News |
The club is closed at present due to the coronavirus pandemic.
We are unlikely to reopen until well into 2021.
Bernfield Trophy results updated. Socially distanced chess
continues away from the clubroom. More...
Martin Trophy standings
updated June 2020.
Results of GLCC online rapidplays for club members. More...
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Supporters |


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Home Page
Site last updated 17 January 2021
Greater London Chess Club is an active, friendly chess club, based
in central London. We run seven league teams and organise a programme
of internal tournaments and special events to suit players of all
strengths.
The club meets Tuesday evenings 6.30pm to 10pm, September to June,
at the Upper Vestry House, St George's Bloomsbury 6 Little Russell
Street, London WC1A 2HR.
Originally the works club for the Greater London Council and its
predecessors, we're now open to all players, irrespective of employment,
and more than half of our current membership is drawn from beyond
the ranks of the GLC. We remain the chess club for players who have
worked for the Greater London Council, London Residual Body, Inner
London Education Authority or the current Greater London Authority.
We're always keen to recruit new members of all playing strengths
for our league teams and club activities. You can get an idea of
what the club does by browsing this site. We've been featured in
Metro Newspaper, as
a setting in a bestselling
thriller and have advised a theatre company on the depiction
of chess in a major London production. We hope you will want to
join us!
Visit the Calendar page to see what's
happening in the 2019-20 season. We also have a page on Facebook.
Some of our club tournaments are open to non-members too, on payment
of the non-member entry fee.
Joining
If you would like to try out the club, please drop by on a Tuesday
evening - your first two club nights are free with no obligation
to become a member To join the club and participate in internal
club tournaments or play for one of our league teams, you must first
complete a membership application form at the club on a Tuesday
evening and pay your subscription. You must also take out English
Chess Federation Bronze Membership (cost £18) to play
in any of our graded competitions which includes all league matches
and some tournaments. If you are already an ECF member, please provide
your membership number and expiry date.
- From 1st September 2019 the GLCC new member subscription
is £45
Juniors under 18 years of age pay £25
- From 1st February 2020 new members can take out membership
to 31 August 2020 for £25
Juniors under 18 years of age pay £15
- For existing members the full subscription is £60 (£35
for juniors and full-time students)
Subscriptions are due for renewal on 1st September with
a payment and ECF membership deadline of 1st November for players
to participate in league competitions.
Subscriptions can be paid by electronic bank transfer, cheque (payable
to 'Greater London Chess Club') or cash to any of the club officers
or team captains.
If you'd like further information on the club please contact Nigel
Blades, secretary.
Venue

The club venue is the Upper Vestry House, St
George's Church, Bloomsbury. Our full address is:
Upper Vestry House
St George's Bloomsbury
6 Little Russell Street
London WC1A 2HR
Refurbished thanks to grants from the Paul Mellon Architectural
Fund (World Monuments Fund in Britain) and Heritage Lottery Fund,
the Upper Vestry House offers a light and spacious playing room
with separate kitchen. There are several excellent pubs nearby for
post-match refreshments, and the club normally adjourns to the Museum
Tavern at the end of an evening. The venue is accessible from the
rear of St George's Church, on Little Russell Street (map).
The picture top right shows the front of the church in Bloomsbury
Way.
The
entrance to the Upper Vestry House is on the right hand side of
the rear of the church, up the steps in the picture, lower right.
Nearest tube stations are Holborn (5 minutes walk) and Tottenham
Court Road (7 minutes walk). Buses from the west end stop directly
outside the church on Bloomsbury Way and those from the City and
south of the river, in nearby New Oxford Street. There is limited
on-street parking near the venue (free after 6.30pm). Bloomsbury
Square underground car park is only 5 minutes walk from St George's.
Club nights are Tuesdays from 6.30pm, September to June. See the
Calendar page for further details.
GLCC
= Gin Lane Chess Club?
The spire of St George's Church, with the statue of George I on
top can clearly be seen in the background of Hogarth's famous 1751
drawing 'Gin Lane'. The Lions and Unicorns adorning the steeple
in Hogarth's drawing were removed in the 19th century but have recently
been replaced as part of the church refurbishment.
These pages are maintained by Nigel
Blades
Club Administration
President
Tim Pelling
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Vice-Presidents
Gordon Broadbent
Derek Hadley
Phil Zammit
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Officers
Chairman of the Trustees
Tony Packham
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Secretary
Nigel Blades
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Treasurer
Roman Ismailov
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Tournament Controller
see Secretary
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Equipment Officer
Tim Pelling
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Publicity and Website Officer
see Secretary |
Details of team captains appear on the Public Service and London
League pages.
Documents
Supporters
We
are grateful to Big
Game Hunters for supporting our summer tournament 2013.
Big Game Hunters have celebrated their love for activity and
games for over 13 years, by providing a large selection of games
for families of all ages, and are proud to include their range
of garden chess sets which utilise the skilful and tactical play
of traditional chess, while enhancing the fun with giant accessories.
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