Surbiton Chess Club
Surbiton Chess Club, Surrey, England, is a friendly club playing in the Surrey and Thames Valley Leagues. Many of our players regard us as the most sociable club they have ever played for. In our Fircroft venue we enjoy that rare thing for a chess club - warm and comfortable playing conditions! Hence for several reasons current and prospective new members are assured of a warm welcome! We can be contacted by e-mail at enquiries@surbitonchessclub.co.uk.
The club has been in existence since 1948 (see a 1950 request for players!). We have members with a wide range of abilities, from ungraded to 200+ BCF (see our gradings), and we once had a world champion playing for us. Unfortunately, R Fulford was world champion at croquet! We have had successful players that have played for us including British Open Championship competitors, a US Amateur Championship winner and a former member of the Italian Olympiad team. Probably our most famous player is our club President, Mike Basman, an International Master and a former joint winner of the British Championship.
Our annual club membership fees for the 2009-2010 season were £32 for adults and £16 for juniors which makes us one of the least expensive chess clubs in London.
If you wish to find out more information on a variety of current activities and issues in the local Surbiton area we recommend visiting www.surbitonpeople.co.uk.
Venue
We meet on Wednesdays at Fircroft, 96 Ditton Road, Surbiton, (see map) from about 7:30PM. Buses 71, 465, K1 and K4 all stop near the junction of Ditton Road and Hook Road. All these routes serve Surbiton railway station and Kingston town centre.
Details of the usual meeting point for away matches can be found here.
Juniors
Chris Briscoe (205 BCF, 2247 ELO), the British Rapidplay Champion, runs small, informal, juniors coaching sessions at the club on Wednesday evenings between 6:30 and 7:30pm. In the 2009-2010 season two former juniors (Michael Nightingale and Martin Durrant), who had been coached by Chris, made their successful first teams debuts.
Coaching fees are only £5 per session. Chris can be contacted at juniors@surbitonchessclub.co.uk.
Fixtures and Results
Fixtures for the forthcoming season in the Surrey and Thames Valley competitions and links to results and league tables may be found on the fixtures and results page.
Captains Reports, Latest News, Articles and Immortal Games
Click here for Captains reports, and here for Latest news. (STOP PRESS - CHRIS BRISCOE WINS BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIP RAPIDPLAY WITH 6/6!)
NEW FEATURE! Surbiton Immortal Games with Nick Pelling and Angus James in starring roles! Nick's game features "Rook,bishop, pawn and queen sacrifices, a Novotony interference and an unusual smothered mate." Angus's game features a speculative piece sacrifice followed by a rook sac to mate which earned him a best game prize from GM Jon Speelman.
Click here for an account of the Summer Barbeque and here for our club perspective on The Quickplay vs Slowplay Debate.
Photos Section
The 2010 Summer Barbeque was a great success. See an account and more photos here.
Chris Briscoe coaching some of his junior pupils. Black to play and win!
Celebrating the winning of the Surrey Beamont Cup for the 2008-2009 season.
Paul Durrant and Paul Shepherd were on the top boards of our winning team in the Coulsdon Challenge Shield rapid play event of 2007. The other team members were Jacques Tivillier and Nicholas Inglis.
After the end of 2009-2010 season curry night some team rapid play at the Cap in Hand. Dave Morant contemplates how to get out of back-rank mate while his team-mate Paul Durrant considers the move "Guinness to h1 mate". Guinness has the combined powers of a Queen and Knight in this form of chess. The Knight's power allows the Guinness to leap onto the board and the Queen's power is sufficent for the Guinness to deliver mate in this position!