New Open File
Summer 2025
Welcome to our new editor's first edition of Open File.
James Kenyon takes over the reins with reports on the recent UKAFCC and hot off the press is a report on the Perrott Trophy, which took an unexpected turn when a play-off was required.... but I will let you read the report itself from our Chairman Ben Woolf.
A thanks must also go to our stand-in editor, Chas Chapman who did a great job!
UK Armed Forces Chess Championship 2025 Results
Congratulations to all who competed in the 2025 UK Armed Forces Chess Championship.
The tournament kicked off with a Simul by the famous 'Ginger GM' - Grandmaster Simon Williams and from there on a huge entry of 80 players battled it out over 7 rounds at RAF Cranwell. It was a fantastic venue and a great time was had by everyone. As well as the overall winner (congratulations go to Army player Cpl Aleksander Tenin), there were other winners of our various Service/MOD trophies:
UK Armed Forces Chess Champion – Cpl Aleksander Tenin
Royal Air Force Champion – Off Cdt Mark Kenyon
Royal Navy Champion – Marine William Cole
Army Champion - Cpl Aleksander Tenin
MOD Champion – Daniel Wells
Veteran Champion – Dave Tucker
Brokenshire Blitz Champion – Off Cdt Mark Kenyon
Full Results here:
Perrott Trophy 2024
This years Inter-Services Championships, 'The Perrott Trophy’, will be held online on LiChess in June/July.
The competition is open to everyone, the bigger the teams the better. You do not need to have any previous experience competing and players of any ability can take part. If you have retired from RN/Army/RAF/MOD then you can still play for the service you served in. If you represented more than one service (the RN/MOD for example), you can pick who you play for based on where you feel your loyalty lies.
There will be 4 team captains:
RN: Liam Cooper
Army: Francis Pearce
RAF: Steve O’Neill
MOD: Zamira Lucas-DIvers
​
Default match times will be Tuedsday nights on LiChess (free to create an account if you don’t already have one) commencing at 1930 using the 4NCL time control of 45 mins plus 15 secs. Individual matches can be re-arranged if players have other commitments on match nights.
Captains will agree the number of boards before the games. If you want to represent your service, just contact your Team Captain. You don’t have to play each round just tell your Captain which rounds you want to play and we will aim to give as many players as possible a game.
Round 1 will be 18th June: Army vs MOD, RN vs RAF
Round 2 will be 26th June: Army vs RAF, RN vs MOD
Round 3 will be 02nd July: Army vs RN, MOD vs RAF
UKAFCA Rapidplay Details
The Association's traditional autumn rapidplay will again take place at RAF Benson on the 1-2 November 2025.
All details can be found by clicking the link below for the entry form. Accomodation is limited and you may want to get your entry in as soon as you can.
A Portman Profile!
LGT investment bank's in-house magazine, Credo, featured our very own Carl Portman as the cover story in its latest edition. The accompanying interview offers an in-depth look at Carl's life in chess, his work to popularise the benefits of the game, as well as some great subject photography.
Click on the link below to be taken to the web page where you can download the magazine free of charge.
New Open File
Summer 2025
Welcome to our new Editor's first edition of Open File.
James Kenyon takes over the reins with reports on the recent UKAFCC and hot off the press is a report on the Perrott Trophy, which took an unexpected turn when a play-off was required.... but I will let you all read the report itself from our Chairman Ben Woolf.
A thanks must also go to our stand-in editor, Chas Chapman who did a great job!
Note: We now have many past editions of Open File archived in this section, with several from the early years of the RAF Chess Association in pdf form.
17-23 Aug NATO Chess Championship, Poland
18-19 Oct 4NCL in Dudley, West Midlands
1-2 Nov UKAF Rapidplay at RAF Benson
15 Nov Eton Rapid play invitational
17-18 Jan 4NCL in Dudley, West Midlands
7-8 Feb 4NCL in Daventry
21-22 Mar 4NCL in Coventry
2-4 May 4NCL in Coventry
​
UKAFCA Fair Play Code of Conduct for Online Chess Events