ABOUT US

Docklands Chess is now underway.  Monthly events organised and run by Norman & yElena Went.

A brief history about our roots (composed by Norman)

"Docklands Chess 'Club' " comes from the earlier incarnation of "Docklands Chess" and its forebearer "Westminster Chess".

In the mid-1980's John M Sargent started a monthly Rapid-Play series of tournaments held in the Civil Service Recreation Centre (affectionately known as 'The Bunker' due to its below ground position) which was then in Monck Street, Westminster.  He named his organisation "Westminster Chess" naturally because of its location.

In the late 1980's I joined John in helping with the running of these monthly events.  In 1993 the CSRC was ear-marked for closure and we were filled with the task of finding a new venue.  For two years it was staged at the London School of Bridge in nearby Victoria.  When this too was destined to close we moved to Poplar in East London and renamed ourselves "Docklands Chess".  Firstly being held in the Crypt of All Saints Church we later moved to Saint Matthias Old Church in Woodstock Terrace on its corner with Poplar High Street.  Here we stayed until mid-2002 when the venue became increasingly difficult to book on guaranteed Saturday dates.

John Sargent moved to Norfolk in August 2001 to run a seaside Guesthouse but has since retired.  He wishes this new venture all the luck in the world and has supported it by supplying the playing equipment right up until October 2015.

yElena and I had talked about resurrectng chess in Docklands for a couple of years.  On 22nd January 2011 this aspiration became a reality!!