Indefatigable Large wins Kingston autumn Blitz
After a hectic summer of challenging norm events, Peter Large is back in the old routine – winning the Kingston autumn Blitz with a perfect score of 6/6
Should we give a monkey’s about the Baboon?
Michael Healey has christened a new opening – the Baboon, which hinges on an early b5 as Black and is a kind of mirror image of the Orangutan opening. But is it any good? Photograph by Leila Boujnane The Orangutan (1. b4) is a beautiful, rare, fascinating opening. And animal. Yet there is its mirror
Returning to the fray
After a short gap of 35 years, I played my first rated tournament since the 1990 British Championship at the Kingston Invitational Open in mid-August.
Going into the event, I was quite apprehensive, not really knowing what to expect but hoping for a plus score and some improvement in my ECF rating, even if my 1990 vintage Fide rating of 2350 was likely to take a battering.
Richard James (Richmond and Twickenham) v Primrose Westcombe (Kingston B)
Played in 1969 at Richmond Primrose Westcombe (1926 – 2024) was a member of Kingston Chess Club covering at least the period between 1969 and 1973. We only became reacquainted with this fact following the recent discovery of a 1973 newspaper article which profiled the club and mentioned Primrose as the only female member of
Celebrating 150 years of Kingston Chess Club at the Saxon Fayre
Kingston Chess Club celebrated its sesquicentennial at the Saxon Fayre on 26/27 July in Canbury Gardens. Members of the club dressed as Saxons in keeping with the theme of the event. Many visitors enjoyed playing chess on the side of the river Thames on a warm summer weekend in a relaxed atmosphere.
Vladimir Li (Kingston) v Robert Stern (Pimlico)
Game played in Round 5 of the 4th SCCU London Teams Championships, St Luke’s Church, Hampstead 21 June 2025 Kingston v Pimlico This was the first time that Kingston had entered a team into the Major (top) section of the London RapidPlay Team Championships organised by the Southern Counties Chess Union – the regional branch