View
2 Wilson, Matthew 161 1-0 Wilkinson, Ben 138 Submit
3 Cockerton, Mark 125 0-1 McConnell, Phil 128 View
4 Doidge, Charles 108 ½-½ Peach, Cliff 106 View
Overall Match5571½-2½551
 

Match Report

Author:  Phil McConnell

Date:  4 Mar 2018

Despite some travel difficulties due to the snow, the team all made it to the venue more-or-less on time. Four good, close games, with South Hams just prevailing in the end.
On Board 1, Steve Levy nullified Bill Ingham's London System, gained a pawn, then another pawn, and this was enough to force a win.
On Board 2, Ben Wilkinson seemed to have some decent attacking chances against Matthew Wilson, but paid the price for a couple of mistakes.
On Board 3, Phil McConnell found himself in a cramped position and under attack, but fought back in the end game and seemed to be on course for a win when Mark Cockerton blundered a rook and resigned.
On Board 4, Cliff Peach and Charles Doidge agreed a draw in a tricky end game position. It was far from obvious over the board, but Charles could have forced a win from that position by sacrificing two pawns in order to enable one of his own pawns to queen. A good draw - the vital half point secured the team win.

DCCA Mamhead: South Hams v Barnstaple 21 Apr 2018

Bd South Hams Col Rating ECF Result Barnstaple Col Rating ECF PGN
1 Levy, Steve B 179 134450L 1-0 Clarke, Steve W 143 187545A View
2 Archer, David W 154 300734A ½-½ Oughton, Rob B 127 181867D View
3 Peach, Cliff B 106 116851E 0-1 Dow, Michael W 124 109828H Submit
4 Ashby, Ken W 97 181837F 0-1 Kelso, Robert B 88 289782K Submit
Overall Match5361½-2½482
Bd South Hams Grade Res Barnstaple Grade PGN
1 Levy, Steve 179 1-0 Clarke, Steve 143 View
2 Archer, David 154 ½-½ Oughton, Rob 127 View
3 Peach, Cliff 106 0-1 Dow, Michael 124 Submit
4 Ashby, Ken 97 0-1 Kelso, Robert 88 Submit
Overall Match5361½-2½482