Local Chess to Wellingborough, Northamptonshire

[Jamie Thomas]

Hi all,

I have recently rediscovered chess and due to the fact none of my friends play, I only really play online. I have looked into joining a local club, but there are no chess clubs in Wellingborough, there are a couple in the surrounding areas but I would like to play more locally. My post is really to see if there is anyone in Wellingborough, who uses this site who would like to play on a regular basis. Maybe with a view to setting up a chess club in the future. I am sure I am not the only person in Wellingborough who enjoys chess, so I thought I would put a post out there to see if anyone 'bites'!

Thanks,

Jamie.

[Kevin Williamson]

Jamie

I work near Wellingborough and am not aware of a club there either.
You may already know, but there is a club at Rushden which is not too far from you.

http://www.norchess.lloydbunday.co.uk/clubs/rcc_4.htm

[Jamie Thomas]

thanks for the reply Kevin, I assume you don't live in the local area then? I will check the one out in Rushden. There is a great club in Northampton, but to be honest I would like one on my doorstep!

[Adam Raoof]

thanks for the reply Kevin, I assume you don't live in the local area then? I will check the one out in Rushden. There is a great club in Northampton, but to be honest I would like one on my doorstep!

This helpful thread is one good example of why the EC Forum should be linked to from the ECF website, and prominently.

Jamie; what I would suggest is that you consider setting up a chess club in Wellingborough. The quickest way to gauge how many potential members there might be for such a club would be to put a notice on your local library noticeboard with your contact details, and start to investigate venues such as church halls and community centres.

I am currently writing a short guide to setting up a chess club and it will go on the ECF website in due course. If anyone has any good tips that they would care to share here I will include them in the guide!

[Kevin Williamson]

thanks for the reply Kevin, I assume you don't live in the local area then? I will check the one out in Rushden. There is a great club in Northampton, but to be honest I would like one on my doorstep!

That's right Jamie, I don't live locally and since I play for two clubs already I'd better not get involved (at least not if I want to stay married )
Best of luck though, and good advice from Adam.

[Jamie Thomas]

Thanks for the advice Adam, I will definitely do that. I know what you mean about wife 'aggro' Kevin, I recently bought a chess book devoted to my favourite opening and my wife said "Haven't you got enough chess books already?!?" - I suppose women don't understand hey?!

[Neill Cooper]

It can be useful to liaise with local school and junior clubs. Look at the Northants School Chess association website. There is a junior club run by someone who lives in Wellingborough http://northantsjuniorchess.org/clubs.aspx

[Hugh Murphy]

I recently returned to chess and am playing in the London League as I work in London.

I too live in Wellingborough and would be interested.

[Frank Kamau]

This is an old post but Jamie did you find a club? Google "chessmates Northampton" its only 8 miles or so away from you. The friendliest club in Northampton and with 3 or 4 teams in the leagues.

[Nik Puryer]

I know that this is an old thread, but when looking for a local club I'd suggest simply searching for <town> + 'chess' + 'club'. Rather obvious I know, but probably the simplest. Sadly not all clubs are moving with the times and ensuring an online presence, but will probably have their details displayed on county sites, so checking those may also be worthwhile. The last time I looked the ECF map showed only RushdenCC and Chess Mates (Northampton), but if you go the county website http://www.norchess.lloydbunday.co.uk/ you'll find deatails and web addresses for clubs in Northampton (2), Kettering, Oundle (School), Daventry, Corby, Peterborough (who play in our Silver King League) and of course our beloved Rushden Chess Club http://www.rushdenchessclub.moonfruit.com/# which has recently moved to a spankingly comfortable new home at Rushden Town Bowling Club and is just a few minutes of direct driving down the A45 from Wellingborough.
Pop in sometime and have a game or 42.

[Michele Clack]

The problem with the ECF map is that if 2 or more clubs are close together the interactive map only shows up one club. This happens to us, if you click on where Redditch Chess Club should be you get only Headless Cross. We are listed at the side but it's not in alphabetical order so people could easily miss us. I asked the office about it but there was nothing they could do. To be honest where it misleads like this we would be better off without it as new people will assume that all clubs show up on the map and miss us. Hopefully they will all google us like you say.

[Keith Ball]

There hasn't been a proper chess club in Wellingborough for about 40 years. A group did play in the Northamptonshire Silver King for a couple of years but never had a formal club. As secretary of Kettering Chess Club we have a regular member from Wellingborough and would be happy if you would come and join us. see website norchess.lloydbunday.co.uk for details. Keith Ball

[Gary Kenworthy]

There is junior chess, and chess for girls in Wellingborough.
I have looked at houses in Wellingborough, and checked out the chess in the area, including Kettering (British Rapidplay and similar events, congresses etc, were once held there)
- see
http://www.northantsjuniorchess.org/

(FM) Gary Kenworthy