The London Women’s Chess Club with Eberechi Eze

A WOMEN’S chess group based in King’s Cross brushed shoulders with a footballing chess enthusiast last week.

The London Women’s Chess Club, a community dedicated to getting women and girls learning and enjoying chess, meets weekly in the Pancras Square Library to play the game in a space not dominated by men. Last week, however, they were doing something a little different.

After a special invitation from the Chess in Schools charity, they met Eberechi Eze and watched him take on a highly rated opponent who is close to achieving grandmaster status – the title given to players at the very top of the game.

Zoya Boozorginia, founder of London Women’s Chess Club (LWCC) said: “It’s good that there are sports people who are into chess. We were so privileged to be invited by the Chess in School Charity and Malcolm Pein, the organiser. It’s just to support his movement as well as supporting our own club.”

Eze in action on the board

While the Camden women’s group didn’t get to play Eze personally, they did meet the Arsenal forward and chat with him about the game, which he became interested in a few years ago and now promotes through his foundation, the Eze Foundation.

“We got to meet him, he was very cool and was very kind when I told him we were from London Women’s Chess Club,” said Ms Boozorginia.

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“He was just playing chess and was playing with somebody who was very high rated and he kept on losing and didn’t really stand a chance but it was utterly fine.

“We support others interested in chess and for me it’s good to be connected with others in chess. The guy who played Eze is nearly a grandmaster so Eze did a good job as he is at an intermediate level.”

The event was held at Cafe 1001 in east London during the Knight Club chess nights, where people gather for evening chess sessions.

Ms Boozorginia said: “The place was full of young people and the fact that it was in a nightclub type venue – it’s quite loud to play chess but it’s really attracting the younger generation. It’s serving a purpose, it’s very interesting.”

London Women’s Chess Club meets on Sundays at Pancras Square Library from 1pm-5pm. On May 30-31, the group will host a chess congress – a weekend event for women and girls with cash prizes for winners.

Registration is available via the link: https://tinyurl.com/5e85xx23