Archived News

New Leominster chess club starts on 9th January

9 Feb 2024. Andy Jenkins writes. We had a successful launch on the 9th of January and several busy weeks since then, we are attracting a broad range of players of all ages and skill levels, which is exactly what we wanted.
16 Dec 2023. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned player, there is a welcome every Tuesday starting at 7pm and going on to 9pm at Leominster Community Centre, School Road, Leominster HR6 8NJ. Chess coaching available. Visit the website.

Hereford draw with Warwick University Alumni

15 Apr 2021. In the penultimate round of the 2021 Spring season of the West Midlands Area online league, Hereford scored a 4-4 overall draw.

Marches Area Arena online chess

12 Apr 2021. Dillan Duke was first. The tournament welcomed back old and new friends from the Cathedral School and added Zoom for live chat at the arena. Full results.
5 Apr 2021. Dillan Duke had a close race with Richard Croot for the top spot. Newcomer Miles secured the bronze position. Full results.
29 Mar 2021. Richard Croot came second to Dillan Duke. Richard sacrificed accuracy for speed completing ten games. Perry Walker got bronze. Dillan joined a year ago when many players could beat him, but youth knows no bounds and he now regularly thrashes his erstwhile coach and is a regular first place winner. Full results.

Hereford lose to Longbridge

25 Mar 2021. Geoffrey Marchant was the sole winner in the first match of the West Midlands Area online league. Nick Hann and Michael Horne also secured draws against much higher rated opponents, but the team went down 2-6.

Marches Area Arena online chess

22 Mar 2021. Dillan Duke won gold, David Hancock silver, and Richard Croot bronze. Full results.
15 Mar 2021. Regular top place went to Dillan yet again. Richard Croot was second and Kieran Lappin third. Cathedral School players played well. Full results.
8 Mar. Dillan Duke regained gold position, with Perry Walker second and Richard Croot winning bronze. Full results.
1 Mar 2021. Players experimented using Zoom while they played and the event was attended by new players from Hereford Cathedral School. An unintended change also gave players who won games in a row (arena streaks) extra points. Richard Croot won gold, Tom Skerrett secured his first podium winning silver and Perry Walker won bronze. Full results.

Junior in ECF Caplin and 4NCL online tournaments

17 Jan 2021, Kieran Lappin reports. Ross-based junior player Dillan Duke scored 2½/5 in the Four Nations Chess League Open Online tournament. Kieran played in the under-1700 and scored 3/5. See full results
4 Jan, Kieran Lappin reports. Dillan scored 3/7 in the ECF Caplin online under-14 tournament and 3½/9 points in the under-14 Blitz competition.

Monday Marches Arena online results

22 Feb 2021. An on-form Perry Walker was first in a tournament where four were more highly graded than himself. Dillan Duke won silver and Geoffrey Marchant bronze. Full results.
15 Feb 2021. Kieran Lappin won gold medal with Dillan Duke on silver and Perry Walker taking bronze. Kieran commented that he felt lucky because Dillan was paired twice against a strong player and Kieran was gifted a game when one of his opponents failed to respond in time. Full results.

Hereford bottom of the West Midlands League

11 Feb 2021. Hereford finished last in their first online league season with a team usually heavily outgraded. The team’s best results was a draw in the second leg of the last match of the season against Longbridge.

Monday Marches Arena online results 2021

8 Feb 2021. Dillan Duke was first and long absent Richard Croot returned to take silver medal. Kieran Lappin took bronze by a whisker on tie-break from Perry Walker and John Preece. Full results.
1 Feb 2021. After an earlier outage, the lichess server was operating in time for the Marches Arena tournament. Dillan Duke was again first with Kieran Lappin in silver position and Dave Hancock on bronze. See full results.
25 Jan 2021. Dillan Duke just pipped Brian Turner for the Gold position. If Brian had chosen berserk or not had breaks he might have won. John Preece got the Bronze medal. Full results.
18 Jan 2021. Dillan Duke again won the gold medal, but this time by a country mile and Perry Walker the silver. Kieran Lappin won the bronze. See full results.
11 Jan 2021. Dillan Duke followed up his successes in ECF tournaments by winning the gold medal in the online arena. Perry Walker won the silver and Dave Hancock the bronze. Full results.

Hereford enter team in West Midlands Area League

12 Nov 2020. Hereford lost their first match in WMA and were beaten by Worcester.
3 Nov 2020. Hereford is entering a team in the West Midlands Area League. The team will be playing weekly matches. The league uses chess.com and results are reported on the ECF League Management website. Each event consists of two four-board matches with the same players and a time control of 15 minutes plus 5 seconds increment.

