History
( updated August 2016 )
Formby Chess Club was founded in 1937.
Founder member and long-time President J. Rourke MBE, famously once drew with world champion Mikhail Botvinnik in a simultaneous game. Not to be outdone, current President , C.P. Fisher, once beat Botvinnik’s rival David Bronstein in a simultaneous game.
Venues
The club met at Formby Library for many years. The junior club met at Victoria sports and social club for some time, but was later incorporated into the club.
After a brief spell at Formby Red Cross Society we moved to our present premises at Ravenmeols Community Centre.
Competitions
The club has always been active in the Merseyside Chess League. We have won the 5th, 4th, 3rd and 2nd Division titles many times, but the First Division Title still eludes us.
In 1987-8 the club won the National Club Championship—Major Plate.
Formby chess club had entered a team in the Wirral League for many years and we had gradually worked up to the First Division However in 2014 we took the decision to withdraw as the travel was too much for an ageing team .
We entered a team in the Warrington and District League for the first team in 2008. This team has now disbanded being replaced for 2010-11 by a team of 4 in the new M'side 440 division and from 2014-15 a team will also play in the 600 division.
In 2014-15 there were mixed fortunes as the 1sts were relegated from Division 1 whilst the 2nds were promoted from Division 3 as champions.The club won the Knotty Ash cup for teams of players graded below 130 for the second time in three years. however as both 1sts and 2nds will be in Division 2 for 2015-16 we will not continue in the 600 competition
The 2nd team stay in Division 2 lasted only a season and will now play in Div 3. However we will run teams in both 440 and 600 competitions
Members
Past members have included J.E. Littlewood, M.Firth, D.G. Horseman, R.A.Barton, Suzanne Connolly, and the Eagle twins, Angela and Maria, now both Members of Parliament.and now in the national news and on TV on a regular basis
Our present strongest member is Stewart Haslinger who achieved his GM title at the British Championship in 2007.Unfortunately his other commitments have taken priority and he has not been able to play for us in the last 2-3 seasons.
Club Champions
1947 Jim Rourke 1955-6 J.H.McLardy
1956-7 J.H.McLardy 1957-8 J.G. Blencowe
1964-5 W.M. Cunningham B.G. Jones 1965-6 B.G. Jones
1977-8 J.H.McLardy R.J. Platt 1978-9 R.J. Platt
1979-80 R.J. Platt 1980-1 P. Bond R.J. Platt
1981-2 R.J. Platt 1982-3 P. Bond
1983-4 M. Calvert 1984-5 R.J. Platt
1985-6 P. Bond 1986-7 P. Bond
1987-8 R.A. Barton 1988-9 R.J. Platt
1989-90 P. Moulton 1990-1 P. Bond
1991-2 P.Whiston 1992-3 S. Haslinger J.M.Haslinger
1993-4 M.Fraser 1994-5 J.M.Haslinger
1995-6 R.J. Platt 1996-7 J.M.Haslinger
1997-8 J.M.Haslinger 1998-9 Kevin Howard
1999-2000 J.M.Haslinger 2000-1 R.J. Platt
2001-2 J. D. Evans 2002-3 J.M.Haslinger
2003-4 A. M. Smith 2004-5 R. J. Platt
2005-6 C. P. Fisher 2006-7 R. J. Platt
2007-8 C. P. Fisher 2008-9 R. J. Platt
2008-9 R J Platt 2009-10 J M Haslinger
2010-11 J M Haslinger 2011-12 '' & R J Platt
2012-13 C P Fisher 2013-14 J M Haslinger
2014-15 D A Colbourne 2015-16 G Haslinger
2016-7 M Barooah 2017-8 J M Haslinger
2018-9 G Haslinger
Challengers
2001-2 Ben Shorter 2002-3 Andrew Smith
2003-4 Duncan McNab 2004-5 Allan Worthington
2005-6 Kevin Howard 2006-7 Kevin Howard
2007-8 André Eagle 2008-9 Rob Haseman
2009-10 Mike Barrett 2010-11 Andre Eagle
2011-12 Andre Eagle 2012-13 Rob Haseman
2013-14 Rob Haseman 2014-15 John Grady
2015-6 Bob Platt 2016-7 not awarded
2017-8 Dave McKee 2018-9 Rob Owens
Founder member and long-time President J. Rourke MBE, famously once drew with world champion Mikhail Botvinnik in a simultaneous game. Not to be outdone, current President , C.P. Fisher, once beat Botvinnik’s rival David Bronstein in a simultaneous game.
