About Us

Maidenhead Chess Club meets every Monday from 19:30 - 22:30 in the community centre, St Luke's church, Norfolk Road. 


We play other clubs in the Berkshire league and the Thames Valley leagues. There is also an internal club tournament and special events mostly in May, June and July. The club is closed in August.

Our History

The origins of the club go back to 1905. The inaugural meeting took place at the Guild Hall on the 6th of January 1905, with the then Mayor of Maidenhead Benjamin Hobbis in the chair – he was elected president of the chess club in the early years. An inaugural meeting was recorded in the club’s minute book which is still in possession of the club and can be seen in the archive section.

The first minute book covers the period from 1905 to 1917. In that period the club first met at the Cliveden Hotel in Queen Street before later moving to No. 1 Park Street. There were between 15 and 20 active members in those years, graded in classes from 1 to 4 according to playing strength. Players of different classes played at handicaps of one or more pawns and one or more moves according to their relative strengths.

During the years of the first World War, the Club sent boards and chess-sets for the diversion of the troops stationed in France.

Apart from Mayor Hobbis, other names associated with the club in it’s formative years include Stuchberry, Peake, Willetts, Woods, Whitelaw, Flint & Neve. Some of these names are still in evidence in the town today.

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Sponsorship

Proudly supported by The Regency Chess company. Not only our members get special pricing, but we are also lucky recipients of some fine playing equipment.

We thank Chess & Bridge for their sponsorship and support with equipment they provide to our club and special rates for our members.

We express our gratitude to the The Louis Baylis Trust for supporting us in encouraging chess for the wider community and enabling us to put on free events for the public.

Local Leagues

Chess League Matches

Result Date Division / Competition Home Club Home Team Away Club Away Team

Internal Club Competitions

Chess League Results
Round Date Grade White White Result Grade Black Black

Achievements

The walls of our chess haven echo with the tales of triumph. From nail-biting endgames to strategic masterstrokes, Maidenhead Chess Club has etched its name in the annals of chess history, clinching victories that resonate with the spirit of competition.

Club сhampionship

Current winner:

Ishan Wiratunga

Parkes, Luca

Kumar, Soham

Bullock, Charles ES

Halstead, Alex 

UPCOMING GAMES

Maidenhead Junior Chess Club

Meets Saturday mornings 9:30 am to 11:15 am at Claires Court Junior Boys School, Cannon Lane, Maidenhead, Berkshire. Be careful, Claires Court School have 2 other sites in Maidenhead.
Use the Postcode SL6 4QQ which is the correct turning off Cannon Lane.

£3.00 for one child
£5.00 for 2 children from the same family.
£7.00 for 3 children.

For junior club information including the calendar
Maidenhead Junior chess club:

Website

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of common questions and answers about our Chess Club. Browse the section, and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.
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1What is Maidenhead Chess Club?

A member's club devoted to playing competitive chess in a friendly atmosphere, which is located in Maidenhead.

2Where and when does this happen?

The club meets at the function room of St Luke's community hall, Norfolk Road Maidenhead. This happens on a Monday from 19:30 - 22:30 (we close at 22:00 in the summer months). 

3Is the club open year-round?

The club meets every Monday except  Bank Holidays,  except from Christmas - New Year and the month of August. 

4What are the main activities of Maidenhead Chess Club?

During the winter months (well October - April), we mostly focus on league chess - competitive matches of 6 boards against other clubs, and we also have a club championship - competitive matches between club players.


During the summer months (well June - July, regardless of what the weather is like), we run "Summer Events" - such as Lightning Tournaments, How Good is Your Chess, Pairs Chess and the like.  

5What do you mean by competitive match?

Of course almost every chess game of whatever level is competitive, but here it is meant to say a game played :  With chess clocks - to time-limits adhering to the English Chess Federation guidelines - so 75 minutes for all moves, or 90 minutes all moves or 30 moves every 75 minutes or similar. Abiding by the normal rules of chess, possibly with modifications and additional rules from the league concerned.  Results of the match are sent for grading - this is normally done by the League, or by the organiser in the case of the Club Championship.

6I am interested in joining the club, how do I do this?

