The 2023-24 Club Championship ended with Rob Colston beating Mel Burt in the final round to emerge as clear winner with 4.5/5. There was a 5-way tie for second place involving Goetz Bucher, Mel Burt, Stuart Callison, Ishan Kumar, and David Watt, all on 3.5/5.
   Congratulations to Rob, who was also our 2022-23 champion, and who has an unbeaten run in all classical chess events since early 2023! Congratulations also to Ishan Kumar and Álvaro ​Rosales Rodriguez for their "giant" killing feats.
   At the club's AGM, Rob was presented with the Championship trophy by David Watt.

On Tuesday 1 April we held a junior championship. Eight players of greatly varying ages took part in a keenly fought competition. For some it was their first experience of competing under tournament conditions, and with clocks.
   There were three rounds of 15:10 Allegro chess. Some players started off even more 'allegro' than they needed to be! But by round 3 most had got into the rhythm of playing at this speed.
   The winners were Hanhan Wen and Álvaro Rosales Rodriguez with 2.5/3. They drew their final-round game: a see-saw affair, which either could have won at various points. Logan and Marek scored a very creditable 2/3. 
   There followed a play-off of two games of 5:3 Blitz. Álvaro won both games, but not before, yet again, big swings in fortune one way and then the other. (A proposed "Armageddon" tie-breaker was not needed.)
   Well done to all who took part!

Bearsden A are Division 2 champions, after only one season in that division. Following our hiccup against Queens Park A, wins against Giffnock and Phones B secured the title, with our earlier win over Strathclyde University proving to have been decisive. The leading teams in the division were Bearsden A (16/18 match points), Strathclyde University and Queens Park A (14/18). Our leading scorers were David Watt (6.5/8), Rob Colston, Stuart Callison (both 6/9), Ishan Kumar (5.5/7), and Goetz Bucher (5/8)..
   Congratulations to the team, ably captained by Rob Colston!
   Also in Division 2, Bearsden B ended up with 5/18 match points. Their best result was a convincing 4.5--1.5 win over Giffnock. Unfortunately that was not enough to avoid relegation.