Memories of local chess and Poole CC by Derek Chapman

Derek Chapman has kindly sent me his memories and stories from his chess history at Poole and in Dorset.

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the earliest I have so far located being for a match on 5th December, 1972 when I played for a Canford Heath team against Parkstone.

I was at that time also playing regularly for a thriving Plessey works team, in the league and in the club’s inter-departmental tournaments.

The Plessey club then had a healthy membership of around 50 but, over the years, circumstances changed and at the AGM in 1988 there were  just 6 of us present.  Shortly afterwards the club merged with BDH, playing at their social club in Broom Road. For a while we played under the name of BDH/Plessey. BDH eventually became Merck with whom I continued playing.

As you have stated, in 1999, Poole Chess Club formed from a merger of the Parkstone and Merck clubs.

Sometime later there followed a downturn in the club’s fortunes and I have found an agenda for the 2005 AGM on which one of the items stated, “Consideration of closing down the club and amalgamating with another club, (possible Kinson).” (now Bournemouth).

Fortunately, with hard work from some of our members the club survived to become the success story it is today.

Just a little item as a matter of interest, in June, 1951 I took part in a “Festival of Britain” tournament, playing for a “South of the Thames” team against one from “North of the Thames”, at Central Hall, Westminster.  I hadn’t been playing chess very long at the time and, although I lost, it was nevertheless, a very enjoyable and most memorable day.

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Thank you very much Derek and I am hope our members will enjoy sharing your experiences within the chess world and Poole chess club.

A most enjoyable walk down memory lane from Derek one of our longest serving members and noting his 5 decades of playing chess let us hope he can play so some games to make it 6 decades!

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April 18, 2020