Marches Area Arena online chess

4 Jan 2021. In the first tournament of 2021, Perry Walker was first on tie break from David Hancock (silver) and Steve Shaw (bronze). See full results.

Marches Chess League

19 Mar 2020. All over-the-board play has been suspended because of the risks of infection.
18 Feb 2020. The fourth round was disrupted by Storm Dennis and Presteigne were unable to send a team because of flooding. Abergavenny beat Malvern to go top in a match where three players were unable to travel to the venue. See full results.
16 Jan. Hereford keep top spot after round 3, but Abergavenny are snapping at their heels.
8 Dec. Hereford top the league after their win against Abergavenny.
13 Oct 2019. Abergavenny lead after the first weekend.
1 Oct 2019. Four clubs have entered teams so far: Abergavenny, Hereford, Malvern and Presteigne.

New club formed in Leominster

15 Apr 2019. Leominster has a chess club again! Kalvin Haley is organiser of the club which meets in the centre of Leominster at Savery's Café/Restaurant, Broad Street.

Lee Davis retains county title

6 Sep 2017, Alan Leary reports. Lee again made a clean sweep of the county's elite trophies to take the 2017 Herefordshire Individual title. Paul Barker won the Major KO.

Hereford 9th Castle Chess congress 2017

12 Mar, 2017, Castle Chess reports. Raymond Ilett (Peterborough) won the u195 Championship with 5 points. Roy Watson (Kenilworth) won the Major with 5 points. There was a five-way tie for the Minor: Michael Henbury (Chandlers Ford, Hants), Alan Fraser (Beckenham), Michael Foss (Woking), Dennis Bonner (Telepost, Shrops), and Keven Lamb (Eastleigh)all scored 4 points.

Lee Davis 2016 county champion

17 Sep 2016, Alan Leary reports. Lee Davis made a clean sweep of the elite trophies in Hereford in the first season of membership at Hereford.

June 2016. Lee also made a clean sweep of the Leslie Barker tournament and the Premier Knockout tournaments.

Hereford 8th Castle Chess Congress 2016

13 Mar 2016, Castle Chess reports. GM Keith Arkell (Stourbridge) - who won all five games - and brother Nick (Stourbridge) were first and second in the Open. In the Major there was a tie between Alexandru-Mitric Moldovan (Hereford) and Rich Wilshir both with 4½ points. Sara Sengenberger (Cowley, Oxon) won the Minor and four tied for the Challengers. Full results at Castle Chess.

Hereford 7th Castle Chess Congress 2015

23 Feb 2015, Castle Chess reports. The Open was won by Alex Bullen (Wycombe) with 5 points from 6 games. Perry Walker (Hereford) shared 4th place with Nic Fallowfield (Stourbridge) both on 3 points. First place in the Major was shared by Ian Burridge (Newark) and Richard Desmedt (Wombwell) with 4½ points. Tim Allen (Battersea ), Stanley Share (Willesdon) and Jennifer Goldsmith (Harrow) shared first place in the minor with 4½ points

Perry Walker Herefordshire champion

19 Jun 2014. Perry won on 5 points with David Bucknell runner-up in the Division 1 tournament.

Three-way tie for 5th Hereford Castle chess congress

17 Mar 2013. The Open tournament was shared by Richard Bryant, Paul Evans, Christopher Purry and Steven Rooney all on 3 points with highest placed Hereford player being Paul Barker on 2 points. Neil Coward and Brian MacReamoinn shared first place in the Intermediate (u140) tournament on 4 points with Stephen Katona highest placed Hereford player in this section on 3 points. Stephen Crockett (Redditch) won the Minor tournament on 5 points.

Stephen Katona wins prize at Worcester

20 Jul 2012. Stephen won the under-135 tournament at Worcester in a six-way tie for first place. The other Herefordshire player at Worcester was Alan Papier who scored a respectable 3 points in the under-160 tournament.

Mercia Megafinal junior chess congress

Saturday 5 May 2012: Over 100 players competed in the The Mercia Megafinal was played at Kingstone & Thruxton School, Hereford for Shropshire and Herefordshire in UK Chess Challenge. Herefordshire winners were: Louis Barber (Hfd Cathedral Sch, under-16 boys); Gawain Melville (Hfd Cath Sch, under-14 boys); Mia Price (Hfd Cath Jun Sch, under-10 girls); Bevis Drury (St Mary's Jun, Fownhope, under-10 boys); Morgan Potifex-Price (Ashpurton Primary, under-9 boys); Miles Newall (Hfd Cath Jun Sch, under-9 boys); Freddie Parker (Staunton-on-Wye Primary under-7 boys).

