"Those who say they understand chess, understand nothing" -- Robert HUBNER

Past, Present and Future. Ealing prepares for its 125th season.

: Created:14 Jun 2009 , by

Ealing chess club was established in 1885 and despite a few rocky years along the way, the club is currently in the best of health and aims to build upon last season's victory in the Middlesex championship and promotion from division three for our second team in the Thames Valley league. We will be fielding seven teams in the 2009-10 campaign whilst maintaining the important club objective of involving every member who wants to play either competitive or social chess. Grade 200 or 20, Ealing welcomes lovers of chess. (Summer programme below)

Ealing's popular ECF graded tournaments continue until the end of July and alongside them, the summer tournament with a time handicap for stronger players starts next Thursday. The humblest of members can defeat the elite players in this competition.

John Quinn's president's simultaneous has become an established part of our programme and he bravely welcomes all-comers who last year included an 198 graded opponent. This year's display will be on 13th August.

On 27th August, the fourteenth Ealing lightning tournament takes place. There are three first prizes dependent on grade and in recent years competition has been intense with over twenty players bustling around our club room in search of points. Veljko Stanisic, Alastair Johnstone, Anuurai Sainbayar and Gerry Blick defend their titles.

The talks of Peter Sowray who has been a wonderful friend of Ealing chess club, have in recent years taken on a legendary status. Who will forget those truly extraordinary positions, the exposition on how to defeat a strong chess computer and last year's little known, astonishing king march by Mikhael Tal? His next talk will be on Thursday, the 10th or 17th September. Be there for an evening to remember.

So what will we do in our 125th year? Perhaps a simultaneous by Anand, Topalov, Kramnik or Carlsen to follow on past displays by Lasker, Blackburne, Reti and Pillsbury and if so we trust our members will give one of them a good fight!