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Editor: Dr Tim Harding |
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Editor: Dr Tim Harding |
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© Dr Tim Harding
Last modified:
29 April 2026
This page for British senior chess news was created in order to leave the main Seniors news page free for international chess news for the over-50s. For more information about chess for over-50s, please see our Seniors calendar and our Seniors introduction page. We also now have an Irish seniors page separate from other Irish news.
The World Senior Team Championships ended yesterday, 28th April, in Durres, Albania. There was a large entry of British teams as usual but this was probably the first time they came home with no medals to show for their efforts.
Below you can see a summary of the results of all the UK teams.
It must be stated that some of the teams and some individual players performed above expectations but the England-1 first teams both finished only fourth.
The results must surely lead to some rethinking behind closed doors at the ECF about how these teams are constituted and maybe about how they are funded.
We do not blame the players, of course, who are facing an increased level of competition each year, but something has to change or results will continue to disimprove.
For the first team in the 50+ tournament, fourth is the same place they finished in 2025. For the 65+ team, who were the holders, this is a big setback.
It must also be noted that, later this summe,r the European Senior Team Championships will be held in Crete. In 2025 England won both these competitions but they are in dnager of losing both titles.
Italy, who came second in Durres in both the 50+ and 65+ tournaments, and Iceland who also performed well there (and took bronze in the 65+), are probably thinking this is the year they can dethrone England.
One obvious point that needs to be made is that other leading countries are bringing younger players into their teams; England seem slow to do this. Every year a new cohort of players becomes eligible for the 50+ and another cohort who have been playing 50+ becomes eligible for 65+ but the top English selections do not seme to reflect this.
The well-publicised dispute between GMs Mark Hebden and Keith Arkell has had an impact too. ECF seem to have taken Hebden's side and Arkell (who could have otheriwsde have been on the 65+ team this year) will perhaps never again play for England. Why, oh why, for the second year in a row, is Hebden on the 50+ team (where he lost two crucial games) when he could be winning in the 65+?
This question has been raised on the English Chess Foirum where it was also pointed out that GM Nigel Short might be a major asset for the 50+ team. He played once or twice in the past.
Also why can England not raise a 65+ women's team, a section where there is almost certainly a medal to be won on every occasion? WGM Sheila Jackson is still loyally turning out for the women's 50+ team but in the 65+ she would be winning many more games.
England-1 (all GM professionals) finished clear fourth with 13MP out of a possible 18, losing to the USA and drawing two matches. Michael Adams lost one game, which is rare for him. Danny Gormally scored 6/9 on board two (with one loss) while John Emms and Nigel Davies were undefeated.
England-3 (mostly the Ledger family) scored 11 MP; they were seeded 12th and finished equal 6th-7th with Hungary. Well done to them.
England-2 had a par result with 10MP seeded 10th and finished 8th. Both those teams had some titled players.
Scotland-1 (who had an IM on top board) were seeded 13th and finished 20th with 9MP.
England-4 scored 8MP: they were seeded 18th and finished 22nd. England-5 and England Women also scored 8MP; the former performed above their seeding, but the women had a tough last round match and finished below, though they had been in contention for silver or bronze until then.
Scotland-2 (and Ireland) finished on 7MP. Guernsey scored 6MP and the Welsh 4. All those four teams had more or less par results.
England-1 in this tournament are not active professionals so far as we know; they had three GMs (one not very active) and two IMs. They were somewhat unlucky to finish in a four-way tie for third and were placed fourth but this happened because they drew too many games and lost on board 4 to the eventual winners whom they had beaten last time out. John Nunn and Tony Kosten were rock solid on the top two boards but Hebden was clearly needed.
England-2, all titled players but not active professionals, finished 10th, exactly according to their seeding.
England-3 were seeded 16th and finished 20th, no disgrace as they were in a large tie on 10MP that included the 15th team. England-4 had the same match score but fewer game points.
Noteworthy here is that Barry Hymer scored 7.5/9 on board 4 for England-4 for a 2193 Rp and gaining about 45 FIDE rating points.
England-5, who were seeded 46th, had a shock win over Ireland-1 in the second round but in the end those teams both finished on 8MP, as did the Welsh and the Scots.
Tim Spanton, on board 3 for England-5, scored 6.5/9 for an Rp of 2149 and he gains about 58 rating points. You can read about his experiences on his Beau Chess blog.
Ireland-2 scored 6MP and England-6 scored 5.
The lower-ranked teams in both sections, of course, consist of club players while higher teams often include a player or two who represented their countries in major events when they were younger.
Any amateur player who scores 50% in these events can feel satisfied and anyone who does better, or gains rating points even if they don't, can feel proud.
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