2018 - Greece ...
2018 European Club Cup - 3Cs' results
Round 1 SK 1911 (Norway) Lost 0.5 - 5.5
Round 2 Aatos (Finland) Lost 2 - 4
Round 3 Caissa Chania (Greece) Won 4 - 2
Round 4 Dudelange (Luxembourg) Won 4.5 - 1.5
Round 5 Rehovot (Israel) Lost 1.5 - 4.5
Round 6 Team Viking (Sweden) Lost 2 - 4
Round 7 Viking Chess Club (Norway) Lost 2.5 - 3.5
An overall score of 2 / 7 was itself an excellent performance by the team considering that the FIDE rating of each player was far below the average of the seven opponents they faced. However, they all contributed valuable game points throughout the competition, as follows ...
Adam Ashton 2 (1 win, 2 draws)
Alex Longson 3 (3 wins)
Rhys Cumming 3.5 (2 wins, 3 draws)
Sarah Longson 3 (3 wins)
Alan Walton 3 (2 wins, 2 draws)
Phil Adams 2.5 (5 draws)
It is a testiment to the strength of 3Cs as a club that while the leading sides in the event have enticed players from all over the world to just play together as a team for this particular tournament, the Oldham side, apart from the enforced late inclusion of Rhys Cumming, all have genuine connections with the club.
The team were also competing without the services of Grandmaster Stephen Gordon, International Master Andy Horton, FIDE Master Daniel Abbas as well as two other regular first-team players John Bentley and Jamie Horton, all of whom have come through via the 3Cs' junior ranks.
1st round action from the 2018 European Club Cup in Greece. The 3Cs' team can be seen centre left of the photo (unfortunately with backs to the camera - maybe the best view of them !!!) From left to right - Phil Adams, Alan Walton, Sarah Longson, Rhys Cumming, Alex Longson, Adam Ashton.
Fri 12 - Thr 18 October 2018. Porto Carras, Halkidiki, Greece
The 3Cs' team in Greece.
(l to r) Rhys Cumming, Sarah Longson, Alan Walton, Adam Ashton, Alex Longson, Phil Adams
3Cs suffered a blow to their chances of glory at the European Club Cup even before the competition began. French Grandmaster Fabien Libiszewski, who has played several seasons for 3Cs in the UK 4NCL and was due to be on the top board for the club in the European event, had to withdraw due to an injury which occured just hours before he was due to travel to Greece for the tournament.
However, 3Cs managed to obtain the services of experienced 4NCL player Rhys Cumming, with the team now ranked 45th out of 61.
To give an idea of 3Cs' tremendous effort to even be playing in the event, the top 27 teams each have an average FIDE rating for their six players which is more than any of the individual ratings for all of the 3Cs' side.
Adam Ashton pictured playing on top board for 3Cs in Greece. Adam is a product of the club's successful youth policy and was representing 3Cs for the second time in the European event.
As the 3Cs' player on the top board Adam faced some of the best players in Europe during the tournament including one Grandmaster and four International Masters.
The venue for the 2018 European Club Cup ... with Phil Adams just arriving (left) and finding that the rest of the 3Cs' team have taken all the parking spaces !
3Cs' team:
Board 1 FM Adam Ashton
Board 2 FM Alex Longson
Board 3 Rhys Cumming
Board 4 WFM Sarah Longson
Board 5 CM Alan Walton
Board 6 Phil Adams
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