The best route is to come along to the club one Monday evening. Other than then Bank Holidays, August, Christmas /New Year. There will usually be someone there. Anyone with an interest in chess will be welcomed.  After visiting the club casually like (come back for several visits if you wish to be sure), then please approach an officer of the club to talk about joining formally.  

7I'm an absolute beginner, can I still join?

Why not come along and talk to us? However we are not set up to provide instruction to beginners - so it might be somewhat going in at the deep end. It might be the case that you are naturally very talented at chess and progress from absolute beginner to accomplished club player very quickly through observation and osmosis without any formal tuition or self-study. Being realistic that isn't the case for most people.  For junior (school-age) beginners, there is a separate Junior club which offers some basic coaching, and you should contact them separately. For adult players who wish to master the basics of moves, tactics and approach to playing competitively there are many books, computer programs and online resources. Too many to list here - if you come and talk to us, we might (no promises !) be able to give you some more specific pointers. Try lichess.com, there are many, mostly free websites. 

8I don't have a grade - can I still join?

Of course. Everyone has to start somewhere, and not having a grade now doesn't mean you won't get one. Assuming you are interested in/motivated to play in competitive chess  then you can join one of the teams suitable for your playing strength and/or the club championship, with initially an estimated grade. 

9How much does it cost to join?

The club makes every effort to keep costs low, but some expenses are unavoidable - the rental charge for the club premises is the single largest one.

Membership fees were £100 for adults (and £50 for juniors) in the most recent season, with a discount for multiple members from one family. Membership runs from Sept - August, and those joining in the middle of the year, fees are pro-rated. We don’t make a charge if you are just coming to the club to see if you like it , so please feel free to visit.

10Are there any other costs?

Additionally we expect members to be direct members of the English Chess Federation - in the current year the lowest (Bronze) grade of direct membership is £18 per annum. 

11Why do you expect club members to join the ECF?

The ECF charges per side per game to grade matches where players are not ECF members ("game fee", also known as the "board tax"). This can work out very expensive, and as the Club is liable we prefer our members to join the ECF. If you are only going to play a very small number of competitive games in a season, you may decline to join the ECF, but in this case we would probably ask you to make a contribution to cover the Club for any game fees chargeable.  

12How many players do you have, and what range of strength are they?

The current ECF database lists 30 active players with a grade who have played at least 1 game for Maidenhead in the past. Not all are currently members of the club - in recent seasons 25 - 30 is a reasonable estimate for the total active members of the club. In ECF grading terms, the current range (April 2021) is 48 - 240, which is to say near beginner up to near Grandmaster. In the Berkshire League, the playing strengths typically might look like :  A-team : 160 - 200+ B-team : 125 - 160 C-team : 75 - 130

13What leagues do you play in?

We play in two local leagues - the  Berkshire League and the Thames Valley League.

In the Berkshire League we enter an A, B, C team in respectively Division 1, 2, 3. We also enter their Cup/Plate competition. Competition in Berkshire is quite tough - there are a number of larger/more serious teams like Sandhurst, Crowthorne and Reading. However we are usually competitive, without taking it mega-seriously. Hence, while we have not won the Division 1 title in many years, nor have we been relegated from 'the top flight'. 

 

We also have an A team in division 2 of the Thames Valley League and a B team in division 3.

Fees

The club is a non profit organisation and all of the fees go to the venue hire, league fees and other costs, there are no wages or fees that anyone takes out of the club. 

Newcomers are welcome to come to the club to try it out and play friendlies for free, but if you would like to play for the team in league matches, please note that an appropriate ECF membership will be required.

New Members

First Year
£ 50 Annually
  • Membership
Exclusive

Existing Members

From Second Year
£ 100 Annually
  • Membership

Archive:

In the tapestry of our chess club's heritage, we weave a rich history marked by strategic brilliance and a passion for the game. Our club stands as a haven for chess enthusiasts of all skill levels. Join us in this timeless journey where each match is a chapter in the unfolding story of our chess club. You can find more information using the link below.

How to find us:

St Luke's Community Hall, Norfolk Road, Maidenhead, SL6 7AT

Contact us:

Club Secretary

Nigel Smith

Junior Club Organiser

John Wager

Junior Club Organiser

Nigel Dennis