The Chess group offers a perfect opportunity for anyone interested in playing chess to come along, whether you are a complete beginner or seasoned player looking for regular matches. We are excited to continue building a friendly, supportive group where, at your own pace, everyone can learn to play and enjoy the game of chess.

Each meeting offers a mix of friendly competition and thoughtful analysis, with players helping one another explore new openings, refine tactics, sharpen skills, and deepen the strategic understanding of playing chess through plenty of memorable matches. This has also seen a steady improvement across the board irrespective of whether members come to challenge themselves, socialise, or simply enjoy the game.

If you would like to join the Chess Group, we play fortnightly between 10.00am-12.00 on Tuesday mornings at St. Paul’s, Northgate. Contact Phil.
New members are warmly welcomed and we look forward to seeing fresh faces around the boards.

New to Chess? - No Problem
And if you have never played chess before and want to learn to play one of the oldest games in the world, then the Chess Group is for you. Several of our members had never played before but are learning and developing their game at each meeting. It takes time to fully understand how to play chess so in our group the only expectation on you is to have fun and enjoy yourself.

Getting Started with Chess
Recognising that chess is a complex and challenging game, we are developing resources to help get you started.  The first one you will need is 'Getting Started with Chess` which is a downloadable PDF that provides easy access to all of the basic information about the chess board and pieces.  Armed with the basics, it will help you to develop an understanding of how the pieces move and prepare you for playing a chess game.

Round up of 2025
From September through December, our chess group enjoyed a lively and rewarding set of meetings that brought new faces, sharper skills, and plenty of memorable matches. Each meet has offered a mix of friendly competition and thoughtful analysis, with players helping one another explore new openings, refine tactics, and deepen their strategic understanding. We have seen steady improvement across the board, and the atmosphere remained welcoming and energetic throughout the autumn months. Whether members came to challenge themselves, socialise, or simply enjoy the game, the final part of the year showed how much our group has grown in both confidence and camaraderie.

Our final meeting of the year was a little quieter than usual, with several regulars unable to attend due to winter illnesses and the usual Christmas commitments. Despite this the session turned into a unique challenge with each attendee playing two games simultaneously against different opponents. It made for a fun and surprisingly intense event, testing focus, stamina, and quick decision-making. The players rose to the occasion brilliantly, ending the year on a high note with a session that was as memorable as it was unconventional.