AGM Round-Up

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our Annual General Meeting on 8th September. It was a great chance to reflect on last year and make plans for the season ahead. Here are the highlights:

Committee changes

Secretary – A big welcome to Tom Lawrie, our new Club Secretary. Tom takes over from Steve Bond, who has done a fantastic job in the role for many years – thank you, Steve!
Webmaster – We’re delighted to welcome Andrew Rimmer as our new Webmaster.

Competitions

The Club Championship will continue after last year’s success.
A brand new Quickplay all-play-all competition is being introduced this season – details to follow soon, so watch this space!
We’ll also be scheduling a Blitz competition at Christmas.
A special Junior Prize will be awarded for the best performance of the year.

Club connections

We’re in talks with neighbouring clubs about organising some friendly matches – a great chance to meet new opponents and build our local chess community.

Other updates

The Club Championship trophy was presented to our President, Robert Jacobs.
Membership fees remain unchanged. We are also working on adding an online payment option to make things easier.
We’re planning further child protection improvements. A register will be taken each week, and contact information for parents will be recorded.

It’s shaping up to be an exciting season, and we can’t wait to see everyone over the board!

Welcome to the 2025/2026 Season

The new chess season is here, and we’re excited to welcome members old and new to Tunbridge Wells Chess Club. Whether you’re looking to improve your game, play in the Club Championship, or simply enjoy friendly over-the-board battles, there’s a place for you at the club.

Club Nights

We meet on Monday evenings at:

Tunbridge Wells & Counties Bridge Club
40 London Road
Tunbridge Wells
TN1 1DL

Play usually begins around 7.30pm and runs until 11.00pm. All standards are welcome, from beginners through to experienced players.

Membership for 2025/26

Annual membership fees for this season are:

Adults: £80
Juniors (under 18): £40

Payments can be made in full, or in two instalments:

Adults: £40 now, and £40 on 1st January
Juniors: £20 now, and £20 on 1st January

See our Join Us page for details.

Club Competitions

As always, we’ll be running our Club Championship along with other friendly events during the year. These competitions are a great way to test yourself against a range of opponents in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.

Annual General Meeting

A reminder that our Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Monday 8th September 2025 at the club.
All members are encouraged to attend — it’s your chance to hear about the past year, contribute ideas for the future, and help shape the running of the club.

For Newcomers

If you’re new to the club, you’re very welcome to come along for a free introductory visit. You’ll find a friendly atmosphere and someone happy to sit down for a game.

Please also feel free to contact us with any questions.

Looking Ahead

We look forward to another year of great games, lively analysis, and the simple pleasure of sitting down at the board together.

Here’s to a successful and enjoyable 2025/26 season!

3rd Kent FIDE Congress at Tunbridge Wells

In July 2025, the 3rd Kent FIDE Congress took place at the Tunbridge Wells Bridge Club – the same venue where we hold our weekly club nights.

The congress was excellently run by Pyson Chess, and huge thanks to Satish and his team.

A special mention goes to Jerry Anstead, our long-time member, who helped make the venue available for the event in liaison with the organiser and the Bridge Club.

Photo Album

All photos courtesy of Satish, Pyson Chess

You can view a full gallery of photos from the event here:
👉 View the Congress Photo Album on Google Photos

For an excellent first-hand account of the Congress, including reflections on the atmosphere and some of the games, see this blog post:
👉 3rd Kent FIDE Congress – 64 Squares

It was great to see such a successful tournament being held in Tunbridge Wells, and we look forward to welcoming more chess events to our town in the future.

2024/25 Club Championship Results

Our 2024/25 Club Championship has now concluded, and we are delighted to announce that Robert Jacobs, our Club President, is the new Club Champion.

Robert scored an impressive 6½ points out of 7, securing first place in a hard-fought competition that ran from October 2024 to May 2025. Games were played monthly at a time control of 60 minutes plus a 5-second increment.

Congratulations to the Champion

As Jerry wrote in his congratulations:

“Congratulations to Robert Jacobs, our club president, on winning the championship with six and a half out of seven.

Robert kindly responded:

“Thank you, Jerry. It was a real shame that James had to drop out, handing me this opportunity, but it is nice to be Club Champion in Tunbridge Wells, having just turned 63, after winning at Sevenoaks when I was only 15! Thanks to all those who supported this event and a big thanks to Jerry, who has masterminded the event successfully, and to Steve who has stepped in when needed.”

Final Standings

🥇 1st – Robert Jacobs – 6½
🥈 2nd = – Hugh Tassell & Jerry Anstead – 5
4th – Andrew Rimmer – 4½
5th – Julian Teubler – 3½
6th = – Tomas Alvarez, Jon Armory, Steve Bond, Gualtiero Chiaia, Tom Lawrie – 3

Thanks

A huge thank you goes to Jerry Anstead and Steve Bond for running the event so smoothly, ensuring games were organised and results recorded.

The Club Championship is always a highlight of our season, bringing together members of all strengths to enjoy competitive and friendly chess.

We look forward to another exciting tournament next year!

Category: News