Latest MCCU News

Leamington Open

10 May 2026. There was a tie between Joe Friar (Worcs) and Karan Kukreja (Warks) with both on 4 points in this five round competition. The Major (u2000) tournament was won by James Pack (Suffolk) with 4½ points. The Intermediate (1750) first pace was shared by Anvikkashri (Warks), Dushyanth Gan Nalabothula (Herts) and Georgios Iordanidis (Leics) all on 4 points and the Minor (u1500) tourament was won by Glyn Hill (Shrops). The event was organised by Alex Holowczak (Worcs) for Leamngton & District Chess League. Just under a hundred players competed.

Midland teams fail in bids for semi-final places

9 May 2026. Harry Evans’s Worcestershire team just failed against Devon in the Minor Counties national quarter-final match at Chedzoy, Somerset losing 7½-8½. See match card. In the u1850 quarter final Lincolnshire-Yorkshire, Lincolnshire lost 6½-9½. See details. Meanwhile, Staffordshire lost to Norfolk in a u1450 quarter final. See details, and Nottinghamshire u1450 also lost to Essex. See details.

Derbyshire u1650 fall to Middlesex

25 Apr 2026. Derbyshire failed in their attempt to make the u1650 national quarter finals. Unusually the lower rated team won and Middlesex's vicory was very much owing to the performance of their junior players, all of whom won. See match card.

Nottingham Congress

19 Apr 2026. Tan Murawski (Oxon) and Tom He (Warks) shared first place in the Open Competition with 4½ points in this five round event. Other winners were: Andrew Stoker (4½ points, Cheshire) in the Major (u1900), Hejin Francis (5 points, Leics) in the Intermediate (u1700), Blake Brelsford ( 4½ points, Notts) in the Minor (u1500) and Aaryan Ragam (4½ points, Northants) in the Improvers (u1350) tournaments. The event raised £200 for the Red Cross Ukraine Crisi Appeal. The arbiters were Hambel Willow (Notts), Phil Beckett (Yorks), Stephen Humphreys (Cheshire), Simon Scott (Notts), and John Swain (Notts). Two hundred players competed. See more..

Temporary CEO appointed

13 Apr 2026. Stephen Woodhouse (Worcs) was appointed temporary CEO at an extraordinary Board of Management meeting held remotely following the unexpected death of Paul Sharratt. Members agreed to resume regular communications with county secretaries and will arrange an Annual General Meeting of delegates in June.

Birmingham Rapidplay results

12 Apr 2026. Finlay Bowcott-Terry won the Open tournament with 6½ points in this seven round event. Edouardos Ter Gevorkian (Warks) won the Major (u2000), Vihaan Mathur (Warks) the Intermediate (u1700), and vassily Sagyaman (Warks) the Minor (u1500) The event was organised by IA Alex Holowczak.

TEN Midlands teams in national stages of the county team competitions

6 Apr 2026, Stephen Smithson reports. In the ECF Minor Counties tournament Lincolnshire go through to the Semi finals and Worcestershire play their quarter final match against Devon on 9 May. Derbyshire u2050 go directly into the semi-final In the u1650 tournament, Surrey play Staffordshire and Worcestershire play Kent in quarter finals on 16 May. Derbyshire play a preliminary round on 25 April away against Middlesex. On 9 May Staffordshire u1450 play Norfolk and Nottinghamshire play Essex play their quarter final matches.

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Next in the Midlands

Sat 16 May. ChessPick Rapid & Blitz Open Warwick at Warwick University, Westwood Teaching Centre, Warwick, CV4 8UW. Six rounds of rapidplay (time control 10+5) and 9 rounds of blitz (time control 3+2), starting 10am (blitz 3pm).

Next Junior tournament

Sun 7 Jun, UK Chess Challenge Derbyshire Megafinal at Derby Leisure and Events, The Pavilion, Moor Lane, Allenton, Derby DE24 9HY. Open to juniors born after 31 Aug 2007. Six round rapidplay, time control 15 min + 10 sec, Prizes for highest boy and girl scorers in each year group.

Online competitions

Link for all ECF online events.

Link for all 4NCL online events.

Next national events

Sat 13 Jun. ECF County team championship semi-finals.

Sat to Sun 9 to 16 Aug British Chess Championships at University of Warwick, Warwick Road, Coventry CV4 7AL. Numerous tournaments, senior, junior, rapid, blitz rated and weekend.

The "chess counties" forming the MCCU

Ten "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 rating 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 rating 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.