Club Championship 2026-27 • 80th year at Wanstead House

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The 82nd Club Championship gets under way tonight with publication of the Round 1 pairings. Fifty-one entries are listed and all have been circulated by Tournament Secretary, Mark Murrell: Our club championship is one of the largest such competitions in the country well supported by our membership regardless of playing strength. Played at all moves in 80 minutes plus 10 seconds added for each move (there are two alternative time controls by mutual agreement). It is a Swiss tournament which […]

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Book Review: Capablanca The Chess Machine

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We have today posted a new review – Capablanca: The Chess Machine, by Swedish IM Thomas Engqvist. This is a major new book from Batsford on Capablanca, casting new light on the great man beyond mere analysis of his games, exploring what it was that gave him the aura of invincibility. A must for all for whom Capablanca is a hero. “You cannot play chess unless you have studied his games.” – Mikhail Botvinnik Link: Book Reviews

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NEW London League Fixture List

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A new London League Fixture List has been published on 30 August 2026. DESTROY the previous list. The new list gives us one additional fixture – Division 2 reverts to 11 teams, so 10 fixtures – the additional fixture being against Metropolitan 2. The new fixture list has now been incorporated into our London League page (link below) and the Calendar. Links: London League page | Calendar

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London League Fixtures

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Great news! Confirmed, we have escaped relegation once again! This time not of our making, but the unthinkable event that perennial London League Champions, Wood Green, have withdrawn from Division 1. Their sponsor has called it a day. This meant a vacancy to fill in Division 1, which as LL Rules require, this is filled by promotion, so three teams were promoted from Division 2 and only one team relegated; as we were second from bottom, we remain in Division […]

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B’s win the Plate

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Played Wednesday, 19 August 2026, Away Bd  Loughton R1 R2 Wanstead B 1 Somerfield, Adrian P 1914 [W, B] 0-1 ½-½ Bancroft, Paul 1854 [B, W] 2 Horan, G 1811 0-1 1-0 Veselow, Zoe 1915 3 Stirling, William J 1872 0-1 1-0 Hunnable, Ian D 1836 4 Moth, Simon C 1748 ½-½ ½-½ Barclay, Paul R 1722 5 Spear, Brian 1626 ½-½ ½-½ Cawdery, Mary 1644     1-4 3½-1½       4½-5½   Report by Mark Murrell Our […]

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Book reviews

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In a new departure, the website is now undertaking book reviews, as and when invited. This will not amount to a great number of reviews as invitations to review are few and far between. They will only be chess books and only undertaken on the basis of a book worthy of review. The first such review is of a new version of a timeless classic: “Logical Chess Move by Move”, by Irving Chernev, published by Batsford. Book Reviews are on […]

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Afternoon club

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From Monday 6th July 2026 a new type of club will meet weekly for primarily social chess for Wanstead & Woodford members. All lower and higher rated members more than welcome. Manor room of Wanstead House. At 1.30pm until 4.30pm entry fee £3.00 to cover the cost of the room. Update: This initiative was met with insufficient support and has subsequently been shelved.

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