Club nights Thursday evenings

Upsets in first KO round of club championship

1 Oct 2026. Twenty nine members entered the standardplay club championship. The random draw was announced on the night by secretary Paul his bingo callers kit. New member, Bart Smissaert caused the departure of former champion Ray Collett, blitz champion Ed Higgs fell to Alaric Stephen, and first team members John Peters fell to new member Richard Bennett and Rob Sutton lost to Joe Rastall. See full results.
25 Sep 2026. The Rapidplay Championship started on the first night back at our Winter HQ. Already seventeen games have been completed and Scott Oxtoby is the early leader with four points from four games. See early rapidplay results.

Paul operates the bingo caller machine overlooked by arbiter Alaric and tournament controller Rob

Last summer meeting collects for charity

27 Aug 2026. Secretary Paul Serafini arranged for a Worcester Festival week a charity collection for Onside, an independent charity that helps disadvantaged families and individuals to get support, on the last 2026 night at Spin the Black Circle

Joe Rastall new county champion

23 Aug 2026. Although seeded only sixth and out of serious match play for nearly a year, Joe Rastall won the championship on tie-break from Kevin Hurney (Longbridge). Both finished on 4½ points. In the last round Joe was one of four players on 3½ and to win the tournament he would have to beat Matt Gilling (Redditch), the number 1 seed. The other players on 3½, Kevin Hurney (Longbridge) and David Smith (Redditch) also played each other with Kevin winning his last round game.

Another club member with a prize was Seamus Flynn, 2026 Worcestershire Minor Champion, with 4 points. Luke Elsden won the prize for Giant Slayer beating an opponent rated over 500 points higher than himself.

Final scores were: Ed Higgs, Scott Oxtoby and Rob Sutton from the club all finished on 3½ point and were placed 6th to 11th. Other club players at the tournament were Aiden Griffiths 3 points; Allen Stephen, Paul Serafini, Sai Rentachintala 2½ points; Ben Fellows, Sean Conway, Luke Elsden and Simon Berry 2 points; and Bilal Butt 1 point.

Alaric Stephen was tournament controller helped by Sarah Burgess and Scott Oxtoby was tournament Director. Andrew Farthing raised £150 for St Richard’s Hospice on the chess bookstall. The event was held at the King’s School Worcester.

Pictures (Paul Serafini): Above - Worcestershire's 2026
individual champion receives his prizes from Worcester
City Mayor Tor Pingree. Below - Worcestershire's 2026
Minor Champion receiving his prize from the Mayor

Andrew Farthing receives county award for Services to Worcestershire chess

22 Aug 2026. Andrew Farthing, a life vice president of the club, received Worcestershire Chess Association’s Jim Friar Award for his services to the local chess community. Andrew was secretary of the county association, the Worcester & District Chess League, a key official at many Worcestershire Megafinals and controller for several of the revived closed congresses. Andrew oversaw the merger of the District League with the County League after the Covid emergency and recently stepped in as the competition secretary for the county association at the end of this season.

Picture above from Paul Serafini shows President of Worcestershire Chess Association presenting the Jim Friar Award award to Andrew.

Ed Osborne retains Club Championship

6 Aug 2026, Rob Sutton reports. Joe Rastall and Ed Osborne drew their first game and in the replay Ed won through. Pictures hows the two players in their first round drawn game

White Bishops team receives Worcester & District Chess League trophy

5 Aug 2026. Worcester White Bishops had to wait for their Worcester & District League trophy because it was not available at the association’s annual meeting. The presentation was made before a a match in the county Summer Cups competition at The Meadow farm, Redditch. Picture belowt shows shows happy team captain Aiden.

Two members complete arbiter course

4 Aug 2026. Worcester City Chess Club members Alaric and Saikalyan both passed their ECF Level 1 Arbiter examination at a course held at Warwick University led by international arbiter Alex Holowczak. Alaric said: "I feel a lot more confident in rulings now and understand technical details such as the difference between making a move and completing a move." Both players were supported by the county association. Picture above from Alaric Stephen.