Welsh Chess Union (Undeb Gwyddbwyll Cymru)

We are looking for suitable persons to become Welsh Arbiters. All applying must be WCU members. A Seminar will be held during January over two evenings (dates to be confirmed). Those seeking to become Welsh National Arbiters need to take part in such a seminar and sit and pass an examination at the end of the Seminar (pass mark 80%).

The Seminar will be given by Peter Purland (WCU Chief Artbiter) using “Zoom”. The first session will be 3 hours (over one or two evenings) and a further 2.5 – 3 hours will be needed to undertake the examination during a further final session.

Completing this does NOT qualify anyone as a Welsh Arbiter. The second part of the qualification is to assist at various over the board events (at both junior and adult level at a variety of time controls from standard to blitz. A record is kept and once it is felt trainee arbiters are competent the WCU then applies to FIDE to have that person licensed as a National Arbiter.

Naturally, at present we do not know when OTB chess will resume but, for those interested, the lack of OTB chess could be a good time to take part in the Seminar.

Anyone interested in undertaking this Seminar can contact the Home Director (kevin.staveley@btinternet.com) to book a place or for further details. There is a limit on numbers so places will be allocated on a “first come, first serve” basis.

The Management Board require urgent expressions of interest from any WCU member to fulfill the following vacant posts of:

Anyone interested should contact the Execevutive Director Mark Adams at executivedirector@welshchessunion.uk.

There is now a very popular mini-series streaming on Netflix called ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ which I am sure our members will find very entertaining. 

What is probably less well known though is that a former Wales Junior International, Paul Atkinson from Gwent, (who currently lives and plays in Berlin), worked as an on-set consultant and even gets a mention in the credits too!

The biographies for three Welsh chess geniuses are now on the History page.

It is with great pleasure that the WCU can announce that Kevin has been awarded the BEM in this year’s Birthday Honours list, for services to chess. I am sure you will join me in congratulating Kevin, on this well deserved award.