Bert’s looking for chess club rook-ies (From Messenger Newspapers)

Bert’s looking for chess club rook-ies

8:00am Monday 11th February 2008 in Game Reviews

A FORMER headmaster of Sale Boys' Grammar School is looking to re-open a chess club this year, after being closed for over 20 years.

The Sale and District Chess Club had shut down suddenly, despite having been league champions within the two years prior to its closing.

Bert Thomas, former president of the Manchester Chess Federation, is in charge of the reforming the club, and will hope to re-establish it in the near future. He said: "We want to re-open because Sale Chess Club was very famous and were former league champions." Mr Thomas added: "I came back to chess and found that the club wasn't there any more."

Since the club closed, the nearest clubs have been Altrincham, Chorlton and Urmston where players have been forced to play.

Although there has been some interest shown in the club, Mr Thomas is hoping that the club can get some more members to join, as well as finding a venue in which to play.

The club used to meet at Atkinson Road community centre but that has closed down now.

Sale and District Chess Club will meet on Mondays from February 18 at The Railway Public House in Hale, from 7.30pm to 10pm, and will be open to chess players of all levels. For more information, call Mr Thomas on: 0161 969 0177