Hammersmith Chess Club

At the start of the season, we set ourselves a clear set of goals in the Central London League.

With three teams entered—Hammersmith 1 and 2 in Division Two, and Hammersmith 3 in Division Four—the brief was simple:

• Promotion for Teams 1 and 3 to Divisions One and Three
• Consolidation for Team 2 in Division Two

As it turns out, things went rather well.

Both Hammersmith 1 (captained by Tom Townsend) and Hammersmith 3 (captained by David Steyn) didn’t just compete—they won their divisions convincingly, securing promotion with room to spare. That alone would have made for a very satisfying campaign.

Meanwhile, Hammersmith 2, under the guidance of Andrew Cuff, had a more dramatic journey. After a distinctly shaky start, the team found its footing, steadied the ship, and ultimately did exactly what was asked of it, retaining its place in Division Two.

The outcome is perfect: next season, Hammersmith 1, 2 and 3 will line up in Divisions One, Two and Three respectively.

Job done in the  Central London League, the focus now shifts to the other leagues where there is work to be done and plenty of chess to be played before the season fully wraps up.

A New Junior Chess Academy Launches at the Mindsports Centre

We are delighted to announce that a new Junior Chess Academy will be launching at the Mindsports Centre this summer term, run by Adam Cranston.

This is a very exciting development for junior chess in West London. The Academy will focus on competitive play and structured improvement, giving young players the opportunity to receive regular coaching and, just as importantly, to play serious rated games every week in a supervised environment with post-game analysis.

This combination — coaching, competitive games, and analysis — is widely recognised as one of the most effective ways for young players to improve, and we expect the Academy to become an important part of the junior chess scene at the Mindsports Centre.

How it works

Each week, students will receive:

• 30 minutes of coaching in small groups of roughly equal ability
• 60 minutes of rated rapid games followed by analysis

Details

• Time: Wednesdays, 4:30–6:00pm
• Venue: Mindsports Centre
• Dates: 15 April to 8 July (excluding 27 May) — 12 weeks total
• Ages: 6–16, all abilities welcome
• Cost: £250

Places are limited and the Academy is expected to fill quickly. If interested, please contact Adam directly at adamrcranston@gmail.com.

The Junior Chess Academy is independently run and is not part of Hammersmith Chess Club’s junior programme.  As we continue to develop the chess ecosystem at the Mindsports Centre, we are delighted to welcome the Academy as a partner. Junior chess has never been better served in West London.

The Lübeck Heist is back, and this is your final call.

From 26–28 June, Hammersmith heads to Germany for one of our legendary summer raids: blitz, the Beck–Hamm Trophy match, great company, and a proper Hammer weekend.

We’re aiming for a big turnout, adults + juniors.

⏳ Deadline: 31 March

If you’re interested—even vaguely—contact John White now. He’s organising this trip and wants to hear from you.

📩 jdrw9591@gmail.com

The challenge is set.

Hammer needs you.

Six years ago, our planned visit to Lübeck Chess Club was one of the many casualties of Covid. It was a huge disappointment at the time but some ideas are simply too good to die.

We are delighted to announce that the Lübeck Heist is officially back on.

Our German friends have warmly invited us to visit on the weekend of Friday 26 June to Sunday 28 June 2026 and we intend to make it a Hammer weekend to remember.

The Hammersmith summer raids are the stuff of club legend: great chess, great company, and a proper sense of occasion. If you’ve never been on one, this is your moment.

Provisional itinerary

• Friday evening
  Arrival, welcome drinks, and a friendly all-play-all blitz tournament
• Saturday
  A long-play match for the Beck–Hamm Trophy, followed by a joint dinner with our Lübeck hosts
  (and, for those with stamina, a late-night visit to a sports bar to follow the World Cup)
• Sunday
  A relaxed morning enjoying the beautiful city of Lübeck before travelling home

Lübeck is a stunning Hanseatic city in northern Germany, famous for its brick Gothic architecture and rich history.

Just as importantly, it is home to a large, thriving chess club with an excellent junior section which means we are hoping to field both an adult team and a junior team.  They can accommodate up to 50 Hammers across the weekend so plenty of room for a strong showing.

Travel & logistics

• Fly to Hamburg and take the short high-speed train to Lübeck
  or
• Fly directly to Lübeck Airport (Ryanair)

Accommodation (hotel or Airbnb) will be coordinated centrally, but please book your own flights.

How to sign up (deadline 31 March)

If you would like to be part of the Lübeck Heist, please email jdrw9591@gmail.com

Let John know:

• whether you are travelling solo, with a partner, or with children
• and whether you are interested in playing or accompanying

One final thing…

The challenge has been made.  The Beck–Hamm Trophy is on the line.

Hammer needs you.

John White

We are delighted to share some wonderful news from further afield.

Our club captain Gaston Franco has been awarded the title of National Master (Maestro Nacional) by the Argentine Chess Federation.

It is a thoroughly well-deserved recognition of Gaston’s strength, consistency and long-standing contribution to the game — and it will come as no surprise to anyone who has had the pleasure of playing him or being part of one of his teams.

Gaston is at the heart of Hammersmith Chess Club: a calm presence, a generous teammate, and a captain who always puts the club first.

From everyone at Hammersmith, congratulations Gaston!

Hammers, we’re in for something special.

We’re delighted to announce that Jonathan Mestel will be our guest speaker at the club on Monday 2nd March at 7.15pm.

Not only is he one of the great figures of English chess, he is also Professor of Applied Mathematics at Imperial College.  Expect insight, stories, and probably a few mind-bending ideas along the way.

