The 2024–25 season marked Stonehaven Chess Club’s return to competitive league chess, with our first-ever campaign in TAFCA Division Two since the club’s reformation. After a hard-fought season, we finished 5th out of 10 teams—a very solid mid-table result and a strong foundation to build on.
📊 Final League Position
We earned 8 match points, with 3 wins, 2 draws, and 4 losses from our nine matches. On the boards, we scored 18 points from 36 games, exactly 50%. Our efforts included one default, but overall we consistently fielded a committed and enthusiastic team.
🧠 Player Highlights
A total of nine players represented Stonehaven this season, with strong contributions across the board:
- Lewis Matheson topped the team’s scoring with 4½ points from 8 games, achieving a grading performance of 1405.
- David Bridges was a steady presence, scoring 3½/7 with a performance of 1065.
- Michael Clayton brought in 3/4, showing great consistency and reliability.
- Bruce Harrold contributed 1½/3, while Thomas Stidolph, a returning player, also scored 1½/2 with a performance of 1423.
- Other scorers included Patrick Coffield, Robbie Williamson, Jamie Stout, and Tate Randle, each playing their part in a successful season.
🏁 Final Thoughts
We’ve shown we can more than hold our own in league competition. With continued improvement and match experience, we hope to push even higher in next year’s standings.
Congratulations go to St Andrews Uni B, who won the division with a perfect 9/9 record and an impressive 76% board score.
🗓 Looking Ahead
We’ll be entering one team again in the 2025–26 TAFCA season, aiming to build on this year’s success. Thanks to everyone who played, travelled, and supported us throughout the campaign—we’re just getting started!