CULCHETH CHESS CLUB

Culcheth Chess Club was formed in August 1973 by Gordon Brownbill and Richard Furness. A team was immediately entered into the second of the Warrington & District Chess League's two Divisions. Such was the influx of members that a second team was also entered. The Culcheth teams swept everyone else aside. The first team won all seventeen matches to top the Division 2 and take the Knockout Cup which was open to First Division teams also. The second team finished as runners up in the Division 2.

In the following two seasons the first team achieved the double of Division 1 title and the Knockout Cup. Throughout the 1970s the Culcheth first team was a major force in the Warrington League and won the Division 1 title on other occasions. In the early 1980s a number of the stronger players either moved out of the area or went to university and the Club dropped into lower divisions of the enlarged Warrington & District League, but climbed again during the late 1990s from Division 4 to Division 2 and twice reached the final of the Knockout Cup.

At various times during the first twenty years of its existence Culcheth Chess Club met at the Pack Horse Inn, Newchurch Primary School, the Methodist Church and then for a long time its home was the Age Concern Day Centre. It became a Section of the Daten Club (the fore runner of the present Culcheth Sports Club) in 1995.

We currently have two teams, one in Division 2 of the Warrington and District League and the other team in the 400 League which again is based around Warrington. The teams play their matches in the Ariel room on Thursday nights starting at 7.30pm, but when we do not have matches we often play informally in the Main Lounge to encourage interest from other Club members. Our season starts in September and finishes in April. Teams consist of 6 Players. At other times of the year our members play informally in the Club, usually on Thursday evenings.

We welcome any casual players to join in the informal sessions or to watch any of the matches in progress, and can guarantee serious competitive league matches for those so inclined. Please contact any of the people listed below or feel free to call in any time. Juniors are particularly welcomed.

MEMBERSHIP FEES

Our Annual Membership charge is £10.00 and £5.00 for Juniors. In addition a further £10.00 charge is made at the end of the season for 'regular team players', (any Members who have played more than 5 matches in the season), again with a 50% reduction for Juniors. Note that for prospective new Chess Club Members there will be no charges until they have decided that they want to become regular playing members. All our Members must also be Culcheth Sports Club Members, but this can easily be arranged for anyone wishing to play chess with us.

For any further information please contact any of the following:

Secretary Henrik Kalmar 01925-763986
Treasurer & Team Captain Graham Pennington 01942-515323
Team Captain Nick Cooke 01925-762432

The Secretary can also be contacted on email at: henrik.kalmar@btinternet.com