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?

• Paypal, cash on a chess club night to John Lee, Phil Bull or Rajeev Raghavan, or by bank transfer.

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.                                    

The Frank Wood Memorial Trophy

The Frank Wood Memorial Trophy

The first Frank Wood Swiss memorial tournament held between 14th January 2020 and 25th February 2021 was won by Mike Townsend. Who achieved 1st place on 6 out of 7, just 1 loss in the final round to Tony Preece.  Congratulations.

Also, runners up, Phil Bull 2nd and Tony Preece, both with 5 points and thank you to all participants and to Phil Bull for organising.  

A superb tournament in honour of Frank Wood. 

Well done, Mike Townsend, who led all the way.

The Frank Wood Memorial Trophy and Wolverhampton Chess Club Championship 2023/24:  

Well done to Steve Tarr on progressing to round 5. Will Rajeev Raghavan prevail in the final to remain Wolverhampton Chess Club Champion

The Frank Wood Memorial Trophy and Wolverhampton Chess Club Championship 2022/23:  

Well done to Rajeev Raghavan on beating Phil Bull in the final to become Wolverhampton Chess Club Champion  

Wolverhampton Chess Club Championship 2019/20:  

Well done to Frank Wood on a very well played, great game and progressing to the next round after victory against the reigning champion John Mangwengwende.

Wolverhampton Chess Club Championship 2018/19:  

The Final:  Congratulations to John Mangwengwende Wolverhampton Chess Club Champion 2018/19 after beating Chris Cox in the Final.  Well done to Chris Cox on becoming a finalist as that's a great achievement too.

Exciting Event News

Wolverhampton Chess Club  Christmas Blitz
Monday 11th December, 7.30pm
At the Forty Four Club, Spring Rd, Wolverhampton, WV4 6LQ.
For more details email Phil Bull
 
More pics

News of Success

BDSL Summer League

Well done all, 4th from top in the Open section behind South Birmingham, West Bromwich, Mutual Circle. BDSL 2019 Fixture link 

 

Wolverhampton League (WDCL) Trophies:    Humphrey's Cup  (U130 each player)	Cannock League (CDCL): Chase Trophy.  U551 for 4 player team
2019/20:  Well Wolverhampton win on board count versus Stourbridge in round 1 of the WDCL Humphrey's Cup and beat Mercia 3.5 - 0.5 Wed 26/02/2020 Geoff Rosser, Gordon Sands and Eddie Badger won their games on boards 1, 3 and 4 respectively and Chris Cox drew on board 2. Well done all and on progressing to final which will be against Rushall. 2018/19:  Wolverhampton retain the WDCL Humphrey's Cup after beating Stourbridge, 1 - 3 in the Final. As in the semi final against Rushall, G Rosser and C Cox won their games.  G Sands also won. Well done all, and the entire squad that played at every stage in the competition.   Final:  Wolverhampton versus Stourbridge 14th May at Mercia Chess Club.	Well done all, Wolverhampton win the Chase Trophy after beating Rugeley 3 - 1 in the final 16th May 2019.

2011/12 : Club Championship : With the spring Rapidplay taking up the final evening of this year's Club Championship, nobody was able to challenge long time leader Paul Walters' position at the top of the table.  Congratulations to Paul, 2012 Wolverhampton Chess Club Champion, for his hard work during the six months that the competition has run and for some fine wins.  Long time challenger Peter Pearson-Jones came second, with Peter Hubbard taking third place just ahead of Gordon Sands in fourth and Barry Lewis in fifth place.  (See Events 2011/12 Club Championship section for more details and weekly club championship archives)

See Club Honours page for more details of success

Wolverhampton Show Exhibitors 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.

Wolverhampton Show Page

Website supported 1st Macmillan Rapidplay 2009. Press Release: Read More

News: Club Publicity and Events: