Newcastle A (née Forest Hall A) have obliterated Division 1. The bottom two will be Jesmond and Tynemouth A, with Jesmond earning a playoff unless they lose to Gosforth Empire AND Tynemouth A beat South Shields A.
Gosforth Salters have earned at least a playoff in Division 2, but Newcastle University A will overtake them for the title if their last two matches produce anything better than a draw and a 4-0 defeat. Forest Hall Foxes are headed for a relegation playoff and South Shields B for auto-relegation unless the latter come up with two emphatic wins.
Gosforth Centurions and Tynemouth B are level on points in Division 3, but Gosforth have one match left to Tynemouth’s two. Forest Hall Woodpeckers are toast, and Morpeth B need three results to go their way to escape the playoff at Gosforth Ivy’s expense.
There is no such thing as mid-table in Division 4! Gosforth Hawthorns, Leam Lane Bullets, Gateshead A, Gosforth Woodbines and Tynemouth C are still fighting for the top two places (Tynemouth can’t win the title, but anything else can happen). Ten points behind them are Forest Hall Squirrels and Morpeth C, and since both matches between the pair are still outstanding, the quest to avoid the auto-drop will go to the wire.
University B have a commanding lead in Division 5, but still have a tiny chance of being caught by either Forest Hall Owls or Tynemouth D, and a sub-atomic chance of both. Gosforth Jedis occupy the playoff place but will do well to hold onto it. At the bottom Alnwick B are odds-on for the playoff berth, since South Shields C above them can guarantee survival with three 2½-1½ defeats or a single draw, and Leam Lane Comets below them have four points from 10 matches and need another four from two.
Newcastle B have three matches left in Division 6; they need one point to secure a playoff place and two for the title. The battle for second place is interesting – both Tynedale A and Alnwick C have to play Newcastle B, and Tynedale also have to play back-markers University C. A win for Tynedale over University means they need only match Alnwick’s result against Newcastle, a draw means they need to improve upon it, and a defeat means they must beat Newcastle and pray Alnwick lose.
Northumberland Chess Association 