Congress at Green Dragon Hotel

24 & 25 Mar 2012. Ray Ilett (Peterborough) was the surprise winner of the fourth Castle Chess Castle tournament at the Green Dragon Hotel. Paul Barker on 2½/5 was the highest placed local player.

Junior most succesful Hereford player at Worcester Congress

25 July 2011. Three Hereford players competed in the 3rd Worcestershire Open Congress. Richard Croot and Gary Rawlings played in the Open, but they were heavily outgraded and ended well down the order. Jack Huffer (Hereford Cathedral School) in his first adult tournament scored a very creditable 2½ points from 5 games in the Minor section.

Hereford juniors at Gigafinals

16,17 July 2011 at Derby. The Herefordshire's youngest players were the most successful in the national Gigfinals where they competed against the best of their ages from other Northern counties. Joseph Harwood (under-7, St Mary's Fownhope) and Samuel Hollins (under-8, Stretton Sugwas) scored 4 points from 6 games and were only just outside the prize lists. The best scoring other Herefords players were: Oliver Norbury (Monmouth Grange) in the under-9s, William Owens (Pembridge Primary) in the under-10s, Harols Nock (Monmouth Grange)and Hannah Drury (St Mary's Fownhope) in the under-11s, Luke Baker (Hereford Cathedral Sch) and Kerrie Bramwell (St Mary's High) in the under-12s, Mateusz Partyka (Lady Hawkins High) in the under-13s and Jack Huffer (Hereford Cathedral Sch) in the under-14s.

Nigel Beveridge county champion

May 2011. Nigel Beveridge won the Leslie Baker Memorial Trophy and Herefordshire Championship by half a point from Les Collard and Paul Barker. The Premier Knock Out was won by Paul Barker and the Major Knock Out by Peter Johnston. Gary Rawlings is club champion just ahead of Richard Croot. In Hereford Club's Division 2 Tournament, Roger Aris was first and Kieran Lappin runner-up.

Herefordshire juniors qualify for national stages

7 May 2011. At the Mercia Megafinal at Kingstone and Thruxton School, twenty seven young chess players qualified for the national Gigafinals of the UK Chess Challenge. To gain their national places, players had to battle against the best players of their age from Shropshire. There were outstanding performances from Samuel Hollins (Stretton Sugwas) in the under-8 boys and Owain Davies (Lady Hawkins High Sch) in the under-12 boys. Both of these players scored six points from their 6 games. The best county players other sections were Samuel Dominguez under-7 boy (St Mary's Fownhope Primary), Daisy Robertson under-8 girl (Kingstone & Thruxton Primary), Oliver Norbury under-9 boy (Monmouth Grange), Lottie Rees under-9 girl (Hereford Cathedral Junior), William Owens under-10 boy (Pembridge Primary), Jessica Harrison under-10 girl (Kingstone & Thruxton Junior), Rydian Downing under-11 boy (Monmouth Grange), Jasmine Stanley under-11 girl (St Paul's Hereford), Kerrie Bramwell under-12 girl (St Mary's High), Matteus Partyk under-13 boy (Lady Hawkins High) and Jack Huffer under-14 boy (Hereford Cathedral Sch).

Kieran Lappin wins Minor tournament at Hereford Congress

26 & 27 Mar 2011. Kieran was the only Hereford winner at the 3rd Hereford Castle Chess congress sharing first place with Derek Brent (Urmston, Gtr Manchester). Henry Brockbank (Olton, W Mids) and Steve Rooney (Church Stretton, Shrops) shared first prize in the Open Tournament and Michael Stinton-Brownbridge (Plymouth) won the Major Tournament.

New Hereford Club champion

June 2010. At the end of the season the club tournament winners were: Club Champion - Gary Rawlings; the Premier Knock-out - Paul Barker; the Major Knock-out competition - Keith Jones; and Les Collard won the 6-round Leslie Baker Memorial Trophy.

Mercia Megafinal of UK Chess Challenge

1 May 2010. The Mercia Megafinal of the British Land UK Chess Challenge for young players in Herefordshire and Shropshire will took place on Saturday 1 May at Kingstone & Thruxton School, Hereford. For results click here.

