The chess group enjoys lively and rewarding meetings enabling sharpening of skills through plenty of memorable chess matches. Each meet offers a mix of friendly competition and thoughtful analysis, with players helping one another explore new openings, refine tactics, and deepen their strategic understanding. This has seen steady improvement across the board irrespective of whether members come to challenge themselves, socialise, or simply enjoy the game.

For anyone interested in joining, come along, whether you are a complete beginner or seasoned player looking for regular matches. We’re excited to continue building a friendly, supportive community where everyone can learn, play, and enjoy the game of chess at their own pace. New members will be warmly welcomed, and we’re looking forward to seeing fresh faces around the boards as we start the year with renewed enthusiasm.

If you would like to join the Group, we play fortnightly between 10.00am-12.00 on Tuesday mornings at St. Paul’s, Northgate. Contact the Group Leader to find out the date of the next meeting.

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.