On Wednesday April 11 Malpas & Oswestry Club 1st team ensured another season in Division 1 of the Chester & District Chess League with a 2.5-2.5 draw with Pen-y-ffordd away.

The first games to finish were the bottom boards. Colin Mace lost on 5, but that was balanced when Peter Fisher won on 4 and then David Bennion won on 3 to give the visitors the lead.

But this was short-lived as Charles Lowick Higgie lost on 1 to the new Welsh Chess Champion, David Jameson. This left the match tied at 2-2 and so to draw the match Richard Bryant had to hang on against Ray Pearson on 2.

Luckily for Malpas & Oswestry Ray missed a win and the game, and hence the match, ended in a draw, giving the visitors the draw tehy needed to ensure another season of Division 1 Chess.