The team were handed an unexpected bonus in the first game was versus Cumbernauld, as their opponents were short of a player and defaulted a board. In addition to this bonus, Inverclyde had significant grading advantages on the other boards, and were strong favourites. Victory proved more difficult than expected though, as Inverclyde only won won of the four games. Despite this, two draws on boards 2 and 3, alongside the default win were enough to give the team a 3-2 win.
Inverclyde's round 2 opponents, Giffnock and Clarkston, presented more formidable opposition, as the two teams were closely matched in grades. This was reflected in the match, which featured 3 draws, a win for Giffnock's FIDE (International Chess Federation) Master on board one, and a crucial win for Inverclyde's John Calder on board 3.
While Inverclyde may be disappointed not to have won both games, the points gained provide a good platform upon which to build, with games against strong opponents Dundee City B and Edinburgh 2 in the next two rounds.
Full Results
Round 1 :
| Bd | Grade | Cumbernauld | (3) | vs | (4) | Inverclyde | Grade | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1801 | Kelly, J Steven | 0 | – | 1 | Montgomery, Jim | 2178 | Away Win |
| 2 | 1775 | Mayo, Kevin | ½ | – | ½ | Calder, John | 1902 | Draw |
| 3 | 1543 | Thomson, George | ½ | – | ½ | Hilton, Steve H | 1796 | Draw |
| 4 | 1524 | Pearston, John M | 1 | – | 0 | Bolln, Carsten | 1735 | Home Win |
| 5 | 0 | DEFAULT | L | – | W | DEFAULT | 0 | Loss by Default |
| 2 | – | 3 | ||||||
Round 2 :
| Bd | Grade | Inverclyde | (4) | vs | (5) | Giffnock & Clarkston | Grade | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2178 | Montgomery, Jim | 0 | – | 1 | Giulian, Philip M (FM) | 2067 | Away Win |
| 2 | 1982 | McDonald, Kevin | ½ | – | ½ | Thomson, Neil | 1976 | Draw |
| 3 | 1902 | Calder, John | 1 | – | 0 | Floros, Antonios | 1930 | Home Win |
| 4 | 1796 | Hilton, Steve H | ½ | – | ½ | Giulian, Rosie A | 1831 | Draw |
| 5 | 1735 | Bolln, Carsten | ½ | – | ½ | McDonald, David | 1301 | Draw |
| 2½ | – | 2½ | ||||||
