Month: February 2026

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