Match Results & Reports: January 2026
Monthly Match Results & Reports: January 2026
Player of the Month:
Tim Hilton:
Results:
Wednesday 07/01/25
Culcheth 3 – 3 Eccles
A Division:
Warrington League
Thursday 08/01/26
Eccles 4 – 1 Northwich
C Division 7500 Handicap
Warrington League
Monday 19/01/26
Northenden 2.5 – 3.5 Eccles
B Division
Stockport League.
Tuesday 20/01/26
Eccles 2.5 – 2.5 Howich
2nd team 7500 Handicap
Bolton League
Tuesday 20/01/26
Chorlton 2.5 – 3.5 Eccles
Charnley Cup semi final
Stockport League.
Tuesday 27/01/26
Eccles 4.5 – 1.5 East Cheshire
A Division
Stockport League
Thursday 29/01/26
Wigan 1.5 – 3.5 Eccles
C Division 7500 Handicap
Warrington League.
Player of the Month Match Report: Tim Hilton
Tim did something unprecedented, he was the last play to finish his game taking Eccles through to the Stockport Charnley Cup final creating an Eccles Hatrick.
This is what Tim said about his game.
I was white vs Julian Alderton who has had some very impressive results over the last couple of years, we squared off at the same venue back in November on board 6 where I was black and the game ended in a hard fought draw. As we had both been promoted to board 5, I was hoping to make something with the white pieces!
A couple of years ago Julian had actually beaten my 1. C4 with the Halibut gambit aka 1…b5?! albeit in a fast time limit. So he played a lot more sensibly this time where an interesting struggle emerged where I decided to transform facing an IQP into 2 bishops and I blasted the position open and started some interesting complications. I crashed through on his weak e6 point and it looked like it would soon be game over.
Despite being very short of time, Julian defended very resourcefully and even set me a cunning trap where a move I had planned would have spelled disaster. I went for the win of an exchange but all of a sudden the pawns I had pushed to win the exchange had exposed my king and he also had a pawn I had neglected to capture back earlier running down the board at an alarmingly fast rate. He may have had enough play to hold, by this point it was 2.5 all and several thousands of screaming fans had crowded around our board…
Julian then offered a draw, we was 2.5-1.5 up but Andy was bust on board 6. As we had lost board 1 I was worried it might be a loss on board count and I also felt like I had more of the winning chances given I was the exchange up for a pawn and my king wasn’t as exposed as a few moves ago so I went for it
Eventually I managed to remove the pawn at the cost of my entire queenside being obliterated but luckily his now 2 connected passed pawns was far back. I went with my kingside ones to try and create threats whilst he punted his (a) pawn. I also had to watch out for perpetual checks and checks to pick my rook off. It was a very tense situation as I also was getting short of time and a place at Wembley was at stake. Luckily I got mating threats in which forced the queens off and I managed to pick his a pawn off by 1 move to avoid a very crafy stalemate trick. With a rook and 2 pawns against a knight and 1 pawn and no tricks Julian gracefully resigned. A very excitng game in which we both had chances and I was buzzing to have won the match for Auntie Barbaras Eccles army!
Tim said it was a cracking game that went on till 22.45pm
Click on the board to view the game.
Thanks Tim for your match report and on a personal note, Eccles are absolutely delighted to have gotten through to the Stockport Charnley Cup Final for the third time.
This will be Eccles’s first chance of winning a Hat Trick and I’d like to thank all the Eccles players for their amazing team spirit, Tim for winning the deciding game and for making this debut Hat Trick happen.
Clubs taking part in the Stockport Charnley Cup Final is between Eccles and Macclesfield to be played at home to Eccles Tuesday 14th April 2026
Come on team Eccles we can win this, and if not, it’s going to be jolly good fun trying…
Club Nights!
Monday:
From 6:45pm: Ladies & Entry-Level Players (with mentoring)
From 8pm: Learn How to Play Better Chess
Wednesday:
Chess is Fun for Everyone — from 7pm until late
Free refreshments · Free local parking · All donations gratefully received
21 Church Street, Eccles, M30 0DF
Website: https://eccleschess.com
Chess in the Community — Keeping Chess Live