Gary Mason 
Longbridge Chess Club produced another excellent team performance this week, defeating Sutton Coldfield in convincing fashion in the 6600 Rapidplay competition. Although the final score of 6½–1½ looks one-sided, the evening wasn’t quite as straightforward as it first appears. Sutton Coldfield were unfortunately unable to field a player on board four, resulting in two default … Read more
Longbridge Chess Club are proud to announce that we have officially been crowned Worcester Chess Association Division One Rapidplay Champions for the 2025/26 season. Bringing home the trophy after a fantastic campaign filled with competitive chess, strong team performances, and contributions from players across the entire squad. Winning any competition is a huge achievement. But … Read more
Longbridge Chess Club returned to winning ways this week with an impressive performance against Warley Quinborne in the 6600 Rapidplay competition. After a challenging evening for the club’s other team against Redditch, Longbridge’s 6600 squad produced a much-needed victory, overturning a first-round defeat to finish the night with an overall winning result. Longbridge vs Warley … Read more
Longbridge Chess Club faced a tough evening at home last night as a strong Redditch side claimed a comprehensive victory across both rounds of the 5800 Rapidplay match. The Redditch Chess Club team was rated at least 480 points over the Longbridge team. So the result was expected. The final score was a painful 8–0 … Read more
Last night, Longbridge Chess Club hosted the Jonathan Swindells Simul, which is an event we host annually at our chess club. This was a simultaneous exhibition against Jonathan Swindells, a 2251-rated player, who took on 23 club members at once. The boards were arranged in a large square, with Jonathan circling continuously around the room. … Read more
Chess notation can be intimidating for players who haven’t used it before. One of the most common questions we hear from new members at Longbridge Chess Club is: “I’d love to play in matches, but I don’t know how to write notation.” The good news is that chess notation is much easier than it looks. … Read more
Whether you’re preparing for a league match, a tournament game, or simply curious about your next opponent, it’s easy to check a player’s current ECF rating online. Many players assume they need to use the LMS, but the quickest way to find a player’s rating is through the ECF Rating website. Visit the ECF Rating … Read more
Longbridge Chess Club enjoyed a successful evening on the road this week, securing an overall victory against South Birmingham in the 5800 Rapidplay competition. Longbridge Chess Club vs South Birmingham, Round 1, 2-2 Draw The night began in unfortunate circumstances for Longbridge when Elliott Shurvinton accidentally headed to the wrong venue, believing the match was … Read more
While another Longbridge team was in action at Halesowen, a second squad travelled to Rushall for a challenging away fixture in the 7400 Rapidplay competition. The evening proved to be a difficult one for Longbridge, with Rushall securing victories in both rounds. Despite the disappointing results, there were still some encouraging performances and several closely … Read more
Longbridge Chess Club travelled to Halesowen this week for another round of rapidplay action. While the overall results did not go our way, there were plenty of interesting moments, missed opportunities, and hard-fought battles across the boards. The first match finished 3–1 in favour of Halesowen. Even though Longbridge entered the fixture with a significantly … Read more
