This year’s prestigious London Junior Chess Championships (LJCC) Finals were a successful one for Chess Rising Stars. Our students, Sachin and Ashwin, shared 3rd in the U10 Major with an admirable 5.5/7.

The first weekend of the 2023 LJCC Finals were held at the University of Westminster, Marylebone Hall. Hundreds of chess players of all ages took part, making for an inspiring atmosphere for our young students.

L to R: Chris, Arnav, Sachin and Maria

Sachin and Ashwin are both active members of our Elite Chess Club. We work together on areas of strategy, tactics and mindset to build the confidence and skills necessary to compete beyond Chess Rising Stars.

We are proud to add to our series of individual tournament accomplishments this year, building on the successes the Elite Club students achieved at the UK Chess Challenge Terafinal earlier in the year.

We had 12 current Chess Rising Stars students who met the high standard necessary to qualify for the LJCC Finals. This illustrious tournament has been running for nearly 100 years and provides a first-rate competitive experience for junior chess players.

On Saturday our coaches, Maria and Chris, paid a visit to offer their support and guidance plus drop off some prizes to take home as souvenirs! Tom also set a fine example, competing in the Open tournament and scoring 3.5/4.


The Chess Rising Stars team are looking forward to the upcoming U8 and U12 LJCC Finals later this month. The achievements of Sachin and Ashwin are a shining example of what can be accomplished with the knowledge and support of our experienced coaches.

Aug 17, 2023

CRS London Academy to announce its participation in the Junior 4 Nations Chess League

Chess Rising Stars London Academy are thrilled to announce its participation in Season 8 of the Junior 4 Nations Chess League Online with not one, but three talented teams!

The 4NCL is a prestigious team chess event in the UK with £10,000 in cash prizes.

As J4NCLO veterans, we secured the Division 3 title in Season 7 and were Division 4 champions in both Seasons 5 and 6.

Discover how our top students have consistently achieved impressive results at local, county, and national levels, and watch your child’s chess skills soar to new heights with exemplary team spirit and competitive camaraderie.

J4NCLO serves as an ideal gateway to tournament chess, and our experienced students have successfully progressed to compete over the board. All competing juniors are required to become members of the English Chess Federation.

We can provide an introduction to the world of team chess competitions for your child.

Contact us to find out more about this enriching experience.

Apr 29, 2019

May is Women’s Chess Month at Hammersmith

Yes, starting 7th May 2019, Hammersmith Chess Club will be running events tailored for women, aimed at beginners and intermediate players, seeking to encourage woman to participate in the game we all love!

The initiative is a first for Hammersmith and is a demonstration of our drive to become the club of choice for women chess players in London, and help redress the balance of underrepresented groups in the chess world. We are grateful to the English Chess Federation for their support and funding. Read on!

The following events will be FREE of charge to all women (and girls!) that wish to attend – please drop us an email to register your place at any of these events in May – john.white49@ntlworld.com

All players are welcome to attend – men and women – however we will be giving priority to women at all of these events:
7th / 14th / 21st May – Women’s Master Maria Manelidou

Tuesday 7th May, 6pm – A Chess Lecture from Women’s FIDE Master Maria Manelidou on “Opening Themes“
Tuesday 14th May, 6pm – A second lecture from Maria on “Check Mate Patterns“
Tuesday 21st May, 6pm – A third and final lecture from Maria on “Basic tactics“

FIDE Master Maria joins us at Hammersmith in May
21st May – Women’s Tournament – £250 Prize Money
After the final lecture on 21st May, we will then be hosting a women-only rapid chess tournament wth £250 of prizes on offer. It will be a Swiss tourney, 10 minutes per player for all moves, with cash prizes as follows:
Winner: £125
Runner-up: £75
Third: £50

Special Offer to Join Hammersmith in May
Finally, to round off Women’s Chess Month at Hammersmith, any female players who want to join the club can do so in May for the special price of £40, which will cover membership for the remainder of this season and all of next season – up until June 2020 – including ECF membership worth £15!

This gets you full club membership, and English Chess Federation membership, providing you with rated games, all club tournaments and activities, lectures, training, and much more!
It’s going to be great – please get in touch to register your interest and secure your places! john.white49@ntlworld.com

For more info visit www.hammerchess.co.uk

Sep 04, 2024

Four Nations Chess League Online

Chess Rising Stars has entered our first team in the Four Nations Chess League Online (4NCLO) for Season 10, starting on 10th September.

We’re excited to expand our team chess provision by entering a second online competition, aiming to build experience and squad depth for future over-the-board events.

Matches will take place on lichess on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm

As veterans of the junior league (J4NCLO) since 2022, we’ve claimed four divisional titles and two runner-up finishes. Now, Chess Rising Stars is ready to compete in the main league against adult teams. This will provide an extra challenge for our Elite Club and Adult Improvers students.

Don’t miss out. Join our squad this week to be part of this exciting opportunity! You can also follow our progress on the 4NCL website.