The E.J. Clarke Entries and Dates
The E.J. Clarke has been a cornerstone of the league since its inception in the 1935–36 season. In 1960, Edward James Clarke, a long-standing member and Vice-President of the Swansea Chess Club, donated the trophy and three replicas for the competition. Although Clarke was not an active competitive player, his contribution significantly enriched the league's traditions . The championship has evolved over the years, transitioning from a knockout format to an all-play-all system in 1955, and later incorporating group stages leading to knockout semi-finals. Despite challenges such as scheduling delays and fluctuating participation. You can read more about the trophy on Martyn Griffith's article History of the League up to 1970
This year the entry dates are:
Round one, Wednesday 21st May, Llanelli, 19:15 Round two, Tuesday 3rd June, Cadoxton, 19:00 Round three, Wednesday 11th June, Llanelli, 19:15 Round four, Monday, 16th June, Cadoxton, 19:00 Round five, Wednesday, 25th June, Morriston, 19:15
Moss McCarthy is organising the event and his details can be found in this year's yearbook (see the documents section) if you wish to enter. You can also be added to a WhatsApp chap to be informed of any changes or to keep the controller informed.
Current entries:
- William Hewitt 2041
- Alan Young 2016
- Peter Bevan 1883
- Jonathon Thomas 1868
- Andrew Smith 1779
- Chris Daniels 1745
- Guto Llewelyn 1676
- Farouq Nasir 1670
- Elliot Chapman 1604
- Carl Halpin 1576
- David Foster 1567
- Leon Vincent 1531
- Tony Goodchild 1526
- Wiliam Francis 1477
- Andrew Powell 1461
- Paul Bevan 1456
- Glyn Hill 1431
- John Ward 1398
- Jack Mason 1393
- Advik Ram 1390
- Emyr-Wyn Francis 1320
- Tomos Francis 1310
- Thomas MacDonald-Wright 1385
One last note for those taking part is to be wary of the top player. Peter Bevan has won the EJ Clarke on 5 consecutive decades, from 1976 to 2014, and could easily strike again! Bill Hewitt is the closest contender, holding the title in 4 consecutive decades, but unfortunately had to pull out from this year's tournament.