Venues
The club met at Formby Library for many years. The junior club met at Victoria sports and social club for some time, but was later incorporated into the club.
After a brief spell at Formby Red Cross Society we moved to our present premises at Ravenmeols Community Centre.
Competitions
The club has always been active in the Merseyside Chess League. We have won the 5th, 4th, 3rd and 2nd Division titles many times, but the First Division Title still eludes us.
In 1987-8 the club won the National Club Championship—Major Plate.
Formby chess club had entered a team in the Wirral League for many years and we had gradually worked up to the First Division However in 2014 we took the decision to withdraw as the travel was too much for an ageing team .
We entered a team in the Warrington and District League for the first team in 2008. This team has now disbanded being replaced for 2010-11 by a team of 4 in the new M'side 440 division and from 2014-15 a team will also play in the 600 division.
In 2014-15 there were mixed fortunes as the 1sts were relegated from Division 1 whilst the 2nds were promoted from Division 3 as champions.The club won the Knotty Ash cup for teams of players graded below 130 for the second time in three years. however as both 1sts and 2nds will be in Division 2 for 2015-16 we will not continue in the 600 competition
The 2nd team stay in Division 2 lasted only a season and will now play in Div 3. However we will run teams in both 440 and 600 competitions
Members
Past members have included J.E. Littlewood, M.Firth, D.G. Horseman, R.A.Barton, Suzanne Connolly, and the Eagle twins, Angela and Maria, now both Members of Parliament.and now in the national news and on TV on a regular basis
Our present strongest member is Stewart Haslinger who achieved his GM title at the British Championship in 2007.Unfortunately his other commitments have taken priority and he has not been able to play for us in the last 2-3 seasons.
Club Champions
1947 Jim Rourke 1955-6 J.H.McLardy
1956-7 J.H.McLardy 1957-8 J.G. Blencowe
1964-5 W.M. Cunningham B.G. Jones 1965-6 B.G. Jones
1977-8 J.H.McLardy R.J. Platt 1978-9 R.J. Platt
1979-80 R.J. Platt 1980-1 P. Bond R.J. Platt
1981-2 R.J. Platt 1982-3 P. Bond
1983-4 M. Calvert 1984-5 R.J. Platt
1985-6 P. Bond 1986-7 P. Bond
1987-8 R.A. Barton 1988-9 R.J. Platt
1989-90 P. Moulton 1990-1 P. Bond
1991-2 P.Whiston 1992-3 S. Haslinger J.M.Haslinger
1993-4 M.Fraser 1994-5 J.M.Haslinger
1995-6 R.J. Platt 1996-7 J.M.Haslinger
1997-8 J.M.Haslinger 1998-9 Kevin Howard
1999-2000 J.M.Haslinger 2000-1 R.J. Platt
2001-2 J. D. Evans 2002-3 J.M.Haslinger
2003-4 A. M. Smith 2004-5 R. J. Platt
2005-6 C. P. Fisher 2006-7 R. J. Platt
2007-8 C. P. Fisher 2008-9 R. J. Platt
2008-9 R J Platt 2009-10 J M Haslinger
2010-11 J M Haslinger 2011-12 '' & R J Platt
2012-13 C P Fisher 2013-14 J M Haslinger
2014-15 D A Colbourne 2015-16 G Haslinger
2016-7 M Barooah 2017-8 J M Haslinger
2018-9 G Haslinger
Challengers
2001-2 Ben Shorter 2002-3 Andrew Smith
2003-4 Duncan McNab 2004-5 Allan Worthington
2005-6 Kevin Howard 2006-7 Kevin Howard
2007-8 André Eagle 2008-9 Rob Haseman
2009-10 Mike Barrett 2010-11 Andre Eagle
2011-12 Andre Eagle 2012-13 Rob Haseman
2013-14 Rob Haseman 2014-15 John Grady
2015-6 Bob Platt 2016-7 not awarded
2017-8 Dave McKee 2018-9 Rob Owens