The 369 Chess Club plays competitive chess in the Bristol & District Chess League, governed by the English Chess Federation.
We play two teams, and may enter more in future seasons as the club grows and our playing strength increases.
The 369 Chess Club A Team is captained by Matt Walker, and plays 6 boards per match in Division 3.
The 369 Chess Club B Team is captained by Ibrahim Dhanghani, and plays 4 boards per match in Division 6.
We play The 369 Chess Club home matches at The Windmill Inn, 58 Nore Rd, Portishead, Somerset, BS20 6JZ.
We play away matches around Bristol and Portishead at our opponent's venues.
League matches take place on weekdays and clocks start at 7:30pm, with games finishing by 10:30pm or earlier.
Hit the button below for a live view of The 369 Chess Club fixtures and results.
You will be directed to a webpage provided by the English Chess Federation League Management System.
You can view individual match results, player performance statistics, and navigate to those of other clubs.
Most UK league chess is a team sport played in a "Board" format.
The Line-up: Each team fields a set number of players (usually 4 or 6).
The Match: Most League games are played to a 'classical' time format, where each player has 80 mins to complete their moves. They are also given an added 10 second 'increment' or time bonus each time they move their piece. This allows them time to record their move. Junior players can request a Junior time format, usually of 55 minutes plus 10 second increment, and both players in a match involving a Junior play to this time schedule.
Recording Moves: Players must record their moves until they have less than 5 minutes remaining on their clock (at which point they can stop notation).
Games are decided by Checkmate, Resignation, Stalemate, Draw by Offer or Move Repetition, or Time Expiry.
The Match-up: Players are ranked by their rating. Your strongest player usually sits at Board 1, the next at Board 2, and so on.
The Result: You earn 1 point for a win and 0.5 for a draw. If your team wins more boards than the opposition, you win the match.
THE RATING SYSTEM (ECF)
In England, your "skill level" is tracked by the English Chess Federation (ECF). It is a live, data-driven number that moves after every competitive game you play.
The Number: Most club players fall between 1000 and 1800. A total beginner might start around 600, while a Grandmaster is 2500+.
The Logic: The system predicts the outcome of a game based on the gap between two players.
If you beat someone with a much higher rating, your number jumps significantly.
If you lose to someone much lower, your number drops.
Beating someone of the same rating results in a modest increase.
The ratings and playing of all players in England is recorded by the English Chess Federation (ECF).
FIDE VS. ECF: THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
While the ECF (English Chess Federation) manages our local league play, FIDE (International Chess Federation) is the global governing body. Think of it as the difference between a national driving license and an international permit.
The Scale: FIDE ratings are used for international tournaments and earning titles like "Grandmaster." While the ECF recently updated its ratings scale to align more closely with FIDE, a FIDE rating is often considered the "gold standard" for world rankings.
The Scope: Most club games in the Bristol & District Chess League will impact your ECF rating only.
You typically only gain or change a FIDE rating by playing in specific "FIDE-rated" congresses or international events where the floor for entry and competition is often higher.