Newcastle-under-Lyme Chess Club launch online tournament

Newcastle-under-Lyme Chess Club have already been reaching all four corners of the globe since forming an online team in January 2023.

Currently joint 16th out of 107 teams in the World Chess League.Live- just two points from the top of the league, the club are also the runaway leaders in the North Staffordshire second division.

They had a great start in the World Chess League.Live winning games against teams from Singapore and Bhutan in the first month of launching, and followed that in February with wins against a team from Poland and Aberdeen University to soar above the likes of Harvard University and Stockholm Chess Club into the top 20.

Round 7 of the tournament will see the Newcastle online club, which currently has 12 members, meet Oxford University’s A team for round 7 on Sunday 19th March.

Following the recent successes the online club are now launching their own – ‘Best of Newcastle in the World’ tournament which will commence over the summer. Dozens of different “Newcastles” or “New Castles” have been invited from around the globe, from Newcastle in New South Wales Australia to New Castle in Indiana in the United States.

The Newcastle-under-Lyme online Chess captain and the organiser of this new tournament, Peter Hornsby, said: “We are really excited about the Best of Newcastle in the World Tournament which we hope will attract many players from all over.

“Newcastle-upon-Tyne Chess Club and Newcastle University have already signed up and we are inviting more teams and players to join us.”

Peter added: “Since starting the online club we have seen huge success – which has been amazing.

“We have really been enjoying the tournament and we have had help from our fantastic coach, FIDE Master Jonathan Blackburn and have been supported by Alberto Gissi, the club’s president and organiser who has overseen all of our recent successes.

“Chess has really grown over recent years, and even more so in Newcastle-under-Lyme. With the advantages of technology, games can be live streamed and viewers can interact and comment on players moves and become part of a tournament anywhere.”