Malcolm Clarke‘s latest press report announces the chess club’s closure until further notice due to the coronavirus. Things have moved rapidly in the last few days, with the Prime Minister’s announcement that social venues should all close. Our venue, Chandler’s Ford Central Club, is now closed.

Like all other sporting events the Coronavirus has put the chess season on hold and Chandlers Ford are one of many local clubs to stop meeting until further notice.

Originally with their spacious venue allowing a reasonable amount of spaces between boards and the introduction of vigorous hand hygiene and sanitisation procedures they did consider the possibility of playing on, but things have moved on in the 10 days since that option was considered and  with vulnerable adults being amongst the chess playing community, as the government introduced more radical measures to prevent the spread of the disease there was absolutely no way the club could not fall into line.

The Chandlers Ford chess club had six remaining league matches to play, two for both the B and D teams and one for both the A and C team, but at the present time it is clear that people’s health is a more important consideration.