Welcome to our Wolverhampton
Chess club website. You can find out more about
our club here and those who are already chess club members will
also find this website useful.
Wolverhampton Chess Club
reopened
Thursday 9th September 2021.
Still here with everlasting
memories of those who have sadly passed away, and will
be dearly missed. And now meets at The Forty Four Club, 44 Spring Road,
Wolverhampton, WV4 6LQ every Monday from 7.30pm
onwards.
Wolverhampton Chess Club provide
opportunities to play chess socially, and or
competitively. The club runs teams in the
Birmingham, Cannock and Wolverhampton leagues.
Club Secretary as of the 2022 AGM is Phil Bull, and
Rajeev Raghavan is the chess club's new chair. Please
don't hesitate to contact us via our contacts page
or visit the club for further information or chat.
Gordon Sands
A tribute to one of the finest I’ve ever known.
It is with immense sadness I share news that Gordon Sands has passed away, 29th January 2024.
It was an honour to be on the same team, playing many chess matches for Wolverhampton
Chess Club. And in the Wolverhampton Summer League, particularly when we became
WSL Div 2 champions in August 2010, with other team mates Richard Dawson and
Steve Wilson, and were featured in The Express and Star. Gordon was always one of the
first to volunteer to help and play members of the public, for ‘Chess in the Park’ on our chess
stall for every Wolverhampton Show in West Park from around 2009 to 2013, too.
Like me, Gordon played the Sicilian, and particularly liked the Najdorf. I fondly remember
testing our opening knowledge and exploring new ideas in friendlies, that were always
interesting and fun as Gordon had a fantastic sense of humour.
He liked a beer or two and enjoyed social chess, and was quick to console or congratulate
fellow players with phrases like ‘canny move’. I learned so much from Gordon. But most
of all I’ll remember him as a great captain, who nurtured his players. The best a chess
team player could wish for, a charming, jovial, easy-going friend it was a pleasure to know,
who brightened the lives of so many, who I admired, proudly,
and affectionately called Captain Sands.
By Paul Walters, former Wolverhampton Chess Club team mate.
I knew Gordon for some 30 years as I think we joined Wolverhampton chess
club around the same time, he straight from school and
me in partial retirement. At the time he was torn
between playing hockey and chess. We always got on
well and shared car journeys for some years throughout
the West Midlands with club teams and much further
afield to county matches and chess congresses. The one
I remember particularly was in Telford. After making
the effort to be there early on a January morning
(1996?) we eventually found that our respective
opponents had defaulted and we were obliged to play
each other.
Neither of us has been a club member continuously but when I returned in
2012 I was pleased to find Gordon back playing and he
continued to support the club as a loyal player and
team captain. During the Covid lockdown he played
regularly in the club online tournaments and when
restrictions were relaxed he continued to play at the
West End club and the Clarendon. A change in work
schedules then made availability difficult and
following our move to the 44 Club he eventually joined
Mercia where I played him for the last time just
before last Christmas. As Paul says, he is sadly
missed.
Geoff Rosser
To send your tributes in memory
Gordon Sands please email Phil Bull, via contacts page.
The Frank Wood Memorial
Trophy and Wolverhampton Chess Club
Championship 2023/24:
Well done to Steve Tarr on
progessing to round 5. Will Rajeev Raghavan prevail in the final to
remaiin
Wolverhampton Chess Club Champion?
Please note the chess club now meets on Mondays
at The Forty Four Club, 44 Spring Road,
Wolverhampton, WV4 6LQ
Fancy joining?
Visit us at the Forty Four Club, 44 Spring Road, Wolverhampton,
WV4 6LQ and ask a
chess club member about joining.
How do I pay my membership
fee?
But, you can attend a few times for
free. So, why not visit, play a game or two, then
decide?
Can you be the champion?
(New page launch!) Wolverhampton Chess Club
Championship open to all members, thank you,
Chris Lewis.
Click
here
Online play: Our Lichess online page is
here,
too, with links to play.
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