Chess enthusiasts descend on Shropshire

With about 140 players from as far afield as Kilmarnock taking part in the Shropshire Chess Congress, it must have been the biggest concentration of calculating brain power in the county since. . . well, when?

And with prizes of over £2,000 on offer, it was serious business for the leading contenders, although for most it was just a bit of a fun gladiatorial battle of wits.

Five games over the weekend in the tournament played at the Wrekin Housing Trust premises in Telford. A point for a win, a half point for a draw, nowt for a loss.

The playing hall was a study of various poses of intense concentration. Head in the hands was a favourite. Make a move, press the button on the clock to count down the opponent's allotted time. And after the end of the fray, the coffee bar was abuzz with the discussion of the "what might have beens" and "what I should have dones".

Players of all ages and abilities were in the action, and one of the youngest of all was nine-year-old Daniel Arkell, a boy with chess in his genes. For the Arkells it was a real family occasion, with dad Nick bringing along children Daniel and Charlie-Ann, who is 12, and Charlie-Ann's school friend Jas Neade, who is 13.

"I'm making a comeback, but these are starting on their careers," said Nick, 51, from Bromsgrove. "I haven't touched a chess set for 30 years. If you go back, I was quite good."

He is in fact the younger brother of Grandmaster Keith Arkell.

But why did he give up? It was because of a loss in only 20 moves or so, which were straight out of the chess theory books, against Glenn Flear, a Grandmaster.

"I felt a bit dejected. I knew no theory. I made everything up at the board and I knew if I was going to compete at that level I would have to do a lot of studying. I was doing other things then, so I just stopped playing."

One day he came home from work and found Charlie-Ann and Daniel playing chess, rather than on the Wii. Charlie-Ann said: "My dad taught me the moves, and me and Daniel started playing each other."

She was one of only a handful of females in the tournament.

"I don't know why more boys play. It's probably because girls are more interested in make-up and stuff."

As for Daniel, he says: "I like it when sometimes I get a win or a draw."

Happily Daniel did chalk up a win in the tournament to cheer about, as did Charlie-Ann – who beat her pal Jas.

Carrying Shropshire hopes in the Open section, in which the very strongest players take part, was an expatriate Salopian with a strong family connection with the congress.

"My father started it, and my mother – my mother used to do the refreshments. I wouldn't want her contribution to be overlooked," said John Cox, son of founders Jeff and Nancy Cox, of Kynnersley, Telford.

John, who lives in Ruislip nowadays, was only 11 when he took part in that inaugural congress in 1973 or 1974, and reckons he has played in at least 20. It would have been more, but for some years the competition had a "stars barred" format which meant super-strong players like John could not take part.

Going along means seeing old Shropshire chess friends.

"There are still people here, particularly David (Everington), who was playing in Shrewsbury Chess Club when I first went there as a five-year-old. I like to see them. Also, it's easy, as I can stay with my parents."

What attracts him to chess? "It's difficult to say. It's an interesting game. Occasionally, it's pretty. It has a great, rich history, and is fun to play."

John finished out of the prizes, with a respectable three points out of five.

Incidentally David Everington is one of the veterans of Shropshire chess, a multiple county champion, who started playing with the Shrewsbury club 50 years ago.

Organiser Steve Rooney said: "It's gone really well, with some very competitive chess, and about a dozen juniors, which is very encouraging. The players have been across the spectrum, from eight to their 80s. There are a lot more men than women. We would be delighted to have more women."

By Toby Neal