Mid tournament snow failed to checkmate Shropshire's premier chess event which set a new record for entries
With players coming from not just Shropshire, Wolverhampton, and across the Midlands, but also travelling from as far as South Wales and Yorkshire, it was feared that the arctic blast would force many to pull out at a crucial stage.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
However, only eight, mainly living in rural areas, decided not to play in the final two rounds of the five-round competition.
"The snow was potentially a bit of a hiccup, but we were lucky it was not as bad as had been feared," said Shropshire Chess Congress' joint organiser, Chris Lewis.
Nevertheless, fellow organiser Phil Love decided not to risk being snowed in at his Newport home, and slept on Saturday night in his camper van at the Telford venue.
A total of 171 players entered the competition, although in the event 166 took part. The bumper entry for the tournament held at the premises of Wrekin Housing Trust took it to capacity and meant it had to close the entry list several days in advance.
"It's definitely a record," said Lewis, who said factors in the success were both the venue, and also the on-site food.
