Suffolk Under 160s are EACU Champions

The final matches in this season’s EACU Under 160 competition were held in Newmarket today.   Suffolk only needed to draw one match to be confirmed as Champions.

The morning match, against second-placed Cambridgeshire did not go to plan, with Suffolk losing 7 – 8 in a 15-board match.   But in the afternoon Suffolk ran out clear winners against Hertfordshire, by 10½ points to 4½.

Suffolk will now be at home to Essex in the National Quarter-Finals, to be played in Ipswich on Saturday 12 May.

Seeing double – the Suffolk team included two Mike Ushers – see the photo below!   One (left), Michael E Usher, who most players will know, is from Saxmundham, whilst the other, Michael D Usher, hails from Brandon and does not currently play for any club.   He last played competitively at the 2016 Bury St Edmunds Congress.

Today’s top scorers for Suffolk were Board 3 Jaden Jermy, who won both games against opponents graded 154 and 146, and Board 15 Cameron Little.   Several others scored 1½ points: Alex Sheerin (Board 1), Laurie Pott (4), Mike D Usher (7), Adam John (8), Mike E Usher (11) and Rene Martinez (13).