On Monday 7 July a team from Richmond & Twickenham Chess Club travelled to Portcullis House in Westminster to play a friendly match against the UK Parliamentary Chess Club.

This was a double round event over 11 boards. The games were unrated, the time limit being 10’+5″. We selected our team on a first come, first served basis, but also aiming to match our opponents’ strength.

You’ll see that our opponents included an MP, three Lords (David played two of them) and a Baroness. No sign of Rachel Reeves, though!

We won 15½:6½ – although, as an informal encounter, that hardly mattered. The match was very much enjoyed by both sides.

1. Jamie Njoku-Goodwin (Former Director of Strategy at 10 Downing Street) ½:1½ Mike Smart
   
2. Peter Hornsby (Senior Researcher for Lord Bailey of Paddington) 0:2 Martin Benjamin
   
3. Griff Simon (Parliamentary Assistant to Tahir Ali MP) 1:1 Richard James
   
4. Lord Harry Carter, Baron Carter of Haslemere 1:1 Sampson Low
   
5. Alfie Coulstock-Cockeram (Parliamentary Assistant to Sam Carling MP) 1:1 Pablo Soriano
   
6. Gordon Phillips (Assistant Director- Strategic Estates) 1:1 Serhat Abay
   
7. Rhys Benjamin (Senior Caseworker for Bob Blackman CBE MP) 0:2 Simon Illsley
   
8. Sergio Calderon (Resident Annunciator Engineer) 1:1 Andreas Maroulis
   
9. Baroness (Susan) Miller of Chilthorne Domer 0:2 Michael Sweeney
   
10. Lord Dafydd Wigley/Lord (Willy) Bach 0:2 David Heaton
    
11. Warinder Juss MP 1:1 Harry Mithun (1)/Julian Bedale (0)

After the event, Peter and Rhys conducted us on an informative and entertaining tour of the Parliamentary Estate, during which we were allowed 5 minutes to watch a debate on Work Pensions in the House of Commons.

After the tour some of us adjourned to the nearby Red Lion, a favourite haunt of politicians, for a few well earned pints.

Our thanks to Peter (RJCC alumnus) and Rhys (Martin’s son) for the tour, and to Peter for setting up the event and taking the photographs.

We hope to have the opportunity to play our opponents again at some point in the future.