Essex 8½ – 7½ Devon, 26 June 1999

Although County Chess is a team game, and it is the collective efforts of the sixteen players that determine success or failure, situations often arise where most of the games have been completed and there is huge pressure on the two or three players still in play since their results will decide the outcome of the match.  Prior to the final, the Essex U175s had experienced this situation in six of their eight matches, and had come through with an outstanding record of nine wins, eight draws and no losses from these crunch games.  However, it was even more of a test of character for one individual to have to play out the decisive game in the final with the match tied at 7½ – 7½, and carry the hopes of a hat trick of victories in the National Competition.  This task fell to George McNally in the U175 final, and how magnificently he responded.

Essex 9½ – 6½ Warwickshire, 5 June 1999

Warwickshire surprisingly agreed to travel to Wanstead House for the U175 semi-final instead of insisting upon the neutral venue to which they were entitled under the rules of the competition.  They were handicapped by the failure of the scheduled Board 14 to arrive at the rendezvous for his lift, and in the absence of any travelling reserves a default had to be conceded to John White an hour after the start.  Draws were then registered by Ian Hunnable, Les Crane and Roy Heppinstall (the last of these in a wild game) before the first decisive result over the board arrived.  This was a win for Colin Ramage who had met the English opening with a reversed Grob.  Colin’s position looked dubious for much of the game but his opponent, who ran himself short of time, seemed oblivious to Colin’s kingside threats as he concentrated on a queenside attack and resigned at the time control when faced by an unstoppable mate.

Essex 9 – 7 Lancashire, 8 May 1999

In May 1998 when Essex had been due to visit Syston in Leicestershire for an U175 quarter-final against Lancashire, the match had been conceded on the Friday night.  The luck of the draw pitted the two Counties against each other again in May 1999, and Syston was again chosen as the neutral venue; this time, Lancashire had very much got their act together and fielded a strong line up.  Essex were without Rod Nixon, and had released Ivor Smith, Paul Barclay and Colin Ramage to play for the Essex Open team.  On paper the teams were extremely closely matched over the top twelve boards, but Essex had a grading advantage on the lower boards.

Middlesex 4½ – 11½ Essex, 20 February 1999

Essex went into this match already sure of qualification for the national stages, but needing at least an 8-8 tie to be certain of retaining the SCCU championship.  In the days leading up to the match, the omens had not looked good.  At one stage Essex seemed likely to be without their regular top three boards.  However, in the event, Tim Hebbes was able to turn out on Board 1, and with Peter Doye making a welcome first appearance of the season, a strong line up was produced despite the absence of Trevor Coote and Ivor Smith.  Middlesex were more seriously affected by absentees and fielded a side somewhat weaker than the one that had drawn at Wanstead House earlier in the season.

Sussex 6½ – 9½ Essex, 23 January 1999

Essex went into this match knowing that a win would ensure qualification for the National Stages of the competition, but that a defeat would leave everything to play for in a tricky looking final fixture away to Middlesex.  As Sussex had enjoyed the better of the tied match at Wanstead House in November, a tough afternoon was anticipated.  The exchange of team lists indicated that Essex were marginally stronger and Sussex marginally weaker than in the earlier encounter, a state of affairs which is eloquent testimony to the willingness of the Essex players to make the long journey to Hassocks.

Essex 13½ – 2½ Surrey, 9 January 1999

The first cycle of matches of the U175 competition had been marked by an extremely close series of contests, with half the games tied and no margin of victory greater than 9-7.  It was also noticeable that, in marked contrast to the previous season, there had been no opposition defaults in the matches played by Essex.

Essex 8 – 8 Middlesex, 5 November 1998

It is five seasons since Essex last played Middlesex in the U175 competition.  After the experience of the last two years, when Middlesex had entered a team but then withdrawn from the competition without playing a match, there had been doubts expressed by some members of the Essex squad as to whether the fixture at Wanstead House on 5 December was likely to go ahead.  In the event, Middlesex captain Bernard Haase brought with him a team worthy of the occasion, almost matching their hosts in grading terms, with the only disappointment being the failure of the scheduled board 4 to arrive within the first hour, which led to Bernard having to play as a substitute.

Essex 8 – 8 Sussex, 7 November 1998

After running away with the U175 Division in the previous season, Essex are finding the competition much stiffer in 1998/99.  The narrow win away to Surrey was followed by a closely contested match with Sussex at Wanstead House from which the home team managed to retrieve a tie after looking in the later stages of the match like losing a 20 month unbeaten record.  Late withdrawals meant that both captains ended up playing, and Mark Weighell had to step in as a substitute on Board 3 well into the session after a phone call to the home of the scheduled player revealed that he was not returning home from holiday until the following day.

Surrey 7 – 9 Essex, 24 October 1998

The first match of the season for an Essex U175 team setting out in search of a hat trick in both the SCCU and national competitions proved to be extremely close fought, with the outcome remaining in doubt until the last few minutes of the afternoon.  The Essex line up lacked eight of the team which defeated Yorkshire in the County Championship final in July, with Andrew Brett and Larry Marden now ineligible, and six regulars unavailable for various reasons.  Nevertheless, the strength in depth of the squad meant that there was a comfortable grading advantage over the home team on paper throughout the line-up, although this counted for little when play got under way.