Where Are YOU Now ? ...
Since 3Cs began in 1978, a quick assessment regarding the number of young players who have visited the club, either briefly or for a considerably longer period of time, has concluded that over 1,500 such players have shown enough interest in chess to attend the weekly club nights.
Many of those players have continued their association with 3Cs for several years although others, having left the area, now play in many other parts of the country ... and even beyond !
Occasionally the club have a very welcomed surprise visit from a former player who is in the area for a short while, details of which are shown on this page. However, it is also interesting for those at the club to know just how far the 3Cs' influence has spread and where former 3Cs' players may now be using their skills and tactics originally developed at our club.
Therefore, we ask any 3Csers out there to let us know of any competitions or leagues you still play in so we can add you to our list on here and show everyone else how far the name of 3Cs has spread around the world.
June 2024
Nathan Gittens, who began at 3Cs as junior but, although still playing chess, now lives in Hitchin near Stevenage, made a visit to the club when he returned north to watch the annual Whit Friday brass band contests.
Nathan is shown at the club and while on a 3Cs junior tour to Vigo, Spain in 2009.
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Current or former 3Cs' players also play in the following Leagues
Barnsley, Central Lancashire, Derby, Doncaster, Huddersfield, London, Manchester, Northumberland, South-East Lancashire, Sheffield, Warrington, Warwickshire, Yorkshire, 4NCL
Please let us know if you are a former 3Cs member but now play chess elsewhere.
April 2024
Photos showing former 3Cs player and England junior International Ethan Gardiner at New York's Washington Square Park where many local hustlers hope to take advantage of unsuspecting tourists.
However, Ethan, who now lives in California but was on a visit to New York with dad David and brother Alex, was more than they expected and came out a 2-1 winner.
With summer holiday time approaching please will any 3Cs members also send in photos of any chess-related items from around the world and which we will include in our "Photo Gallery" section via the drop-down box of the main "Who We Are" page
September 2023
Aisha Benhamida has recently sent an e-mail to the club giving some details of her current way of life at Cambridge University.
Aisha writes .. “I haven't played much chess recently, however, I am planning on studying chess going forward. I am currently in my second year studying medicine at Cambridge and while I'm not involved in any college or university chess club, I plan on improving on my own before joining any societies. I will keep you updated with any chess event or leagues that I end up participating in future.”
Thanks Aisha for the e-mail and best wishes from everyone at 3Cs for your future - both academically and with your chess.
September 2023
It is good to see that one of 3Cs' former junior International players, John Tompson is now back playing on the chess circuit after a few years of absence. Now residing in the Derby area, John revived his interest earlier this year by playing in his local league and has since also competed in the Nottingham, Derbyshire and Sheffield congresses. Like John, his brother David also came through the 3Cs' junior ranks and played for England.
3 August 2023
3Cs were delighted to welcome back two of our former young players, Kevin Ye and Seny Denisov, who turned out for the club in the Summer League while on their summer break from university studies in Cambridge and London respectively.
3Cs' current 4th team captain, Jonathan Miller, is also a frequent player for Culcheth in the Warrington League. Like many of our former young players, John left the area for some time but still continued playing chess before rejoining 3Cs a couple of years ago. However, he admits that no glory has come his way since a 2nd place in the Knutsford Congress of 1990 - and a prize of £5.,
John did try his best during a simultaneous exhibition in 2015 (shown below). Unfortunately, his opponent was Judit Polgar, the best woman player of all time.
23 June 2023
FM Daniel Abbas (2302 ECF) is currently working on his PhD in Munich, Germany.
Daniel writes: “Very broadly my PhD is in "Medical Research" and more specifically in "Structural Cellular Biology". But very specifically it's on determining the structure and function of a protein complex involved in RNA degradation in the nucleus, using high resolution microscopy”.
He is not currently active in chess but intends to explore the chess clubs in Munich.
Daniel also reports that his father Ahmed (1659 ECF ) still works as a medical doctor; he now lives in the Lake District and recently joined the local Coniston mountain rescue team.
It is always good to see past players making a visit to the 3Cs' club, as was he case twice in early 2023 by Robert Taylor and Chris Izod.
Rob (pictured top left with club official John Walton) is one of 3Cs' former Internationals but now lives in the London area. The photo (top right) shows Rob in 2002 playing in the England Junior Squad Championships against another 3Cs' player, Stephen Gordon, who, of course, has since progressed to the rank of Grandmaster. However, on that occasion, it was Rob who triumphed by winning the Championship, with Stephen as runner-up.
Chris now lives - and still plays chess - in the North-East of the country but began his career locally and played for the Gt.Manchester under-11s.
Chris is pictured (bottom left) with 3Cs' head coach Phil Adams during his visit to the club, while also seen with the junior county squad in 1990. Chris is third from the left on the back row, while on the far right of the front row is current 3Cs' player Andy Lewis.
19 July 2018
The club had a pleasant surprise at their recent club night with the visit of former player Karen Bradley who gained International honours in 2000 and also won the British Girls' under-15 and under-16 Championships both in the same year of 2002.
Karen visited in order to donate some of her chess books to the 3Cs' library and is photographed above next to the 3Cs' British Championship Roll of Honour at the club on which she is named.
The photograph on the right shows Karen in 2000 along with two other 3Cs' Internatiuonal players from her school.
Despite now being based in Huddersfield, Mitchell Burke still plays regularly for 3Cs, although during the 2022-23 season he also appeared for Huddersfield in both the Yorkshire and Calderdale Leagues; for Barnsley in both the Doncaster and Sheffield Leagues, as well as for "Average Woodpushers" in the 4NCL.
23 September 1989
Pictured on the left is 3Cs' Anthony Lee (now a member of Bury chess club) taking on IM Alan Philips who won the 1954 British Championship.
Although appearing for 3Cs in the Manchester League, Marlon Espiritu also plays for Blue Club in both the South-East Lancashire Summer League and the Central Lancashire League.
A news article (left) from the Oldham Evening Chronicle in 1986 reporting on the success of 17 year old 3Cs' player Paul Keech who won one of the top prizes at the annual Bolton rapidplay.
Paul now plays for Ashton and is also a qualifed coach for the "Chess in Schools and Communities" organisation, as shown below
