Season 2024-25

Planned activities for the start of the season will be published when known.

• Monday 2nd September
  First session.
• Tuesday 1st October
  Start of Herts League and other inter-club competitions.

SCCU County Chess Championships

Hertfordshire is entering an u1650 team to the SCCU County Championships. It is captained by Martin Hill (St Albans) who welcomes enquiries from players.

Preliminary fixtures have been published on the SCCU and ECF LMS websites:

• SCCU:  https://sccu-chess.com/index.php/en/preliminary-fixtures-season-2024-25
• ECF LMS: https://lms.englishchess.org.uk/lms/node/63543/home.

Dates may change as captains confirm the availability of their venue for home fixtures.

Matches begin in October.

History: Hertfordshire last competed in the SCCU competition during the 2019-20 season (the last before Covid lockdown) with teams playing in both the u140 Ebony and u120 Harry Woolverton leagues.

Monday 19th August. Pre-season Friendly

St Albans welcomed first time visitors, Hackney Chess Club, to a pre-season friendly over 15 boards and two rounds of Rapid play.

On winning the toss, the home team took white on odd boards in the first round and black in the second.

Hackney slowly gained an advantage to take the lead at half time when drinks were taken in the bar. In the second half, St Albans tried to make a comeback but Hackney maintained the pressure to finish comfortable winners: home 11½, visitors 18½. 

St Albans v Hackney.   Round 1 score: 6-9,   Round 2 score: 5½-9½