GTCL Club Competition Report
The second season of the GTCL club competition was held this past year. Polonia were the defending league and cup champions and once again fielded a strong team.  This year, the Anapilis club joined the league and also fielded a strong team and it looked like a battle between those two for first might be about to happen with the rest of the league trying to keep up.

For half the season, this is exactly what happened. Then Anapilis and Polonia had a showdown which started Anapilis on a slide down the standings to an eventual equal fourth place finish with Scarborough. The Dutton Club managed to charge into second place, followed by the Polonia club’s second entry into the league.  The table was rounded out by Brampton, the two Durham clubs and the second entry from the Anapilis club.  Polonia defended their league championship title but lost the cup title, which was captured by the Dutton club (see Eddie Urquhart’s report below on the cup competition).  Thanks to all the players and team captains for taking part and making the league such a great place to play chess this past year.
David Gebhardt - Club Competition Coordinator

If one could imagine thousands of chess fans huddled around in a stadium watching, screaming and cheering their chess club on then you would be dreaming.  However, there is such a thing as a Chess League and it has been successfully operating right here in Toronto for many years. The League itself has been growing steadily and recently has been gaining respect in the "Centre of the Universe" as a quality top notch league. Some of Canada's top players such as: IM Brian Hartman, FM Ian Findlay, FM Denis Allan were just a few of the prominent players who were in this years line up. The league would consist of Regular season "league" play and a separate "Cup" playoff session. The Polonia Chess Club has been considered the "Dynasty" team of the league but their title would be greatly contested in the coming battles. The Anapilis Team seemed to be the best team on paper since they fielded an all master team and their Captain was none other than IM Brian Hartman. Not many people gave the rest of the league much of a chance against these two giants. If there were to be another contender for the Cup then it would take someone with extraordinary foresight and determination. This man has been the core of Chess in Canada for many years and he is none other than Mark Dutton. The Dutton Chess Club had an outside chance to win gold but it wouldn't be easy. Mr. Dutton knew that he would have to field a team that could slow the Polonian Dynasty and stop the Powerhouse Anapilis Team. Dutton would need a great Champion to play board 1 and that's when he signed FM Ian Findlay to a 1 year contract. Then all he needed to do was gather a supporting cast determined enough to win at all costs. So, he looked deep into his pool of players to find the talented Yasha Vaingorten. The Former Canadian Junior Champion would prove useful down the stretch with his classical Russian style of play.  Now, if Mark could find a player who would be able to rough up the enemy?!.. but who would Mark find to be his Tie Domi? That's when he called upon the services of a new comer to the Toronto Scene, Eddie Urquhart.  Known for his tactical barbarisms, he would provide the team with decisive games down the stretch. The Dutton team would have long time loyalist Peter Boross-Harmer, Warren Dutton (Mark's son), Ross "Stone Cold" Richardson and Omar Shah, Regional Director of Chess'n Math, to help give back bone to the team. The stage was to be a set for a great showdown between the "big 3".  The regular season was won by the Polonia "A" team who would only yield a draw to the Dutton team. The Anapilis Team failed to produce their starters in the regular season but reports indicated that they were ready for the "Cup" (playoff) run. After decisive Quarterfinal match ups, The Dutton team would face off with the mighty Polonians and Anapilis would face the Polonian "B" team. IM Hartman's team breezed to the final but the other semi final would not be so clear. After a last minute shuffle on boards 3 and 4, the Polonian "A" team found themselves down in the match 2-0. All Dutton's team needed was a draw and they were through to the finals. There was a reason why Mr. Findlay was playing on board 1 and he came through for his team with a much desired draw. Now the eagerly awaited Cup Final was to be set in early June. Ian Findlay was to face his arch rival Brian Hartman in what was to be the best game of the League. The Dutton Club had the early momentum as on board 3 Eddie Urquhart was able to attack his opponents castle and it was spreading fire across the grassy fields in Annapolis. When Peter Harmer was able to draw his master opponent the attention was on boards 1 and 2. The team was so close to victory and it came in the third hour as FM Findlay was able to hold off his opponents’ advances and secure the Cup for the Dutton Team . Yasha was able to win his game making the final 3.5-.5 for the Dutton Club. Alas, the cheers could be heard from the battle fields which is more commonly knows as Original's Bar and Grill..

I would just like to thank David Gebhardt and all the teams that made this years league a success. There were a lot of great social gatherings and the Chess was nothing less of spectacular!  Big Thanks also "Stone Cold" Richardson and his wife Susan for hosting the  DCC Victory celebration party with an amazing BBQ and pool party in Mississauga.    Eddie Urquhart

Eddie Urquhart   

Vaingorten and FM Findlay check out a position @ DCC
 

Warren Dutton and Ted Kret do battle at the Polonia Chess Club in Mississauga