At what point did the balance of power in our county shift from the south, where it certainly stood until the 40s, to the north? Was there really a defining moment or was it just a gradual transition? To what extent was the shift generational? Who came in and who left Bedfordshire during that time? We certainly know that former Kent champion L. Pape (of Italian origin) bolstered the north, and it’s possible that the eastern European community of -many- refugees that Bedford acquired after WW2 also contributed, but if so how much so? According to Sweby the Bedfordshire League began in 45 when Vauxhall won the title first followed by Luton Chess Club for the next 14 years. How was it, then, that in county matches the south figured so poorly?
In the following cutting we learn that the south, headed by stalwart R. H. Rushton (see http://mccreadyandchess.com/2015/07/23/the-changing-face-of-chess/ for image) lost heavily to the north once more. I’m assuming that M. Staddon is either Nigel’s father or he himself (that being a misprint of course). His opponent V. Maluga (of Ukraine) I once played in my teens. I always remember he complained over the slowness of my play after he lost on the black side of a Ruy Lopez rather than the yellow jumper I wore.
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