The article ‘2022 was a start’ was a rewrite of the opening content of this website and a report on what ColCHESSter had been doing in October 2022. At that time, the website was much smaller and ColCHESSter had litttle social media activity, so an update seemed right.
Now that ColCHESSter is on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, anyone interested can read the ‘story’, so why do another article? Partially, ColCHESSter wants to take stock and bring several strands together, because that might be useful to anyone else wanting to promote chess.
Social media has not covered the research, personal interactions and admin that have been going on but some of that has to remain in the shadows until tangible progress can be demonstrated. That said, what has been achieved so far? In promoting chess, the main concrete aims have been to identify and publicise places to play chess and campaign for public chess tables.
Back in September 2022 there were already: Colchester’s Chess Club, Colchester Junior Chess Club, Wivenhoe Chess Club, the Stanway u3a Chess Group and informal games, such as in Ye Olde Albion and at Cone and Tub. All ColCHESSter has done is discover, publicise and, in most cases, play chess at these places.
Following a launch event in February, the Prettygate pub has started chess sessions and, using the experience of that, Castle early CHESS has started up as a weekly Saturday morning meetup in central Colchester. The website now lists 23 places to play chess and has a clubs and meetups calendar. If you want to borrow a board for a casual game you can currenly find 11 places to play when they have space https://colchesster.org.uk/docs-tag/chess-set-to-borow/
For Colcestrians prepared to travel, this website also shows where to play social chess in London.
There are two aspects to public chess tables: the general aspects and commemorating the achievements of Jonathan Penrose by dedicating to him a place to play chess. Progress on the latter is being made but it is too early to make any announcements. Having discovered a public chess table in Rowehedge, ColCHESSter has not managed to add to that elsewhere in Colchester but there are indications that 2023 will see progress. A positive meeting in March with a local councillor left ColCHESSter optimistic that there could be a table in the Old Heath Recreation Ground near the GO4 cafe. In April, the Mercury Theatre accepted some chess sets for use with its existing bar/cafe tables and would be open to hosting a donated chess table.
In the background, ColCHESSter has been researching options for and suppliers of public chess tables and engaging with other people promoting social chess (particularly in London). Of course, plenty of games of chess have also been played!
An early 2025 update – several matters mentioned above have become real and many more positive things have happened for chess in Colchester – see A summary for ChessMoves. This contrasts with Twitter, where so many negatives meant that ColCHESSter stopped using it – see ColCHESSter Twitter archive.