Your preseason workout is here, 15th to 17th in Edinburgh.

A 5 round weekender at a classic time control and a 9 round blitz on Saturday night if that's too slow for you.

Enter here, 2 sections of U 2000 and U 1600. Whilst they are FIDE graded use your Chess Scotland grade for entry.

25 places left at this time, the usual 8 live boards will be used and online pairing and results sites will be available shortly.

See you there.

Chess Scotland National Arbiter (NA) Course

The first step to become an arbiter is to gain the National Arbiter title. This award is recognised by Chess Scotland and the world governing body, FIDE.

There are two aspects to gaining this title, practical experience and theoretical knowledge.

Practical experience is gained by assisting at chess events (excluding tournaments which are restricted to a local club).

Chess Scotland will be holding a course over the weekend 22-24 August 2025 to enable Chess Scotland members to achieve the theoretical knowledge to become NAs.

Course content:
Laws of Chess, Types of Tournaments, Swiss Pairings, Basic Tie Break Methods, Grading/Rating Basics.
There will also be an exam (pass mark 70%)
Passing this exam is only the first step in the journey to becoming a Chess Scotland Arbiter.  Once the exam is passed the candidate will need to seek PVG clearance through CS and then obtain 2 performance norms at events.  The procedure will be outlined during the course.

Cost £30

If you are interested in doing this course, please contact Alistair Maxwell
email: alistair.maxwell34@gmail.com

Please title email Chess Scotland National Arbiter Course 2025.

It is with the greatest sadness that Ian Aird passed away today, Saturday 12th July 2025.
Like many wonderful chess players, Ian was a real gem.
Exactly 4 weeks ago I was with Ian for the Teplice International (Czech Republic) when he said later after lunch that he was not feeling well.
Ian returned home the next day and was admitted to Hospital the following day after blood tests.
Ian unfortunately had liver cancer that had spread.
He mainly played abroad in various senior tournaments, and had recently received his state pension.
He played for Scotland Seniors in many team tournaments, which he funded himself.
He helped Dalmuir Chess Club continue to run after the sad loss of Jim McCartin, who is also a great loss to the chess circuit.
Ian was such a kind individual and never caused a fuss about anything.
He had hoped to next play in the European and World Senior tournaments, but unfortunately it was not meant to be.

The dates for next season are on the calendar so please have discussions with your club and come and join us

It would be wonderful if we could reach forty teams, reinstate Div 4 and finally get rid of the effects of Covid and its lockdown.
I am always delighted to see old friends coming back and bringing the next generation of players with them

Although the majority of Scottish clubs now play at SNCL there is always room to welcome those that, for whatever reason, have not ventured forth.
The entry fee is £150 which is for a total of 45 games (9 rounds, 5 players per team)  The players can change every round so don't feel you are tied to attend all five days of the tournament.

Entry details will be on CS website and this forum in September but please feel free to let me know that you are attending and I will start the list early. Payment does not need to be given to me until the day of the first round. Cash is welcome and cheques need to be made payable to Glynis Grant or Ian Robertson because of the type of account we have. Please do not write SNCL as those cheques are rejected by the bank!!

Finally, the venue should be moving this season about a mile from where it is at the moment!! There have been a couple of delays but I will let you know definitely in October where we will be playing

Have a lovely summer -- the dark nights will be drawing in soon!!

GG

I saw our arbiters there. Why was the WR team allowed to be a World Ranking team and hogging all the best players? Also they seemed to take back bad moves and replay matches they lost . Also are arbiters allowed mobiles to check touch move offences ?

I received the following from Ray Noble this morning

Apologies, but I am the bearer of sad news indeed. TAFCA President & Dundee Chess Club Stalwart, Alastair Dawson, after a short illness, died on Saturday 31st May 25. His son Euan informed me this morning and asked if I would let everybody chess related who knew him, know about his passing.

While I was aware things were not going well, the speed of his passing was a shock, but Euan informed me, his dad passed peacefully, surrounded by his family and is no longer in great pain.

Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and friends.

Live boards make a welcome return this weekend at the Perth Congress with 44!  Boards 

Links can be found at the CS front page.   Please note there is a 15 minute delay in operation

Back this year with some changes for the Minor section, but the Open and Major still 7 rounds over the weekend.

12 places left at this time, only in the Open and Major though, Minor is full, at least until 7:30 on the Friday when we find out the silent withdrawals.

Result sites are here for Chess Results and here for Vega Results. Please check to make sure you have entered what you thought you did.

Live boards, blitz event added in, how can you not be there?

Late fees start from the 19th.

See you there.

SNCL AGM Minutes now approved by Glynis.

Attached Files

  2025 SNCL AGM Minutes.docx (Size: 14.85 KB / Downloads: 146)

Division 3 draw is up for Round 9.