Welcome to the U3A Chess Network, which started in 2022. The network consists of a group of chess players from around the UK, who play each other online in monthly leagues. We all belong to the University of the Third Age
There are currently 25-30 players in the network, who range in ability from 500 to 1600 rapid rating on chess.com.
We run two leagues:
- Red – time limit of 10+0 (10 minutes to play all your moves)
- Blue – slower time limit of 15+10 (15 minutes to play all your moves, with an extra 10 seconds added every time you make a move)
The Red league is administered by Nick Sampays (Ross-on-Wye), and the Blue league is administered by Steve Comish (East Suffolk). They can be contacted via Contact
Each league is split into a number of divisions, with 4-6 players per division. Each month, you play a match against all the other players in your division. We publish a new set of divisions at the start of each month, with promotion and relegation based on the previous month’s results. Players frequently join, drop out, and re-join, so the number of divisions varies from month to month, as does the number of players in them.
Each match consists of two games: one where you play as white, the other where you play as black.
You will need an account on Chess.com It is easy to register for a free account, which is all you need to play in these leagues. There are also paid subscriptions if you want access to more features on the web site.
If you are interested in joining the U3A Network, please complete the form:- Join the League.
