Shropshire chess players' move to beat virus
Shropshire's chess players are making their move to avoid the effects of the coronavirus outbreak – by playing matches online.
With all face-to-face matches in the county wiped out just weeks before the end of the Shropshire Chess League season, players are to take part in a new national online league which is being created.
Chris Lewis, a member of Newport Chess Club who is co-ordinating the local entries, said: "Shropshire will be entering several teams although there may be individual clubs who feel they have sufficient interest to enter a club team.
"I am hoping the Shropshire teams will meet on Teamspeak (an online chat channel) during their matches to make this both a social evening as well as a chess evening."
The new league, 4NCL Online – that's Four Nations Chess League Online – will be played on Lichess, for which players will have to create an account. There is no entry fee.
Meanwhile there will be local online chess action too, with a weekly Shropshire chess online social evening. The first is at 7.30pm on April 6 and will be hosted on Teamspeak, giving players a chance to play online against their rivals, or to just chat with other players.
