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
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.

Led Zepplin’s Robert Plant drops into play chess at Bewdley

1 Aug 2026. Bewdley’s Mayor, Sharon Harvey, arranged for Robert to drop into the Worcestershire Junior Chess Congress. See BBC Hereford & Worcester for picture and more. Jack Jenkinson (Worcester) won the Under-18 section and Oscar Evans-Maldoon won the Under-12 section. Both players scored 5 points from their six games. The event was organised by John Wrench, Nigel Towers and Simon Berry, with help from Paul Serafini and Luke Barton for Worcestershire Chess Association and was supported by Chess in Schools & Communities.

Worcestershire players at the British Championships

1 Aug 2026. Worcestershire champion, WGM Kata Toma and Joe Friar (Kidderminster), MCCU’s nominee, and the are playing in the Championship, while local players Cory Hazlehurst (Longbridge) and Ben Attwell (Redditch) are playing in the Major Open. Matt Gilling (Redditch) in the over 50, carmelo Tirado Simarro (Longbridge) plays in the afternoon Open, Ian Clarke (Malvern) in the u2050, Joshua Clarke (Malvern) in the u2000, Giles Stanton (Redditch) in the u1750, kenul Herath (Redditch) in the Under-16, and Nigel Towers (Redditchg) in the Thursday Blitz competitions.

County member seeks re-election as ECF Gold members representative

17 Jul 2026. Gavin Cartwright (Longbridge) is standing for re-election as a representative for ECF Gold members. In his election address he states that he is experienced in representing members at national level and sends out regular surveys for Gold members to tell him of their concerns. Gavin works as an IT team leader. In other shperes, he has an interest in mental health and has been a commissioner for services in the West Midlands and is keen to eliminate any instances of bullying in the chess community.

New general secretary appointed to lead county association

3 Jul 2026. Chris Lee (Worcester) was appointed to fill the vacant post of general secretary by senior mebers of the excutive committee. Chris is the captain of Worcester Knights team in the Rapidplay League One and has previously captained a county team. Chris bring with him experience from business where he has managed diverse teams working to strict deadlines. The Executive Committee recognised that Chris has big shoes to fill Chris and he will be supported by two assistant secretaries Scott Oxtoby and Ray Collett (both Worcester)

First county bughouse chess event

1 Jul 2026. Redditch CC hosted the first bughouse match at Meadow Farm. As is usual in such matches, it didn't take long for chaos to descend. In this chess variant pairs of players, playig on separate boards give any captured pieces to their partner who can then use a move to add a fresh piece to their army. If you would like to join players in this crazy variant, contact David Smith (Redditch).

First Worcestershire Bughouse evening at Meadow Farm

First bughouse chess evening at Meadow Farm, Redditch

2026 Bennett Cup winner gets place in Britsh Championship

23 Jun 2026. Having only just missed out for a qualifying place in the British, Joe Friar was planning to enter the Major Open tournament, but now learns he has received a nomination from the Midland Counties Chess Union for a place in the British to be held at the Unmiversity of Warwck starting in July. Congratulations! Joe joins WGM Kata Toma in the tournament which will be a fierce test with eight GMs, twenty two IMs and four WGMs who have already entered the lists. Thisis the first time since 2011 when GM Kieith Arkell and Stephen Mellor (Worcester) played that Worcestershire have two players in Britain’s leading chess tournament.

18 Jun 2026 Playing the white pieces, Joe Friar beat Ben Attwell in the final held at Redditch.

2026 Ball Cup winner

15 Jun 2026, Brain Turner reports. Congratulations to Graham Kemp (Pebworth) who beat Alex nicholls (Warndon) in the final. Graham saud: "I have never won a chess competition in my life before, so you can imagine, even at my age, I'm beyond thrilled. I particularly enjoyed the friendly spirit of the tournament shared by all players".

County and Evesham CC players at Birmingham Rapidplay

14 Jun Cory Hazlehurst (Longbridge) was second in the Open tournament with 5 points from his seven games. In the Major, Ian Clarke (Malvern) scored 4½ points and was sixth equal, and Nigel Towers (Redditch) scored 4 points. Daniel Jones (Stourbridge) won the Intermediate with 7 points. In the Minor tournament, Allen Stephen (Worcester) scored 5 points and was placed fifth. New club Evesham has three players at the event from the Didelot family: Arthur scored 4/7 and Willaim 3½/7 in the Minor tournament while Xavier entered the more challenging Interemediate scoring 3/7. Read Evesham CC report and see full results at Chess-Results.com

Redditch Rapidplay Champion

10 Jun 2026. David Smith was presented with the Redditch Club trophy for winning the season long rapidplay tournament by club president Glenn Cox. Picture credit Dan Lmabourne.

Ed Higgs king of Worcester blitz

6 Jun 2026, Scott Oxtoby reports. Ed Higgs won Worcester City CC’s June Fun Blitz with 7½, a point clear of second placed Rob Sutton. Ed cruised through the tournament conceding a draw only to Ray Collett.

Redditch club president and 2026 rapidplay champion

Players at 2026 Kidderminster handicap tournament

Players in the Kidderminster handicap tournament

Bennett Cup finalists

9 Jun 2026, Brian Turner reports. Joe Friar and Ben Attwell face off in the final.

Joe says it was no handicap

27 May 2026, John Wrench reports. Joe Friar won the annual Kidderminster Handicap tournament with 8 points, two clear from runners-up Paul Hicken and Brandon Wilkes. Sixteen players took part in their farewell night at Habberley Social Club. Next week the club meets at Kidderminster Harriers Social and Suporters Club. Picture credit John Wrench.

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. See details.

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