Latest MCCU News

Coronavirus: league suspensions, congress cancellations

15 Mar. After the English Chess Federation recommended chess leagues to suspend for a period, many MCCU leagues have stopped over-the-board play: Birmingham & Dist, Cannock & Dist, Dudley & Dist, Leamington & Dist, Leicestershire & Rutland, Manchester, North Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Stockport, Wolverhampton & Dist, Worcester & Dist, and Worcestershire because of the Coronavirus epidemic. Also cancelled are several congresses: 4NCL FIDÉ Easter congress at Kenilworth, Bolton Easter, and Notts CA.

County match results

14 Mar. Warwickshire u160 Midlands champions. Lincs beat Notts in the MCCU championship and join Warks at the top of the table. In the u160 competition, Warks beat Derbys to become Midland u160 champions.

12 Mar. Worcestershire u100 team defaults two matches on fears of Coronavirus. Notts and Leics share the u100 Midlands title.

1 Mar. In the Minor Counties, Leics beat Notts. Worcestershire u140 beat Lincs and finished with wins in all their matches to qualify for the national stages. In the u100, Warks beat Staffs. The default date for Preliminary round national stage games is on or before Sat 25 April.

Warwickshire Open Congress

23 Feb. GM Mark Hebden wins Warks Open. Mark was sole first on 4½ points from 5 games ahead of FM Jonah Willow. The Women's prize was won by Anna Szasz (Yorks Jun) and is joint Warwickshire women's champion with Imogen Dicen (S Birmingham), Lionel Riou-Durand (France) was first in the u1975; Phil Foley (London) won the u140; and Phil Love (Newport, Shrops) the u110 tournament.

County match results

22 Feb. In the Minor Counties, Lincolnshire beat Shropshire in a 12-board match when flooding would have made travel difficult. In the u120 competition Worcestershire beat Derbyshire.

15 Feb. Undefeated Warwickshire win Midlands team Championship. Worcs gain their first win. This match saw a historic first with a female board 1 for Worcestershire and possibly first in any MCCU county first team match. Warwickshire have a home win against Leicestershire and finish their season without loss.

RIP John Pakenham, President MCCU

9 Feb. MCCU CEO Ray Dolan records that John was for many years a Warwickshire delegate to the MCCU followed by positions as non-executive director, chairman and than President. For longer than a decade he helped organise the Birmingham Rapidplay and was an enthusiastic and much appreciated volunteer coaching young children at the Bloxwich Junior Chess Academy. His contributions will be sorely missed. John Fahy, secretary Warley & Quinborne CC, writes: "Sadly John Pakenham passed away peacefully in his sleep last night. He was taken ill again shortly after Christmas/New Year and bravely faced up to the situation, never once feeling sorry for himself and always thinking of those around him. He will be sadly missed at Warley & Quinborne and in the wider chess community having served to provide and promote chess for many a decade. Our thoughts and prayers are with John and his lovely family. " The Funeral service will take place at Sandwell Valley Crematorium on Friday 13th March 2020 at 1.45pm. Sandwell Valley Crematorium Newton Road, West Bromwich B71 3SX. Donations please to St Mary's Hospice - Selly Park.

National stages County Team competitions

ECF website reports. Nominations are due by 22 March. The draw will be published 1 April and the default dates are: for Preliminary rounds 25 Apr; quarter Finals 16 May; semi-finals 13 June and the finals will be on 4 July at Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport-NEC.

County match results

8 Feb. Leics conceded their u140 match against Lincs. In the u120, Nottinghamshire beat Derbyshire. In the u100, and Leics beat Worcs.

Bloxwich Junior club 10 years old!

4 Feb, Ray Dolan reports. Walsall’s mayor and mayoress Paul and Chris Bott invited Bloxwich Juniors to the Mayor’s Parlour to join them celebrate their tenth birthday. Starting with only 6 players, the club now has 30 members. The club has provided 5 players for English squads in recent years. See pics on junior page.

County match results

1 Feb. In the Minor counties, Warks beat shrops and Leics beat Worcs. Greater Manchester narrowly beat Notts in the u160 to earn a Midlands nomination for the national stages.

25 Jan. In a 12-board match, Notts beat Shrops in the Minor Counties. In the u100, Notts Juniors lost heavily to Warks and Leics beat Notts.

18 Jan. In the Minor Counties, Lincs beat underdogs Worcestershire while in the u120, Leicestershire beat Staffordshire, Notts nearly annhilated Worcs and Shrops beat Derbys.

Robert Richmond (1956-2020)

Former Nottinghamshire CA delegate to MCCU Robert Richmond’s death was announced. While a student, Robert was President of Cambridge University CC. He was a strong player and turned down an FM title earned for his second place in the 2004 FIDE World Major (Smith and Williamson). Robert will be best remembered for his contributions to chess orgaisation being BCF's Finance Director (2003-8) and Nottinghamshire CA’s President 2010-3. Robert’s obituary by John Swain is on the ECF website.

Two MCCU counties to have teams in the national open stage in 2020

1 Jan, Peter Sherlock reports. Lincolnshire have elected to enter the Open and join Greater Manchester. The remaining five counties in the MCCU Minor competition now compete for three places in the national stage of the Minor Counties. Shropshire were the only team wanting to enter the national u180 competition.

Click "News" on the menu bar above for other recent items.

Next in the Midlands

Sat & Sun 21 & 22 Mar. Nottingham Congress. Cancelled. Arrangements will be made to refund entry fees to all competitors as soon as possible.

Next Midlands & national junior events

Sat 28 Mar. English Primary Schools’ Chess Association U11 Final Cancelled.

Next National Event

Thu to Sun 30 Apr-3 May. English Seniors Championships Postponed. at Holiday Inn Kenilworth, 212 Abbey End, Kenilworth. Over 50 and 65 aged players. 7 Rounds ECF graded and FIDÉ rated.

The "chess counties" forming the MCCU

Eleven "Chess Counties" form the Midland Counties Chess Union and cover the areas shown in the map on the right. A small Board of volunteer directors currently led by Chief Executive Ray Dolan (Staffs) is elected annually by delegates from member chess counties. The Board organises regional competitions based on policies agreed annually by delegates from member chess counties.

By playing in the competitions hosted on this website you agree that your name, chess grade and your membership status with the English Chess Federation (ECF) may be published on this website for the purposes of recording the results of the competitions. You also agree that such information will be passed to the ECF, the governing body, for grading purposes, and published on their website.

The MCCU

The current webmaster is Ray Collett (Worcs). The website's policy is to report results of the MCCU competitions, principally the MCCU county team tournaments and congresses. Brief results of other chess congresses held in the MCCU area and and links to organisers' websites are on the "News" pages. A calendar of upcoming chess congresses is on the "Congresses" pages. Some important national and international chess events will also be reported if there is a "Midlands" interest. In the menu bar above: "About" gives more information about the MCCU and has links to rules and administrative papers; "Guide" explains the site's organisation and provides links to most of the site's key pages.

Please send news of Midlands chess events, corrections, notifications of broken links, and suggestions to improve the website to Ray Collett.