About Andover Chess Club

Andover Chess Club was established in September 1889, with the first meeting announced in the Andover Chronicle at the Institute Library. Our founding Honorary Secretary was P. Ernest J. Talbot, who would later serve as President of the Hampshire Chess Association from 1914 to 1925.

In our formative years, the club engaged in friendly matches with neighboring clubs, notably Salisbury. We joined the Hampshire Chess League during the 1889/96 season, participating in the Hampshire Trophy knockout tournament.

The 1922/23 season marked a historic achievement for our club. We won both the Hampshire Trophy and the Hampshire League, establishing ourselves as one of the strongest clubs in the county.

This success was led by Archibald Snelling Dance, who played board one in the Hampshire League. Dance represented Hampshire approximately 50 times between 1921 and 1951 and participated in the first Hampshire Individual Championship in 1930.

One of our most distinguished members was John Spedan Lewis, founder of the John Lewis Partnership. Lewis was actively involved in the Hampshire Chess Association, serving as President from 1952 to 1955, and was a generous benefactor to both the association and the Southern Counties Chess Union.

Throughout our history, we have been home to many strong players who have contributed significantly to chess in Hampshire and beyond.

In the 1993/94 season, we joined the Southampton Chess League and swiftly ascended through the divisions. We clinched the Division One title in the 1997/98 season and secured the prestigious Robertson Cup in both the 1998/99 and 2012/13 seasons.

Recent successes have been built on the contributions of players like Stuart Knox, Iain Jamieson, and Terry Gray, who have helped maintain our competitive edge in Hampshire chess.