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BRITISH ISLANDS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2026 11:25 am
by Martyn Griffiths
Between c1977 and C1984 there was a British Islands Chess Championship. I have found very little about it on BNA and am wondering if there are any records elsewhere eg BCM. I am particularly interested in the matches concerning Anglesey - who played for them and how they got on. I'm surprised that these matches aren't still going, especially with the current means of playing remotely.
Re: BRITISH ISLANDS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2026 12:41 pm
by John Upham
Martyn Griffiths wrote: ↑Mon Jan 12, 2026 11:25 am
Between c1977 and C1984 there was a British Islands Chess Championship. I have found very little about it on BNA and am wondering if there are any records elsewhere eg BCM. I am particularly interested in the matches concerning Anglesey - who played for them and how they got on. I'm surprised that these matches aren't still going, especially with the current means of playing remotely.
Was the event titled
The British Isles Championships
or
The British Islands Championships?
Re: BRITISH ISLANDS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2026 1:17 pm
by Jon D'Souza-Eva
In 1983 the competition was called The Lloyds Bank Islands Trophy. The six entries that year were: Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Jersey, Shetland, Guernsey and Anglesey. A report of the competition refers to the Isle of Wight and Anglesey rejoining the fold, suggesting that they didn't take part in 1982. The report also says that the Isle of Wight won the first competition, in 1978, and that the 1983 final was between Anglesey and the Isle of Man (the winners in 1982).
Re: BRITISH ISLANDS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2026 1:22 pm
by Jon D'Souza-Eva
I also found a slightly mangled report from a 1978 article in The Times, by "LEONARD &ARDEN" (I tried, without success, to determine who this might be).
THE CONTlNUr.N'G increase in
transport costs has induced
chess organisers to look again
at alternative arrangements for
Ions distance matches, (lames by
telephone are one obvious possi-
bility, and the thriving clubs on
Britain's offshore islands are
currently competing by this
means for the Lloyds Bank
Islands Trophy. Teams of !;evcn,
from Guernsey. Jersey, the
Sbetiands. and the Isles of Man,
Anglesey, and Wight, are taking
part, with two groups of three
and a final scheduled for this
summer.
Re: BRITISH ISLANDS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2026 3:51 pm
by Matt Mackenzie
IIRC the whole thing ended with a whimper rather than a bang in the mid 80s, with the two finalists unable to put together a match.
Re: BRITISH ISLANDS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2026 7:18 pm
by Gerard Killoran
Jon D'Souza-Eva wrote: ↑Mon Jan 12, 2026 1:22 pm
I also found a slightly mangled report from a 1978 article in The Times, by "LEONARD &ARDEN" (I tried, without success, to determine who this might be).
THE CONTlNUr.N'G increase in
transport costs has induced
chess organisers to look again
at alternative arrangements for
Ions distance matches, (lames by
telephone are one obvious possi-
bility, and the thriving clubs on
Britain's offshore islands are
currently competing by this
means for the Lloyds Bank
Islands Trophy. Teams of !;evcn,
from Guernsey. Jersey, the
Sbetiands. and the Isles of Man,
Anglesey, and Wight, are taking
part, with two groups of three
and a final scheduled for this
summer.
- Financial Times, April 21, 1979, p.21.png (1.45 MiB) Viewed 6066 times
Re: BRITISH ISLANDS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2026 4:05 pm
by Dave Lightfoot
Martyn Griffiths wrote: ↑Mon Jan 12, 2026 11:25 am
Between c1977 and C1984 there was a British Islands Chess Championship. I have found very little about it on BNA and am wondering if there are any records elsewhere eg BCM. I am particularly interested in the matches concerning Anglesey - who played for them and how they got on. I'm surprised that these matches aren't still going, especially with the current means of playing remotely.
The current isle of Wight team would be very keen to get this going again. Something like every two years, new host each time.
Re: BRITISH ISLANDS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2026 4:38 pm
by Roger de Coverly
Dave Lightfoot wrote: ↑Wed Jan 14, 2026 4:05 pm
Something like every two years, new host each time.
Wouldn't you want to play it on-line, using the rules for remote play devised during Covid?
Re: BRITISH ISLANDS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2026 1:32 pm
by GrahamStuart
After advising Martyn I did not have anything in the HCA Archives, I found the following two articles in the 1979 Chess News, which had details on the first two matches played by the IOW. Unfortunately these Chess Notes were the ones in the archives and the last one was June 11th, which meant no details on who won the final between IOW and Anglesey / Guernsey.
When the British Newspaper publishes for this period (they have published before and after) this may have details on the winner. As Anthony Fulton played for Jersey he may have additional details on the competition?
Details can also be seen on the website.
https://hampshirechesshistory.co.uk/chess-notes/
Re: BRITISH ISLANDS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2026 2:12 pm
by Martyn Griffiths
Isle of Wight won in 1979
Shetland won 1981
Re: BRITISH ISLANDS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2026 2:16 pm
by Jon D'Souza-Eva
Board 7 for Jersey, Mrs A Von Pantzer, must be Valerie Von Pantzer (1926-2010), wife of Alfred Von Pantzer. I'm surprised to see her being referred as Mrs <husband's name> as late as 1979 - I thought that sort of thing died out by the 1930s!
Re: BRITISH ISLANDS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2026 4:54 pm
by Dave Lightfoot
Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑Wed Jan 14, 2026 4:38 pm
Dave Lightfoot wrote: ↑Wed Jan 14, 2026 4:05 pm
Something like every two years, new host each time.
Wouldn't you want to play it on-line, using the rules for remote play devised during Covid?
Possibly if we had to. Teams of four every two years is more fun though. Perhaps a mix.