Part of England’s Chess “New Wave”

Mestel was a key figure in the surge of English chess strength that followed the 1972 World Championship match between Fischer and Spassky. In the years that followed, England rose to become one of the strongest chess nations in the world, powered by talents such as Tony Miles, Jonathan Speelman, John Nunn, Nigel Short, and of course, Jonathan Mestel himself.

He was right in the thick of that golden era.

A Few Highlights (and there are many…)

Jonathan’s list of achievements is long and varied. Here are just a few standouts:

• Three-time British Chess Champion – including his extraordinary 1976 victory in Portsmouth, where he won his first nine games
• Olympiad Gold Medal for best board performance in 1984
• Two team silver medals and one bronze representing England at Chess Olympiads
• Awarded the Grandmaster title in 1982
• World Chess Solving Champion (1997) — a reminder that his chess strength goes far beyond over-the-board play

And that’s only scratching the surface. He’s also a highly accomplished bridge player, which tells you something about the breadth of his strategic mind.

A Special Evening at the MSC

This promises to be an informative, entertaining, and genuinely memorable night. Whether you’re a seasoned competitor, a casual player, or just chess-curious, this is a rare chance to hear from true English chess royalty.

📍 Venue: London MindSports Centre

🗓 Date: Monday 2nd March

⏰ Time: 7.15pm start

Make sure you’re there — evenings like this don’t come around often.

John White

Events Officer

With seven wins from seven matches, Hammersmith has wrapped up the Central London League Division 4 title in emphatic style. Sitting top by a wide margin with three games still to play, the team can no longer be caught — promotion secured, and the club’s first silverware of the season in the bag.

Last night’s 3½–½ victory away to Hackney in Pimlico featured Andrew Cuff, Mark Croasdale, Jake Stones and Dave Lambert, who delivered another commanding team performance to keep the perfect record intact.

It was a particularly sweet moment for Andrew, who captained last season’s side in this division and missed out on promotion by the narrowest of margins. Last night he made absolutely sure there would be no repeat drama.

Staying in Pimlico, attention now turns to our First Team, captained by Tom Townsend, who currently top Division 2 and are mounting a promotion push of their own…

Captain’s note:
“I’m incredibly proud of what the team has achieved this season — seven wins out of seven is a fantastic effort. If you’re new to the club (or new to playing in the Central London League in Pimlico) and would like to be part of the squad for our last three matches, email me at davidsteyn@icloud.com.”

Hammersmith Chess Club is delighted to host an Open Blitz Tournament on Thursday 5 February, in collaboration with Chess.com, who are generously providing a substantial prize fund, including signed memorabilia.

With 100 places available and only £10 to enter (Hammersmith members free), we’re expecting a popular and competitive tournament, run by London’s largest chess club but open to all. Sign up soon to secure your spot: entry form

We particularly encourage girls and women to join us, with a Best Woman prize in each section.

We look forward to welcoming you to Hammersmith for a fun evening of blitz chess!

Event Details

• When: Thursday 5 February, 7:00pm
• Where: London MindSports Centre, 21 Dalling Road, London W6 0JD
• Format: 9 rounds, 3+2 blitz
• Rating: ECF Blitz Rated
• Entry Fee: £10 (free for Hammersmith Chess Club members)

Prize Fund

Total prizes include:

• £500 Chessable vouchers
• 10 Chess.com merchandise packages
• 1 wooden chessboard signed by Magnus Carlsen
• 1 additional signed item (e.g. poster)

Prizes by Category

Open

• 1st: £125 Chessable Voucher + Merchandise Package
• 2nd: £75 Chessable Voucher + Merchandise Package
• 3rd: £25 Chessable Voucher + Merchandise Package
• Best Woman: £25 Chessable Voucher + Merchandise Package

Under 1850

• 1st: £75 Chessable Voucher + Merchandise Package
• 2nd: £50 Chessable Voucher + Merchandise Package
• Best Woman: £25 Chessable Voucher + Merchandise Package

Under 1400

• 1st: £50 Chessable Voucher + Merchandise Package
• 2nd: £25 Chessable Voucher
• Best Woman: £25 Chessable Voucher

Random Giveaways

(Selected via random draw based on final standings)

• Giveaway #1: Wooden board signed by Magnus Carlsen
• Giveaway #2: Signed item

Important Notes

• Rating categories are determined by the highest of a player’s ECF Blitz, ECF Rapid, FIDE Blitz or FIDE Rapid rating
• Players without a stable rating are ineligible for rating-restricted prizes
• Apart from random giveaways, no player may win more than one prize
• Ties will be decided using Buchholz tiebreak

How to Enter

Fill in this form to enter.

If you are not a Hammersmith member, please transfer the £10 entry fee to the bank details below. (You can join Hammersmith Chess Club here.)

Places are limited. Entry deadline: midnight, Sunday 1 February.

Your place will be confirmed by email upon receipt of payment.

Bank Details

• Name: Hammersmith Chess Club
• Sort Code: 40-03-21
• Account Number: 91245120
• Reference: Blitz Open – Your Name

Contact / MORE INFO

For queries, please email Adam at:

📧 adam1234321@gmail.com

We’re delighted to share that Hammersmith Chess Club was featured on the Perpetual Chess Podcast. In this episode, Club Captain Gastón Franco talks about how the club grew from fewer than 20 members into one of the most active and welcoming clubs in London.

Some highlights include:

• • How the club rebuilt membership and culture
  • Welcoming new players and community-building
  • Development of junior and women’s programmes
  • Volunteering and running a modern club

Listen to the podcast on Spotify or watch the video on YouTube, both included below: