English Chess Forum

Can anyone recommend a chess club near Derby for someone with quite a few years since their last game?

I’m moving north and just about retired now, so time to start again!

Is this you?

https://rating.englishchess.org.uk/v2/n ... de=107510L

Simon Brown wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 19, 2025 11:42 am

I’m moving north and just about retired now, so time to start again!

You're not the only one from our generation - I see Jon Ady has recently started playing again.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 19, 2025 12:16 pm

Is this you?

https://rating.englishchess.org.uk/v2/n ... de=107510L

Yes, that’s me

Simon Brown wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 19, 2025 11:42 am

Can anyone recommend a chess club near Derby for someone with quite a few years since their last game?

I’m moving north and just about retired now, so time to start again!

Is it possible you could move further north to the Blackpool area instead Simon?
Like Poulton-le-Fylde for example.

Simon Brown wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 19, 2025 11:42 am

Can anyone recommend a chess club near Derby for someone with quite a few years since their last game?

I’m moving north and just about retired now, so time to start again!

Is https://ecf.justgo.com/clubfinder.htm helpful here?

I was thinking about relative strength, size, friendliness, 4NCL participation etc. rather than simply location.

Blackpool, nice as it may be, doesn’t work for us. Derby it is!

Simon Brown wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 19, 2025 1:55 pm

I was thinking about relative strength, size, friendliness, 4NCL participation etc. rather than simply location.

The Derby league website tells you how strong different clubs are.

The Leicester and Rutland league looks a bit stronger.

The only thing I know about Ashby Ivanhoe Chess Club is its name. I am considering the 400 mile round trip.

Simon Brown wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 19, 2025 1:55 pm

I was thinking about relative strength, size, friendliness, 4NCL participation etc. rather than simply location.

Blackpool, nice as it may be, doesn’t work for us. Derby it is!

Peter Ackley frequents the forum and plays at Chesterfield, so he can probably answer the question about the clubs; the only thing I know is that Derby use the Rolls Royce Club for county matches, and players who have been thought it was a decent venue

Peter plays for the Woodpushers in the 4NCL; you'd be welcome to join, let me know if that's of interest and I can get our captain to message you

"The only thing I know about Ashby Ivanhoe Chess Club is its name."

That is an awesome name.

Hi Simon

The Derby League is very friendly. There are no superstars or egos. Try each club and see which one feels best for you.

I'm guessing you want 1st division chess.

Belper, Breadsall and Chesterfield are the perennial challengers for the title. Derby and Rolls Royce are mid table teams so you may fancy helping them challenge. Clay Cross and Burton/Lichfield are yo yo teams.

Breadsall has 5 regulars plus occasional subs. Most of the other clubs mentioned above have 20 or more members.

Chesterfield is much closer to Sheffield (13 miles) than to Derby (24 miles) so also play in that league.

There is no Derbyshire based 4NCL club but Ashfield are based just over the border in Notts and have 3 teams in the 4NCL.

Depending on which part of Derbyshire you move to you might also wish to consider clubs in Nottinghamshire.

Several people play in both leagues as we are not that far apart.

If you don't mind coming to Nottingham (just 15 miles from Derby) then I recommend you join Gambit to help us challenge Mansfield who have easily won the league for the past 3 seasons. They have three 2100 players (including the aforementioned Peter Ackley who also plays for Chesterfield) which no other club in Notts can match.

It appears that league chess is not quite dead in the water, with the number of ‘seniors’ coming out of retirement!

Hi Simon,

Ian has posted a link to the DCA website; you'll find lots of information there including contact details of all Derbyshire club secretaries. You can contact me via the website if you'd like any further specific information.

Thanks all for your helpful comments. We move in March so I will be visiting some clubs after that. I doubt I will ever be as strong as I was 30 years ago, but let's hope it will be fun finding out!