May is Women’s Chess Month at Hammersmith

For many young chess players, qualifying for the London Junior Chess Championships (LJCC) Finals is one of the first major milestones in their chess journey. This November, Chess Rising Stars is delighted to host an official LJCC Finals Qualifier in Wimbledon, giving local players the opportunity to compete for a place at one of the most prestigious junior chess events in the country.

What is an LJCC Qualifier?

Founded in 1924, the LJCC has been part of the junior chess calendar for over a century. The event has helped provide a pathway for generations of young players to improve, including some past winners who have even gone on to achieve the Grandmaster title.

Each year the London Junior Chess Championships brings together talented young players across different age categories, with qualifying events held during the Autumn Term for the Finals in December.

For many children, an LJCC qualifier is an exciting introduction to rated tournament chess. It provides the opportunity to meet other young chess players and test their skills in a formal tournament environment.

Chess Rising Stars and the LJCC

Chess Rising Stars has already organised two over-the-board junior tournaments in 2026, both were qualifying events for the EJCOA National Finals.

“It’s a great pleasure for Chess Rising Stars to be selected to organise an LJCC Qualifier and become a small part of such a famous tournament.”
WFM Maria Manelidou

Chess Rising Stars students have achieved many LJCC successes over the years. For example, Aden joined Chess Rising Stars as a 5-year-old back in 2020 and has since progressed through the academy, becoming a member of our Elite Club, where he continues to develop his understanding alongside other ambitious junior players.

Aden has now won the U12 LJCC title once and the U14 LJCC title twice, with his first Under 14 victory coming when he was just 10 years old! We are excited to see whether he can defend his title again in 2026.

Tournament Information

Date: Saturday 7th November
Venue: Everyday Church, Wimbledon, SW19 8LR

The tournament will be overseen by International Arbiter Lance Leslie-Smith, ensuring that games are conducted in accordance with the FIDE Laws of Chess and ECF tournament regulations.

For families who are new to rated chess, our guides to ECF Membership and ECF Ratings help to explain how tournaments work and what players need to do before entering.

“We attend a great many tournaments and I say this without any hesitation: this was by far the best organised we have ever experienced. The care and thought that went into every element was evident and I wanted to make sure that was acknowledged.”
Email feedback from a parent after our 2nd EJCOA Zonal

Please do check out our full tournament guide if you would like register or just find out more.

Picture a room full of young children leaning over chessboards, sharing ideas and learning to think one step ahead. Chess at this age is less about competition and more about discovery. From April 2026, Wimbledon Chess Rising Stars will open a new Sunday club for 5 to 8 year olds taking their first steps into the world of chess.

The club will take place at William Morris House, Wimbledon on Sundays from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. It is specifically tailored for younger children who are new to chess and would benefit from an engaging introduction to the game. No prior knowledge of chess is required. However, to ensure children settle in comfortably and keep pace with the group, we recommend that complete beginners join by week 3 of the term.

Our experienced and enthusiastic coaches specialise in teaching young learners. Children will learn the rules, develop good habits and begin to think strategically in a supportive and encouraging environment. As students gain experience and confidence, we will recommend they progress to our main Wimbledon Rising Stars Club, which runs from 4:00 to 5:30 pm at the same venue.

Wimbledon Chess Rising Stars will be our fourth in-person Chess Rising Stars club and we are excited to bring this opportunity to more families in the area. We look forward to welcoming our newest young players to our chess community this April!

Full details

Chess Rising Stars are hosting our first ever OTB tournament, the EJCOA Zonal Wimbledon, on Saturday 21st February 2026 at the Everyday Church, Wimbledon, SW19 8LR.

We have been preparing throughout 2025: in the Spring three of our coaches completed their ECF Arbiter qualifications. During the Summer, coach Chris achieved his first FIDE International Arbiter norm. Then in the Autumn Term, we introduced ECF rated games at our Chelsea and Wimbledon Clubs and secured our venue for the Zonal next February.

We are looking forward to welcoming children who are keen to qualify for the English Junior Coaches and Organisers Association (EJCOA) National Youth Championships Finals at Nottingham High School in July which is a rare opportunity for UK juniors to compete in a high-level FIDE rated standardplay tournament.

EJCOA Champions

Chess Rising Stars students have already achieved EJCOA success on the national stage with Noah winning the U12 Boys category in 2024 and Silk becoming the U10 Girls champion in 2025. We are excited to see what 2026 will bring!

Register Now

Our website has further information about the EJCOA Zonal Wimbledon, plus the Entry Form, or you can fire us a quick email to london@chessacademy.uk and we would be happy to help.