Welcome

Do come and play at one of the most active and generally successful chess clubs in Kent! We have now won every cup from the County Cup down to the Intro Cup (as have Petts Wood).

Recent successes include:
2013 Maidstone I won the County Cup (for the sixteenth time) & Maidstone V won the Harvey Cup (for the fourth time)
2016 Maidstone IV won the Harvey Cup (for the fifth time)
2018 Maidstone VIII won the Intro Cup (for the first time)

We meet Wednesday evenings in Meeting Room 1 from 19:30hrs at the Maidstone Leisure Centre (Mote Park, Willow Way, Maidstone, ME15 7RN). You will find players at every level. Every week you can meet opponents for serious games and/or quick, casual games. There are club competitions, at both normal and rapid play, running throughout the year. You can join one of the teams (we have teams in all 7 Kent league divisions (County Cup, Lewis Cup, Stevenson Cup, En Passant Cup, Harvey Cup, Tom Fuller Cup & Intro Cup) and in national events), get advice on how to improve your game, or simply kibitz and chat! Juniors are very welcome. For more information ring Bob Lane on 01795 842331 or David Heath on 01622 741758 or email David Heath at davidheath11@talktalk.net or simply come along on any Wednesday evening. (Please note - when using the "How to find us" link on the right - that the entrance to the Leisure Centre is off the double roundabout in Willow Way opposite Upper Road).

A large car park is available, which is free of charge to all customers of Maidstone Leisure Centre, but note that users will need to register their car on a console to park for longer than 3 hours.


Players Trophy 2021/22 - Round 1

Round 1 to be played on Wednesday 27 October 2021. Draw as follows:

Luke Kyle v Cliff Chandler
David Munford v Neil Williams
Rebecca Rutter v Cristian Ilinca
David Heath v Jacob Fitzgerald
Chris Wise v Barry Beavis
Bob Lane v Martyn Stevens
Alan Riddoch bye 

Round 2 to be played on Wednesday 26 January 2022



Round 3 to be played on Wednesday 23 February 2022



Round 4 to be played on Wednesday 23 March 2022



Round 5 to be played on Wednesday 4 May 2022
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Kent League

Fixtures have now been agreed for the 2021/22 season, and we are competing in the following Mid-Kent sections:


County/Lewis Cup along with Rainham, and Captained by Bob Lane

Stevenson Cup along with Rainham & Swale, and Captained by Bob Lane

En Passant Cup along with Swale, and Captained by Alan Riddoch

Harvey Cup - not playing.

Tom Fuller Cup along with Medway & Snodland & Weald of Kent, and Captained by Alan Riddoch

Intro Cup along with Medway & Snodland, and Captained by Luke Kyle
 

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Club Re-opening

 

 The Chess Club will reopen on 15 September 2021 at Maidstone Leisure Centre.

In the interests of all members, please note that should you or any family member have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 7 days or currently has any symptoms which could be caused by coronavirus (eg sore throat, runny nose, cough, aches and pains, changed sense of smell or just feeling slightly off) you must not attend the club for at least 7 days.

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Coronavirus Update - May 2021

 

Further to the earlier updates in March 2020 & August 2020, I now report that following the success of the vaccination programme, the likeliest date for the Club to re-open is September 2021.

Note this is still highly provisional, as it depends upon:

·        The Leisure Centre being open till ~ 23:00hrs (currently it closes at 21:30hrs, but hopefully will be extended after 21 June)

·        Vaccinations being offered to our younger members

·        Proximity rules being relaxed

Other matters to be resolved are:

Date of pre-AGM Committee meeting

Date of Committee meeting

What ‘incremental times’ will apply

What Kent League Cups to enter (as the grading limits will need to change to accommodate ELO grades)

 

As before updates will be provided in due course, indicating when the Club will re-open. 


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New Grading System (May 2021)

The May 2021 list has just been published, 

As not many games have been played since my previous update in June 2020 (owing to Covid), there is no list of recent improvers

Additionally, note that grades are now ELO (4 figures). The translation from the previous ECF (3 figure) grades are as follows:

(ELO rating) = 700 + 7.5 * (ECF Grade)

  • 100 ECF = 1450 ELO

  • 110 = 1525

  • 120 = 1600

  • 130 = 1675

  • 140 = 1750

  • 150 = 1825

  • 160 = 1900

  • 170 = 1975

  • 180 = 2050

  • 190 = 2125

  • 200 = 2200




For full details of Maidstone players see 'ELO Grading Database' , then select CLUBS, then enter MAIDSTONE.

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Coronavirus Update

August 2020

Normally this is the time of the year we should be expecting a new season to start and an Annual General Meeting (AGM) to take place.  However, we have been unable to have a pre-AGM committee meeting and as a consequence no AGM is possible at the moment.

There is no useful guidance from the ECF to help clubs re-introduce over-the-board chess. Clubs are merely advised to carry out their own risk assessment taking into account Government guidelines and the capabilities of their respective venues.  Although Maidstone Leisure Centre is open it is currently closing early in the evening at 21:30hrs. The room we currently use is not large enough to ensure safe distancing and as such no chess can be played there. 

A decision of the Kent Chess Committee about last season’s leagues and whether to award trophies to the leaders in each division was in deadlock. Lastly, consideration was being given to introduce ‘Incremental times’ next season, however, there was still no decision on this.


Note: Updates will be provided in due course, indicating when the Club will re-open. 


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Club closure with immediate effect

March 2020

Following government guidelines on the coronavirus, the committee has decided that we have no choice but to close the club for a period of time - probably until next season. All outstanding KCCA matches have already been cancelled.

All internal club fixtures i.e. Players Trophy, Easter Lightning Tournament and the EGM (set for 1 April 2020) are consequently also cancelled. The EGM will be rearranged once circumstances become clearer.

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