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Club nights Thursday evenings

Next Chess at Spin The Black Circle
7:00 pm on Thu 17 July 2025

Link for location. Club contacts and further information here
Please note that players under the age of 18 are welcome to play, but should be accompanied by parents or a responsible adult.


Chess at Spin The Black Circle
Summer Venue (June to August). Spin The Black Circle,
19-20 Pump Street , Worcester WR1 2QX. For location map, click here
Picture: Paul Serafini

Upcoming

Competition titles in green are links to further information or the event organiser

Joe Rastall wins Summer Fun Blitz tournament

13 Jun 2025. On the final night of chess at the church hall in the 2024-5 season, Joe Rastall recaptured his form to win. The time control was 1 min + 5 sec increment. Twenty three players took part and the tournament was run in three preliminary sections followed by a KO final stage. Joe achieved a clean sweep in Pool A and qualified for the final stage with Aiden Grfiffiths and Chris Lee. The current club blitz champion was out of form and finished below Scott Maclean and a former county junior champion Alaric Stephens. In Pool C, Dorin Luca and Rob Sutton shared first place and qualified for the finals with Sai Rentachintala. The quarter final saw Jo, Scott, Rob and Dorin progress. In the semi-finals Joe beat Scott Maclean and Rob beat Dorin. The showdown saw Rob with the white colours and led to a dramatic denoument. Rob’s rook swooped to take an undefended piece only to find that his master was back-rank mated! See full results.

2025 Summer Fun Blitz finalists
Picture: Sean Conway

No increase in members’ subscription rates next season and half price for new members

5 Jun 2025. The club’s 189th annual meeting was well attended. President Rob Sutton reported there had been more rated games played at the club than at any time in the club’s history. Joe Rastall won the All-Play-All Rapidplay tournament, Ray Collett the Blitz Championship. Ed Osbourn plays Joe Rastall in the standardplay championship which has not yet completed. Four league teams and three friendly matches were played during the season and the club participated in last year’s Summer Cup. Team results were 'middling'. Joe Rastall, treasurer, said the club had made a surplus and members decided not to increase subscription rates and offer half-price introductory subscriptions for new members. The treasurer also said with reluctance that he had to step down from his post because of a change in circumstances. There was an election for Joe's replacement and Alex Nicholls will be the new treasurer. Aiden Griffiths also stepped down from the assistant secretary post which was filled by Paul Serafini. The club decided to enter an additional team into the standardplay District league next season and to again enter teams in the Summer Cup competitions this summer.

Paul Serafini wins Ball Cup at first attempt

29 May 2025. Paul beat Giles Stanton (Redditch) playing the final at the City club. This is Paul’s first season of play and is a fine win. Paul won the exchange for a pawn, but his opponent had a bishop in a commanding position in the R+B vs R+R ending. Paul constructed an attack on the white king, forced the exchanged of a pair of rooks and neatly concluded the game by using his passed rook pawn. Congratulations to Paul!
9 May 2025. Paul was runner-up in the all-play-all section of the county association's tournament for players rated below 1650. He plays Giles Stanton (Redditch) for the award in the final.

First game of club championship drawn

29 May 2025. Joe Rastall (white) and Ed Osbourn (black) played a draw in their game for the club championship.

Ball Cup Winner
Ball Cup 2025 winner

Members at Cotswold Congress

26 May 2025 Three Worcester members travelled to Gloucester for the six round Cotwold Congress. Colin Vernon and Alex nicholls played in the Minor tournament scoring 2½ points and Alex Nicholls 1½ points. Andrew Farthing (Worcester) did not play. Instead he ran a chess bookstall raising over £800 for St Richard’s Hospice Worcester

Worcester draw with Cheltenham

15 May 2025. Worcester drew 2½-2½ in a friendly match with Cheltenham who normally play in the North Gloucestershire League. Doug Nicholls and new member Sean Conway won their games. The match was organised by Paul Serafini and the club hopes to play Cheltenham away during the summer. See match card.

Worcester draw with Hereford in friendly match

24 Apr 2025. Paul Serafini organised a seven board friendly match. The home fixture saw Hereford score on the top boards and Worcester were rescued by veteran Arnold and junior Samuel to force a 3½-3½ draw. Scott Maclean also won his game. See full result.

Knights and Pawns teams at Redditch

23 Apr 2025. The Pawns team in the Rapidplay League 2 match lost the first leg of the fixture and drew the second. The teams agreed to play two additional friendly boards and Redditch won all four of those games.Team captain paul Serafini won both his games. See full result.
16 Apr 2025. Sai stepped in to make up the team in this Rapidplay League 1 match at an hour’s notice because of a late withdrawal. The team lost both legs of the fixture heavily and only Dorin and Sai were able to salvage half a point from their two games. See full result.

City team complete 2024-5 campaign

10 Apr 2025. The City team travelled to Longbridge for their last Championship fixture this season, but came off worse. Only captain Rob Sutton could hold his own. See full result.

Challenger

Club Championship finalists decided

20 Mar 2025. In the championship semi-finals 2024 champion Joe Rastall beat new member Keith Sorrell and Ed Osbourn beat Ed Higgs. Although Ed Osbourn was the losing finalist in 2011, he has not prviously held the title.

 

Defending champion
 

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