Skelmersdale Chess Club

Welcome

Skelmersdale Chess Club is a friendly club and welcomes new players who wish to play competitive chess.

For more information, if you would like to play, or would like some informal coching to improve your game, contact Paul via paulchess@pssuk.com, 07842333550566

*** New Venue from 1st November 2025 ***
Wednesday, only when playing a home match, from 7:30 pm at:
Busy Bee Pub,
Tilcroft (Off Kiln Lane)
Skelmersdale
Lancashire
WN8 8EL
In Google Maps use "Busy Bee Skelmersdale" to find us.

Links

LMS: Merseyside Chess Association Fixtures

LMS: Warrington District Chess League Fixtures

Northern Counties Chess Union : Links to Other Events

History of Skem Chess Club dating back to 1999

LMS = ECF League Management System shows latest Fixtures, Tables, Team and Player Results

News

August 2025
2025/26 season kicks off in Sept with 3 teams
A: WDCL Div 1 [5 boards],
1: MCA Div 2 [6 boards],
2: MCA 7200 [4 boards]

Local Clubs and ECF Grades

Aigburth
Atherton
Atticus
Culcheth
Eccles
Formby
Hoylake
John Littlewood
Liverpool
Northwich
Ormskirk
Prescot & Knotty Ash
Skelmersdale
Southport
St Helens
Wallasey
Waterloo
Wigan
Winwick

Player Stats 2023-24

Team Results 2023-24

Positions from Recent Games

Paul M (White) v Ormskirk A

23rd Nov 2022 : Position after 12. ... Ne8

A typical Stonewall position - Black just blundered by retreating his Knight to e8. Paul took advantage of this with the "Greek Gift" sacrifice 13. Bxh7+!, if black takes the bishop he gets mated quickly after 14. Rh3+ and 15. Qh5. Black instead played 13. ... Kh8 but after 14. Rh3 his position was hopeless and Paul won quickly in style.

Dave S (White) v Ormskirk

2nd Nov 2022

Blacks opening had gone badly wrong. Black has just played Nc6 to challenge the white knight on e5, but this looses immediately as Dave played Ba3! skewering the Queen against the king, the Queen can't take the bishop because it is defending checkmate from the White Queen on f7

Paul S (Black) v Liverpool

12th Oct 2022 : Position after 24. Nxc4

Whites King had got stuck in the middle. Paul was able to win the White Queen by now playing 24 ... Bxd4+ Play continued 25. Qxe4 Rxb3+ 26. axb3 Rf3+ 27. Kxf3 Qxd4

If White King tries to defend the Queen with 27. Ke4, he gets checkmated after 27 ... Qc6+ 28. Ke5 Rf5

Paul failed to make the most of his chances to win and let white build a blockage and the game was drawn.

Paul M (Black) v Ormskirk

12th Oct 2022 : Position after 6. 0 - 0

A common tatic that occurs in the French Defence allowed Paul to win a pawn as the White Bishop on b5 is not protected. After Nxe5! White replied Bxd7, but them the Knight recaptures backward Nxd7 netting a pawn. If White had taken the Knight on e5 (with pawn or Knight) then the Bishop is lost after Bxb5.