Memorabilia Corner Bits and Pieces from past chess events etc.

1.      Kenilworth Chess Club win the Coventry Chess League Division 1 for the first time.

A group of men sitting around a table AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Kenilworth Chess Club, formed in 1975, has won the Leamington and District Chess League Division 1 numerous times since that date. In 2023 though Kenilworth CC won the other major local league, the Coventry and District League Divion 1, for the first time.

The above picture shows some of the regular team members (left to right): Ben Graff, Phil Wood, Bernard Charnley, myself, Jude Shearsby, Mark Page, Andy Baruch and Dr.Joshua Pink.

Amongst the team are Chairman of the LDCL, son of the chess legend B.H.Wood founder of CHESS, four  England International players (one a gold medallist), and a  British Seniors Champion.

2.      New Title from English Federation for Correspondence Chess

Awarded for a combination of representing England in International Correspondence Chess Events and obtaining the ICCF title of Senior International Master

A gold medal with a lion and lion head AI-generated content may be incorrect.    A paper with text and a logo AI-generated content may be incorrect.

3.      Meeting a Super GM (Kenilworth Chess Club 50 Anniversary Celebration Event.)

On June 22 2025, as part of Kenilworth Chess Club 50th Anniversary Celebration, 29 players faced Super GM Mickey Adams in a Simultaneous Display. GM Adams is an eight times winner of the British Championship and at that time had a rating of 2726.

    A person and a child standing next to each other AI-generated content may be incorrect.  A group of people standing in front of a chess board AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Picture (left above) shows CM Jude Shearsby chatting to GM Adams just before the simultaneous commenced.

Picture (right above) shows Bernard Rogers, one of the earliest members of the Club giving a short introductory talk to awaiting players.

A group of people standing in a room AI-generated content may be incorrect.  A close-up of a card AI-generated content may be incorrect.  

Picture (left above) shows some of the young players taking part courtesy of Coventry Chess Academy. Whist many of the other players taking part were a lot older, and many at least of County Playing strength and up to Candidate Master strength, these young players did remarkably well. Despite some being as young as 5 years old most defended well for at least several hours and required quite some attention from the Grandmaster. All behaved impeccably and obviously look set to have a bright future in Chess.

Picture (right above) shows one of the nice organisational touches where each played had his own name and rating card as is common for major International events. As this is the first time this has occurred for many of the players in the event these cards seem to disappear rapidly at the close of play!

Two men playing chess AI-generated content may be incorrect. A person playing chess on a table AI-generated content may be incorrect. 

Picture (left above) shows GM Adams signing books for Paul Lam the manager of Coventry Chess Academy. The book “Chess in the fast Lane” had been in Paul’s possession for some time but GM Adams was happy to sign that as well copies of his recent publication “Think Like a Super-GM” co-authored with Philip Hurtado.

Picture (right above) shows GM Adams playing Nf3 (or more precisely deer to f3) on a very special ceramic chess set. This was given to Kenilworth Chess Club and arose from the pending Art Installation by Lindsey Mendick due to go on display in the Great Hall of Kenilworth Castle. This is organised by English Heritage to mark the 450th anniversary of Queen Elizabeths 1’s 19 day visit to Kenilworth Castle.

Picture below shows a close-up of the ceramic chess set in which animals represent pawns and pieces in a realistic manner. A very fine piece of work by the artist!

 

A chess board with chess pieces on it AI-generated content may be incorrect.

So overall a highly enjoyable day for all players with Mickey being an exemplary guest both friendly and approachable and willing to discuss the various games after close of play.

As for the result? - well it can only be stated that now, even very strong local players, known why Mickey is called a super GM. The final score, in about 3.5 hours, was a resounding 28 wins and one draw. Andy Ward was the only survivor and won a hardback copy of the book “Think like a Super GM”. Andy (sat next to me) even declined Mickey’s draw offer thinking as he explained “he might have had something”. However, by the time Mickey came back around to his board Andy realised he had nothing in a R+P ending and “accepted the offer”.

My own game was second from last to finish and despite engineering a few mating threats and also a few perpetual check threats in a queen and pawn ending Micky comfortably won by advancing very carefully a passed pawn.