The Drunken Knights chess team is an infamous bunch of like-minded players who enjoy playing the game of chess whilst sinking the odd pint.

The main Drunken Knights team play in central London, at The Plough pub, right near to the British Museum. This team is brilliantly run by the charismatic Nevil Chan but just recently, transport bigwig,  Gary O’Grady has started a ‘Surrey Branch’ down in Godalming his home town.

Now this has become quite handy for me as I now live a 2 minute walk away from the home venue. Coincidence you may think? Well kind of I guess…

It was a hard decision leaving my old club Sandhurst, who have made many great steps in improving the status of chess and I must thank Alec (the main man at Sandhurst) personally, for he has helped me out greatly but from a practical point of view, it made more sense to join the Drunken Knights.

Now there has been some rumours about other signings for the Drunken Knights http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2083 I cannot comment on these rumours but I will leave it in the capable hands of Gary O’Grady to introduce the new team members: myself, Aly and Mark Rich the new signings…

The extract below was taken from an email that was circulated amongst the Drunken Knights Surrey Branch team, from the captain Gary O’Grady. I had to edit it somewhat in order to publish it here… and please note that it IS fictional!

We have some exciting new players joining us this season to ensure that I don’t play and spoil our championship chance!

Ginger GM Simon Williams

Simon Williams was born in Farnham and educated locally before moving on to a remote monastery on the Greek Island of Paphos in order to find God and inner peace after a drug fuelled early school life. It was here he developed quite a skill in chess playing in his habit with other lonely monks trying to find similar enlightenment.

He never did find God nor inner peace and his earlier days came back to haunt him. The main production for this monastery was trappist ales which Simon had avoided consuming for many years.

However after a very bad game against one of the newest monks to join this cabal he was completely inconsolable at this unfathomable loss and turned once more to the ale. Many jugs later and dancing round the steeple minus his habit he was cast out of this peaceful haven and sent back to the real world to hopefully repent and contemplate his actions.

This he still has spectacularly failed to do. Moving back to Farnham home turf he fell back in to his old ways. Drunken Knights manger Gary O’Grady dragged him out of this putrid filthy mire and offered him a place in the Drunken Knights Surrey Branch in the hope of encouraging him back in to a world of peaceful normality.

Simon has come on well and has since moved to Godalming living just 34 seconds brisk walk from The Star.

We wish him well in his recovery and welcome him back to society and hope the Drunken Knights experience will lead to a sustained and fullfield life.

WFM Alexandra Wilson

Lovely Alexandra ‘Aly’ Wilson started her chess career early in a small village in the foot hills of the Pyrenees. It was a poor upbringing. Her parents couldn’t afford a complete set so coloured stones were sometimes used in their stead.

Her school life was far from satisfactory being in the bottom class of every subject but completely and utterly absorbed in her little chess set. After seeing how well she played a neighbour offered to take her to the local chess club as a visiting grand master from Paris was going to give a simultaneous display.

Needless to say Aly was the last one standing with the grand master having to concede a draw against this young plucky upstart. Years went by and she failed abysmally at school but the chess never stoped. She decided ultimately to leave her girl hood home to find her fortune over the chess board and began a tour of Europe.

This ended abruptly in Geneva when she was approached during a tournament by a ginger haired weirdo offering to take her to chess heaven. Totally taken in by his drunken charms they began a truly tempestuous relationship which after many years now means that Aly also lives a brisk 34 second walk from The Star.

Mark Rich

All I can say about Mark Rich is that he had a one move check mate against 3 times British Champion Grandmaster some Scottish bloke and missed it!

Wise words Mr. Rich. Wise words indeed.

So there we are. They are the new boys and girl joining our illustrious brotherhood.