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Bewdley Dementia Day Simul

Record number of team entries in county leagues

17 Aug 2026, Alex Nicholls reports. Thirty two teams have already been entered Worcestershire team competitions so far, a record since Covid and entries are still open. After consultation, clubs agreed that the Worcester & District League should remain a double round robin competition with teams playing each other home and away.

Jonathen Swindells simul at Bewdley

16 Aug 2025, John Wrench reports. Jonathen took on twelve players in his exhibition for Bewdley Dementia Awareness Day at Bewdley. Opponents were well-prepared and included county class players John Wrench and John Varilone both of whom earned draws. Mike Charlton was the only player to beat Jonathen who ended the day having won 9, drew 2, lost 1. nearly 500 people came to the event and almost a thousand pounds was raised for Bewdley Dementia Support Group.

 

Picture on left modified from collage sent by John Wrench.

Stiltwalker at Beer festival chats to chess players

Chess at Worcester Beer & Cider Festival

13-15 Aug 2026. As an experiment, Worcester City Chess Club and CAMRA teamed up to provide chess at the annual Worcester Beer and Cider Festival. Mark Griffiths, chair of Worcester Campaign for Real Ale wrote: "We weren’t entirely sure how chess and a beer festival would mix, but it has been a resounding success. Your club has truly elevated the festival experience." Worcester News also included a short story with picture of new Worcester City secretary and treasurer Paul and Sean and players. Picture above left shows a stilt walker chatting to players at the beer festival.

Worcester win friendy Derby match

10 Aug, Alex Nicholls reports. Newest Worcestershire club Warndon took on the county’s oldest club Worcester City in a ten-board pre-season friendly. See picture and detailed match report.

Longbridge A lead in the race for Towers Cup

12 Aug 2026. Longbridge A are the early leaders after the first round of the Open Summer Cup with 3½/4, followed by Malvern on 2½ and Redditch on 2, Worcester on 1½ and Kidderminster on 1. See details

Worcestershire players at the British Championships

9 Aug 2026. Youth dominated with youngest ever Open and Women’ champions - See ECF report. In the nine-round championship WGM Kata Toma (Worcs Wolfpack) scored 4 points ending 5-8th of women players and Joe Friar (Kidderminster) scored 3½ points. Ben Attwell (Redditch) and Cory Hazlehurst (Longbridge) scored 5 in the nine-round Major Open tournament. Matt Gillings (Redditch) scored 2½ points in the over 50 and Lee Davis 3½ points in the over 65 competition played over 7 rounds. Former Worcestershire Champion GM Keith Arkell was first on 6 points in the over-65s. Carmelo Tirado Simarro (Longbridge) scored 2½ points in the six-round morning Open and Ian Clarke (Malvern) 2½ points in the six-round u20150 tournament. James Friar (Worcs Windmills) was 4-5th on 4 points and Joshua Clarke (Malvern) scored 2½ points in the five-round Weekend Penrose tournament. Giles Stanton scored 2 points in the five-round Soanes tournament. Junior Kenul Herath (Redditch) scored 2½ points in the six-round Under-16 classical tournament.

 

Worcestershire players talk chess on BBC

6 Aug 2026. DJ Elliott Webb, BBC Hereford & Worcester, spoke to playersi about the royal game on Thursday. Listen to the interviews at 25 min (Stephen Woodhouse), 49 min (Alex Nicholls) and at 2h 49 min (Pul Serafini) in the programme.

Worcester take early lead in u1650 Cup jamboree

5 Aug 2026. Worcester are the early leaders after the first round of the Max1650 Summer Cup played at Meadow Farm, Redditch. They finished with 3 out of 4, although Longbridge and Kidderminster are on 2½ and Redditch are on 2. Evesham did not score, but it was the first competitive games for all four of their players, so they are gaining vital experience before they start their first full season. See full results. Picture: Paul Serafini

 

 

 Summer u1650 jamboree

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 -9 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 Gillings (Redditch) in the over 50, Lee Davis (Malvern in the over 65, Carmelo Tirado Simarro (Longbridge) plays in the morning 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, James Friar (Worcs Windmills), Ian and Joshua Clarke (Malvern) play in the Weekend Penrose tournament and Nigel Towers (Redditch) in the Thursday Blitz competitions.

New ECF member representatives

31 Jul 2026. New appointees were announced by the ECF. Unfortunately Gavin will not continue to serve.

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 and he will be supported by two assistant secretaries Scott Oxtoby and Ray Collett (both Worcester)

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