Chess club looking for more players to get on board

THE Ocean Grove Chess Club is an excellent way for people of any skill level to play the ancient game.

Founded in October 2007 by Malcolm Hughes, uncle of former test cricketer Merv Hughes, the club has met at the Bellarine Training & Community Hub for more than 12 years.

Malcolm taught chess to school students after school at the Bellarine Training & Community Hub (formerly the Ocean Grove Neighbourhood Centre), and adults in the evening.

As well as a chess tutor, Malcolm was a principal at several local primary schools, and was involved in local basketball.

Sadly, Malcolm passed away in 2012 at the age of 77 from a heart condition.

Before his passing, he generously donated numerous professional tournament standard chess sets, chess mats, chess clocks and reference books to the chess club.

The chess club is now ably lead by Ralph Wright, a former chess student of Malcolm’s and a fellow schoolteacher, who joined the club in 2009.

The Ocean Grove Chess Club is always looking for new members to join them to learn and test their skills or returning players who wish to rediscover the joy of chess.

Ralph, with long-time Ocean Grove players, will demonstrate to interested visitors and beginners all the basic rules of chess: how to set up the chess board correctly, the movement of the pieces and their values, castling, check, checkmate, drawn game conditions and finally, the rule of en-passant.

The Ocean Grove Chess Club meets at Bellarine Training & Community Hub, 1 John Dory Drive, Ocean Grove every Tuesday at 7pm (except during school and public holidays).

For further details, phone 5255 4294 or email [email protected].