The 2024-5 Wessex League season is nearing its conclusion, with a number of Wallingford teams involved in promotion races or relegation battles. The club has 5 teams in the main evening league, and 3 teams in the daytime league.
In the evening league, Wallingford A and Wallingford C have been competing in Division 2. Wallingford A won 4 out of their 5 matches and are now guaranteed to finish the season as the Division winners and gain promotion back to Division 1. Well done to everyone who has represented Wallingford A this year. Wallingford C are playing in Division 2 for the first time, and have lost 2 matches (to Wallingford A and a narrow loss against Abingdon B going down to the last board) but had an excellent win against Abbey Smith A in their second match and a last gasp draw against Bicester A in their fourth, picking up 19 IMPs in the last two boards to reach parity. With one match to play they could still finish anywhere between 2nd and 6th in the table - a score of -12 to +1 IMP would secure 5th place, +2 to +17 would see them finish 4th and avoid relegation back to Division 3, +18 to 60 would take 3rd place and +61 or more would lift them into 2nd place behind Wallingford A and promotion to Division 1.
Wallingford D and Wallingford E are in Division 3. Unfortunately, Wallingford D have struggled this season, losing their first four matches but restoring some pride with a good win against Abbey Smith B in the last match to avoid the wooden spoon. Wallingford E, like Wallingford C playing in a higher division for the first time, have fared well, beating their Wallingford counterparts and Abbey Smith B and only narrowly losing out to Oxford D and Summertown A to lie 4th in the table with one match to play. Having secured the first aim of ensuring they stay in Division 3, their last match against Wantage will decide who is promoted from Division 3 alongside table-topping Oxford D - if Wantage win or lose by fewer than 10 IMPs, they will be promoted, if Wallingford E win by between 10 and 44 IMPs, Summertown A will be promoted and if Wallingford E can win by 45 IMPs or more they will leapfrog both of those teams and take 2nd spot and promotion to Division 2.
An incredibly close bottom end of Division 3 last season saw Wallingford B very narrowly relegated to Division 4 - they have won 3 matches and lost 1 to Oxford E, and play promotion rivals Aylesbury Aces in their last match with promotion back to Division 3 within their grasp but it looks like it could be a very close finish to their division for a second year in a row. They must win by 12 or more IMPs to secure promotion - any worse result than that and they will narrowly miss out in 3rd place. Bizarrely, if they win by between 12 and 34 IMPs, Aylesbury Aces would still also be promoted, and the unfortunate team to miss out in 3rd place would be Oxford E - despite winning all 5 of their matches!
In the daytime league, Wallingford B are in Division 1 and have secured staying there for another year after 3 good wins against Banbury A, Oxford Blue and Oxford Cherwell.
Wallingford A are in Division 2, currently lying 3rd with one match to play against the team just above them, Summertown A. A very strong win of 43 IMPs or more is what is needed to leapfrog Summertown A into 2nd place and earn promotion back to Division 1, a tough ask but their fate is in their own hands which is always good.
Wallingford C are all players who are new to playing league bridge, and after four losses in their first matches, scored an excellent win against Bicester A to open their account and very nearly beat Oxford Bodleian in their final match of the season, just being edged out by 1 IMP after a swing on the last board. Those two teams finished 1st and 3rd in the division, so Wallingford C will be a force to be reckoned with in that division next season.
Thanks to everyone representing the club in the Wessex League and good luck for the remaining fixtures.
Edited by David Emerson 27/3/25
Click here for the Wessex League Results on the EBU Website.
Click links at the top of the page for Divisions 1, 2, 3, and 4 and on the dropdown menu where it says "Wessex League 2024-25" for Daytime Divisions 1, 2, and 3.
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