Worcestershire Chess Association

Next events - Words in green are hyperlinks to pdf entry form, congress website, or contact’s e-mail

ECF Online tournaments Something on nearly every day
Tue 16 Jun, AGM Worcestershire Chess Association 7:30pm at The Oak Tree, Cofton Hackett - Longbridge home venue.
Sun 28 June UK Chess Challenge Worcester Megafinal at St John's Campus, University of Worcester, WR2 6AJ. Starts at 10am rapidplay tournaments for juniors. Six rounds, time control 15 + 10.
Sun 13 Sep Chess at Pebworth Party in the Park. Contact Dan Lambourne
Sat & Sun 19 & 20 Sep Chess at Stoke Prior Steam Rally. Contact Dan Lambourne.

Worcestershire players at the Cotswold Congress

25 May 2026. In the Open tournament neither Joe Friar (3½ points, Kidderminster) nor Ian Clarke (1½ points, Malvern) fared particularly well. Alaric Stephen (Worcester) scored 3 points and Colin Vernon (Warndon) 2 in the Major (u1860). In the Minor tournament (u1550), Graham Kemp scored 3 points. The six round event attracted 130 players.

Worcestershire players at Birmingham FIDÉ congress

24 May 2026. Jason Cole (Redditch) scored 2½ points in the u1900 tournament and Peter Hughes (Longbridge) scored 2 in the u1600.

New club draws first match

18 May 2026, Alex Nicholls reports. Warndon could not wait until the Summer Cup competitions or the start of the new season and arranged a friendly match with Hereford. The match was drawn 3½-3½.

Kidderminster Chess Club to have new venue from June

18 May 2026, John Wrench reports. After many years at Habberly Social Club, Kidderminster CC are moving to Kidderminster Harriers Social & Supporters Club Stadium Close, Kidderminster DY10 1NB and will meet on Monday evenings. First night at the new venue will be 1st June.

Chess at Redditch Classic Car Show

17 May 2026, Dan Lambourne reports. In additoin to showcasing his classic VW "beetle'" Dan hosted a chess table at the annual outdoor show .

The chess boards were under the trees on the grass behind the VW

Worcestershire u1650 lose to Kent

16 May 2026, Aiden Griffiths reports. The team were hit by two defaults; a car breakdown and a family emergency left two players unable to get to the venue at Reading. Worcestershire overcame the handicap of the defaults to equal Kent’s score, but Kent had the better tie-break, board count. Alex Nicholls (Warndon), Arnold Kirkland (Worcester), Giles Stanton (Redditch), Graham Kemp (Pebworth), Steve Alcock (Stourbridge) and Colin Vernon (Warndon) won their games. See details.

Bennett Cup semi-finalists, Ball Cup finalists announced

15 May 2026, Brian Turner reports. The Bennett Cup Pool A was won with 4½ points by Ben Attwell (Longbridge) and Ian Clarke (Malvern) was placed second on tie-break from Nigel Towers (Redditch). In Pool B, was won by Joe Friar (Kidderminster) on tie-break from Scott Oxtoby (Worcester) both on 4 points. In the benett Cup semi-finals Atwell plays Oxtoby and Friar plays Clarke. The final of the Ball Cup will be between Alex Nicholls (Warndon) and Graham Kemp (Pebworth). See details of prelininary rounds.

League champions 2025-6

13 May 2026. The final team fixture for the 2025-6 saw Kidderminster triumph yet again in Rapidplay League 2. The League winnersd are: Championship League - Redditch; Challengers League - Redditch; Worcester & District League - Worcester White Bishops; Rapidplay League 1 -Longbridge; and Rapidplay League 2 - Kidderminster. Congratulations to winning teams!

Worcestershire players at Leamington Open

10 May 2026. Joe Friar (Kidderminster) shared first place with 4 points from five games in the Open tournament. Other county players at the event were: Cory Hazlehurst (Logbridge) 2½ points in the Open, Ian Clarke (Malvern) 3 Points in the Major, and Joe Tipping (Redditch) 2½ points in the Intermediate.

Worcestershire lose national quarter final

9 May 2026. Two equally rated teams battled for a place in the national semi-finals at Chadzoy, Somerset. Worcestershire narrowly failed to get to the natinbal semi-finals losing 7½-8½ to Devon. Jonathan Vaughan (Redditch), team captain Harry Evans (Redditch), Dani Lambourne (Redditch), Carl Hibbard, and Ian Clarke (Malvern) won their games. See details.

Longbridge will get the Rapidplay League 1 title

7 May 2026. Kidderminster conceded the matches to be played at Redditch meaning they can no longer catch Longbridge

Have you played an enterprising game?

4 May 2026, Andrew Farthing, acting competitions secretary, call for entries from members of WCA affiliated clubs and teams to submit entries for the Woodcock Prize. Eligible games must come from the 2025/26 season but are not restricted to leagues or other events held under the auspices of the WCA, provided that the game concerned has been played by a registered Worcestershire player. Please note that the award is for "most enterprising game", so players should not be put off by concerns over technical perfection or soundness. The prize is intended to recognise games played in a spirit of enterprise. Entry is free and submissions should be forwarded to Andrew by 31 May.

Windmills team finish inaugural run

4 May 2026. Worcestershire’s 4NCL team ended in ninth place out of thirty teams in division 4 after the final weekend played in Coventry. A loss in round 9 against The Full Ponty dented hopes of promotion. The team recovered in round 10 beating War & Piece A, but lost against 3Cs the Division 4 champions in round 11. See details.

Worcestershire player represents England

28 Apr 2026, Dan Lambourne reports. Matt Gillings (Redditch) played board 1 for England 5 in the FIDÉ Senior (50+) Team Championships held in Albania. He improved his rating and scored 3½ points from his eight games wich included a win over WGM Anjelina Balakovskaia, three time former USA women’s champion. England 5 were placed twenty seventh out of thirty six teams,