John Blore and Richard Bryant share Hereford win

24 & 25 Apr 2010. John from Colwyn Bay and Richard from Chester shared first place in the Open section. Dean Hartley (Amber valley, Derbys) won the Major and Gregory Bailey (Netherton, Yorks) won the Minor at the Green Dragon Hotel.

Seven-year-old's triumph at Oldham

18th & 19th July 2009. Jacques Teal from Pembridge Primary School, one of Herefordshire's youngest players, was placed second in the under-7 Boys' section of the National Gigafinals of the British Land UK Chess Challenge at Oldham with 5 points out of 6. Other Herefordshire school children playing at Oldham were: Michael Owens (Pembridge Primary) and Drew Bass (St James' Primary School, Hereford) both on 3 points in the Boys' under-8 section; and Michael Spink (St Paul's Primary School, Tupsley, Hereford) who scored 4 points in the under-11 boys' tournament. The most successful girls were both from St James' Primary School, Hereford: Jasmin Stanley (4 points in the under-9) and Kerrie Bramwell (4½ points in the under-10).

Hereford Club's champions

May 2009. At the end of the season the club tournament winners were: Club Champion - Nigel Beveridge; the Division 2 Tournament was won by Adam Innes and Alan Leary; the Premier Knock-out competition by Les Collard; the Major Knock-out competition by Alan Papier; and John Waterfield won the 6-round Leslie Baker Swiss Tournament.

Mercia Megafinal results

2 May 2009 at Kingstone & Thruxton School. The Mercia Megafinal for the UK Chess Challenge saw over 100 youngsters from Shropshire and Herefordshire battle for places in the National Gigafinals. The boys' section winners - Supremos - were Jacques Teal (under-7), Drew Bass (under-8), Harold Nock (under-9), Owain Davies (under-10), Michael Spink (under-11), Athar Mehmood (under-12), Mark Richards (under-13), Jonathen Newey (under-14), Peter Mellor (under-15), Chris Lovejoy (under-16), Nathanael Paul (under-17) and Alex Taylor (under-18). The winning girls - Supremas - were: Polly Dontenville (under-7), Jessica Harrison (under-8), Jasmin Stanley (under-9) Laura Newey (under-10), Maisy Spalding (under-11), Tamara Herbert (under-12), and Angelica Dean (under-13).

Joe Stewart wins Major at Hereford Congress

24-26 Apr. Joe from Ross-on-Wye was the only county player to make the prize winners list at Castle Chess 1st Hereford Congress. Iolo Jones (Cardigan) won the Open, Paul Evans (Blackpool) the Premier, Roger Greatorex (Llangollen) the Minor and Keven Lamb (Eastleigh Railway) the Challengers section.

Hereford lose to Worcester City

2nd March 2009. In a 6-board match Hereford Chess Club lost 1½-4½ to Worcester City Chess Club. In the home team, Les Collard won his board 2 game and on top board John Waterfield drew.

Stuart Conquest British Chess Champion

9th August 2008, Liverpool. In two tense tie-break 20-minute games Grandmaster Stuart Conquest beat Grandmaster Keith Arkell to become British Chess Champion at Liverpool. Keith picks up the English Championship title. British Ladies Champion is Jovanka Houska. For further information, viewable games, results of all sections, and scores of all games played in the Championship and the Major Open Tournaments, go to the ECF British Championship website.

Chess players raise money for Macmillan Cancer Relief

5 Jun 2008. Gary Kasparov simultaneous at the Hay Literary Festival organised by Jesse Norman was reported by Stourbridge News.

Hereford Club Champions

Sep 2005, Club Chairman Wreford Davies presented the cups at the annual meeting. Nigel Beveridge and John Waterfield in the chub championship; Roger Aris and Wreford Davies in Division 2; Nigel beveridge in the leslie Baker Swiss tournament; Richard Croote in the Premier knockout and Roger Aris in the Major Knockout tournament.

Broadwas Primary School receive giant chess set

5 Jul 2001. Bill Barry made a giant wooden set to encourage new players at Broadwas Primary School. School Secretary Ann Jacobs said children had been thrilled with their gift and their pupils are keen players playing in national competitions.

Hereford player lifts Monmouth team Welsh chess trophy

27 Jul 2000. Nigel Beveridge was in the team that beat Nidum in the semi-finals and Aberdare in the final. This was Monmouth's first Welsh championship win.