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
Sat 16 May, Worcestershire play Kent in the u1650 national quarter finals at Wallington House, 44 Watlington St, Reading RG1 4RJ. Contact Aiden Griffiths if you can play.
Sat to Mon 23-25 May, Cotswold Chess Congress at The King's School, Gloucester GL1 2BG. Open, Major (u1860) and Minor (u1550)tournaments, six rounds, 90+30 time control. half point bye available in rounds 1-5.
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.

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.

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,

Evesham club has good first night

20 Apr 2026. Nearly thirty players, attended the launch at Wallace House Community Centre and players had to take space in a second room. Paul Serfini who has been helping Evesham players get started writes: "It was brilliant to see a great mix of junior and adult players, all enjoying friendly games ... There was a real buzz ... and it’s clear there’s a strong appetite for chess in Evesham." The establishment of the club has been facilitated by equipment funded by the English Chess Association Grassroots initiative made possible by extra money granted by the Government to support the game.

League champions 2025-6

Worcestershire players at Leamington Open

Worcestershire lose national quarter final

Longbridge will get the Rapidplay League 1 title

Have you played an enterprising game?

Windmills team finish inaugural run

Worcestershire player represents England

Finalists from new clubs to play for the Ball Cup

Last match win decides Challengers League champion team

Worcester White Bishops certain of Worcester & District title

Evesham club has good first night

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