Impeccable Lalić triumphs at third Kingston summer blitz
In the absence of his usual high-class adversaries David Maycock, Vladimir Li, Peter Large and Graeme Buckley, Kingston’s third summer blitz proved something of a walk in the park – or perhaps a stroll in the Willoughby Arms garden – for Peter Lalić. He dispatched his six opponents (including your hapless correspondent) with his usual aplomb, his toughest game perhaps being his first, when Homayoon Froogh had excellent drawing chances which he would almost certainly have converted but for the exigencies of time – the control was three minutes with a seven-second increment.
Breathing new life into old kings
On Saturday 27 July we brought Hnefatafl and giant chess to the centre of Kingston – and the success of the move exceeded our wildest imaginings Image: The Mayor of Kingston visiting the Kingston Chess Club stand Kingston Chess Club will celebrate its 150th anniversary in the 2025/26 season, but last Saturday we decided to
My favourite player: Michael Healey on Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Rashid Nezhmetdinov was one of a kind. At his best he was a true force of nature, who by force of will could turn dismal positions into crushing wins. He could calculate tactical variations with more depth and imagination than most anyone of his time. He annihilated future world champions Mikhail Tal and Boris Spassky a combined five times, as well as a slew of other big names. Uncompromising and exuberant, he attempted to stretch the boundaries of chess reality.
Alan Scrimgour (Scotland) v Tony Hughes (Wales)
It always feels ironic to travel to a distant land only to play against someone local. This is what happened to our club chair, Alan Scrimgour, who represented Scotland during the recent World Senior Team Championships held in Krakow, Poland. When Scotland were paired with Wales in Round 5, Alan found his opponent was Tony Hughes, three-times winner of the All Saints Blitz. This game was played at a less frenetic pace.
Vladimir Li wins second Kingston summer Blitz
The second Kingston club blitz of the summer, held on Monday 15 July at the Willoughby Arms, promised to be yet another friendly blockbuster. Drawing in the usual suspects and some new faces, the tournament also marked my debut as a nervy (and unqualified) tournament arbiter.
My favourite player: Peter Roche on Efim Geller
Why, over the years, have I regarded the Soviet-era grandmaster Efim Geller (1925-98) as my favourite chess player? There are several reasons. Geller achieved prominence in many aspects of the game. He was an exceptionally strong over-the-board player, achieving distinction in world championship competition, international tournaments and Soviet championships, and was member of the all-conquering Soviet team in Chess olympiads. He had a profound knowledge of opening theory, contributing many ideas to modern chess practice. He was a dedicated analyst of all aspects of chess, and was twice used as a second in world championship matches. He was an authoritative chess author.