You are here: Home Membership Clubs Bangor Chess Club (UCU affiliated) Club News REOPENING OF BANGOR CHESS CLUB : Sept 2021

REOPENING OF BANGOR CHESS CLUB : Sept 2021

BANGOR CHESS CLUB, Groomsport Parish Halls, County Down The members of Bangor Chess Club plan to reopen in September 2021. A report from Brendan Jamison.

Like the Ulster Chess Union at large, Bangor has a very large portion of members who are pensioners or players with existing health conditions. Therefore the wearing of masks and gloves and disinfection of chess pieces is still not deemed safe enough to ensure continuous protection from coronavirus.

chess player’s head can be as close as 2 feet from their opponent (just over half a metre) when both are sitting over a chess board. To play chess under the current global pandemic could put many lives at risk. Even younger players with a strong immune system could catch the virus through playing chess and then pass it onto vulnerable members of their family or local community.

While chess clocks and pieces can stubbornly harbour infection from continuous touching by multiple players at a tournament, there is also the fact that simply talking or laughing too close to someone can actually propel droplets containing the virus in a similar fashion to its projection from coughing and sneezing. In light of this, the most responsible course of action is to be patient until it is safe for everyone to return to the local chess scene.

Founded over 50 years ago and running every year since then, it is Northern Ireland’s longest continuous running club, but Bangor Chess Club will now remain paused until a Covid-19 vaccine can be rolled out across the general population. The club looks forward to returning in 2021 with its regular programme of monthly tournaments and popular lecture series.

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Upcoming Events
FIDE RATED City of Bangor 10 Round Halloween Blitz at 3+2 Celebrate Halloween with 10 rounds of Chess Blitz at City of Bangor Chess Club. Thursday 30th October. Oct 30, 2025 07:15 PM - 10:00 PM — City of Bangor Chess Club, Church of Ireland Parish Hall, 30 Main Street Groomsport
November 1st Childrens Chess 12:30 – 5:00 The monthly schools chess tournaments continues at Methodist College. Nov 01, 2025 12:30 PM - 05:00 PM — Methodist College,1 Malone Rd, Belfast BT9 6BY
FIDE RATED Bangor Club Masters Rapid 2025 [10 rounds of 25+0 over two days] Open to all players. One open section with Intermediate and Junior trophies awarded for highest placed finish by players... Nov 06, 2025 07:30 PM - 10:45 PM — City of Bangor International Chess Club, Church of Ireland Parish Hall, 30 Main Street, Groomsport, County Down, Northern Ireland, BT19 6JR
FIDE RATED Bangor Club Masters Rapid 2025 [10 rounds of 25+0 over two days] Open to all players. One open section with Intermediate and Junior trophies awarded for highest placed finish by players... Nov 08, 2025 10:15 AM - 04:30 PM — City of Bangor International Chess Club, Church of Ireland Parish Hall, 30 Main Street, Groomsport, County Down, Northern Ireland, BT19 6JR
FIDE rated Ulster Masters 2025 Please note due to venue capacity, entries will be capped at 44. Nov 14, 2025 - Nov 16, 2025 — Lisburn Chess Club
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