On Wednesday 3rd September, Middlewich Chess Club held its Annual Rapidplay competition.  Feeling like autumn had arrived, many ambitious players gathered from 7pm ready to trade queen sacs for bar tabs – and maybe a snack or two.  The format as always was a 10+2 double elimination bracket and given this was our third year running the event I reckon it’s now officially a tradition! Despite a few nervous glances and the occasional “oops” when someone forgot to castle, the tournament ran smoother than a well-oiled queen’s gambit.

Final Podium Standings (our Bar-Tab Beauties)

1st Place: Pat (Three-peat champion – still unbeaten in Middlewich!) 

2nd Place: Vova (I suspect the “fresh air” didn’t help in the grand final….if you know, you know!)

3rd Place: Nick (solid play, solid bar tab)  

Shout-Outs and Thank Yous

To Dave, our Competition Secretary, who kept pairings straight, clocks ticking, and everyone in good spirits – all while playing himself. 

To the The Kings Lock, our ever-supportive pub partner, for supplying top-notch food and the coveted first, second, and third-place bar tabs. We promise we’ll put them to good use… responsibly. 

To all the players – whether you snagged a podium or just a fun story to share, your participation is what makes the evening possible.  

So what’s next?

This year saw several new players join our club and compete in this year’s competition so hopefully the club continues to grow for another 12 months and we see new challengers as well familiar faces…and who knows, maybe someone will dethrone Pat….now is the time to start plotting!

Until then, our league season starts this month with the Kings Lock hosting the home games for the newly formed Holmes Chapel C team which includes several players from Middlewich.  Keep an eye out for updates on that.

James

🏆 British Chess Championships 2025: Middlewich & Holmes Chapel Storm Liverpool (Sort Of)

St George’s Hall in Liverpool was buzzing from July 31st to August 10th as the 111th British Chess Championships unfolded in all its glory. With grandmasters, giant chessboards, and even a chess film festival, the city pulled out all the stops to host what’s been dubbed the “strongest ever” championship in its 121-year history.

And yes—Middlewich and Holmes Chapel were absolutely part of the action. Kind of.

♟ Blitzed in the Blitz, Rattled in the Rapid

Two of our club players descended on Liverpool for two key events:

- Blitz Open Tournament – Thursday 8th August

- Rapid U2000 Tournament – Saturday 9th August

Let’s just say... we didn’t exactly storm the podium. Scores were modest, spirits were high, and many beers were consumed after matches to dull the pain.

🥉 Nigel’s Medal Mystery

Now, here’s the twist worthy of a Netflix docuseries: Nigel, who didn’t play in either the Blitz or Rapid, somehow walked away with a medal.

How? Social chess. At Liverpool ONE. Possibly while sipping a latte and chatting about pawn structures with a tourist.

We’re still investigating whether this was:

- A clerical error

- A brilliant act of passive participation

- Or just Nigel being Nigel

Either way, he’s now officially our club’s most decorated player of the weekend. Congratulations, Nigel—you’ve redefined what it means to “win without playing.”

🏛 Liverpool’s Chess Renaissance

Beyond our own adventures, Liverpool truly embraced chess this year:

- St George’s Hall hosted elite tournaments in its iconic Great Hall

- Liverpool Holiday Inn welcomed amateur players for weekend congresses

- Outdoor chess, masterclasses, and film screenings turned the city into a chess lover’s playground

It’s been a joy to see chess celebrated not just as a competitive sport, but as a cultural and social force. And despite our average scores, we were proud to be part of it.

📸 Final Thoughts & Future Moves

We may not have brought home trophies (unless you count Nigel’s mysterious medal), but we brought back stories, laughs, and a renewed love for the game.

Next year, we’re considering entering Nigel into every category—just to see what happens.

Until then, keep your rooks sharp and your bishops sneaky.

Want to share your own Liverpool chess tales or theories about Nigel’s medal? Drop us a message or join us at the next social chess night on Wednesday at the Kings Lock Middlewich.

🧠♟🍻

The Pre-Move Checklist

Before you make your move, quickly ask yourself: "What are my opponent's Checks, Captures, and Threats?" By checking for these three things before every single move, you will dramatically reduce the number of simple blunders you make. 

The B team finished off the season with a long overdue win away against Crewe E. This unfortunately didn't help us to avoid finishing bottom of division 2.  The A team finished off with a draw against Alsager A earning them 4th place in Division 1.

Over the course of the year we've had some new members join our social side who are interested in playing competitively and so looking forward to next season (September onwards) the hope will be to field 3 teams with our C team aiming for division 4 to cater for newer and less experienced players.  We're probably a couple of players off being able to make it work so if you're interested in playing chess now is the time to start to get some practice in before the season starts! 

We'll be having our annual rapidplay competition around the end of August as always so keep an eye out for updates on that.

Lastly, we had an excellent turn out this week as you can see from the picture with our "competition secretary " Dave kicking off a new ladder which will run to the end of the year.  I'm sure there will be a sparkling trophy for whoever is top at the end.  Newcomers welcome at any time!

Thanks for reading and hope to see you down the Kings Lock on a Wednesday, 7pm onwards.