Welcome to 3Cs Chess Club ...
Founded 1978
As seen on BBC1's "The One Show"
3Cs Chess Club
St.Edward's RC Parish Hall
Spring Lane, Lees, Oldham, OL4 5AJ
Thursdays 7pm - 9pm
Click these links for 3Cs contact details ....
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The next 3Cs club night is tomorrow, Thursday 6 November (7pm - 9pm)
Last update: 12.20am Wed 5 Nov 2025
Thank you all for your support of the club.
Recent updates:
Welcome (Sponsors)
Who We Are (ECF Memberships)
News (Main Page)
Manchester League (3Cs Register)
Fixtures (Main Page)
Future Events (Main page)
4NCL (Main Page)
Coaching (Main Page)
Coaching (Quotes 1)
Puzzle Board (Daily Puzzle 1-5)
3Cs' Forthcoming Matches
Manchester Chess Federation
Tuesday 11 November (7.30pm)
Hartley Trophy - 1st Round
Sockport 3 v 3Cs 4
Welcome to 3Cs' website
Click on the relevant heading at the top of this website to view the main page of your required section. Alternatively just place your cursor over the heading to reveal a drop-down box giving further options and then click on the one you want.
3Cs, or to use its official name "The Children's Chess Club of Oldham", is dedicated to providing the opportunity for local youngsters to learn and play the game of chess.
The club is recognised as one of the most successful production lines of young talent throughout the country, with both the club itself and many of its individual members having gained major honours at local, regional, national and international level.
BREAKING NEWS :
Sam Owen scored the only point for 3Cs 5 as they went down 5-1 away to Heywood 2 in the opening round of this season's Manchester League Hartley Trophy. As first round losers the team now enter the Milner Trophy.
3Cs 1 will be at home in the semi-finals of the Manchester League's Reyner Shield on THursday 28 January against Atherton who have won through to the last four by virtue of Stockport 1 defaulting their scheduled quarter-final. The other semi-final will see Bolton 1 facing either Chorlton 1 or Blue Club 1.
Our second team's scheduled away fixture on Thursday 18 December against Bolton 2 in B Division has been postponed until later in the season. Therefore, that evening will now see 3Cs hosting their annual blitz event for the Dave Monaghan Memorial Trophy.
The first match of the season in the Manchester League's B Division for our second team resulted in a 4.5 - 0.5 victory at home to Blue Club 1 thanks to individual wins by Phil Adams, Tim Hilton and Mischa Tebelev as well as a draw by Andy Lewis. A game default by Blue Club provided the other point for 3Cs while Blue Club were also deducted a game point for the late withdrawal of their player.
Selected details from Phil Adams's latest 3Cs' Newsletter (28 October) can be seen on our main "Coaching" page. The full content of the newsletter (available only to 3Cs' members) includes several training puzzles as well as up-to-date news of events both local and afar. If any current or former 3Cs' members do not receive the Newsletter but would wish to do so, please e-mail Phil at "phil1948a@hotmail.com"
3Cs 6 began their Manchester League F Division season with a 3-1 home win against Swinton & Worsley 5. The points for 3Cs came via wins by Charlie Locke, Noah Hicks and Jayden Cheung.
Our first team gained their second win out of two in A Division of the Manchester League with a 3.5 - 2.5 success away to Chorlton 1. Individual wins for 3Cs came from Joao Rita and Andy Lewis, while Robert McLean, Phil Adams and Tim Hilton all drew.
Away from home and outrated on all six boards yet our third team gained one of the best results ever for the 3Cs club with an excellent 3.5 - 2.5 win against Heywood 1 to maintain their 100% record in C Division of the Manchester League. Sam Owen, Marlon Espiritu and Mohammed Rohman all provided individual wins for 3Cs while Jonathan Miller gained a draw.
3Cs 1 opened their Manchester League season wth a 4-2 home win against Atherton in A Division. Joao Rita and Andy Lewis won their games while Rob McLean, Alan Walton, Greg Eagleton and Mitchell Burke drew.
3Cs 4 lost their opening D Division match of the 2024-25 Manchester League season,going down 2.5 - 3.5 away to Northenden 1. Beyazid Kocak and Jonathan Miller won for 3Cs while Karl Moorcroft drew.
Father and son, Sean and Noah Hicks had a successful weekend at the Scarborough congress where they both competed in the "Foundation" section and in which Noah finished joint runner-up and won a junior prize with an unbeaten 4.5 / 5 while dad Sean took a rating prize by ending just a half point behind and in equal fourth position out of 71 entrants
In the same section Sophia Dyash scored 2/5 while other 3Cs players ended as follows .. Rob McLean (Open - 2.5), Declan Johnston (Intermediate - 3.5 and winner of both rating and junior prizes), Beyazid Kocak (Intermediate - 2.5), Yavuz Kocak (Minor - 3 and winner of junior prize).
A prize for the best individual club was won by The Chess Centre from Ilkley whose 14 players at the event scored a total of 53 points. 3Cs - with 9 players competing in the tournament - scored 44 and finished 5th out of 25 entrants.
28 October 2025
While on a visit to London, 3Cs' Mitchell Burke took the opportunity to visit the Richmond & Twickenham chess club where they were holding a blitz event in remembrance of International Master Gavin Wall who died suddenly a few weeks ago. Mitchell finished on 3.5/5 although a draw against the eventual winner was the only game not won by the champion.
The photographs show Mitchell facing organiser of the R&T chess club Sampson Low as well as with the tournament winner Makz Gajowniczek.
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30 October 2025
It is always good to hear from former members of 3Cs and so it was when an e-mail arrived
from David Gardiner, who along with his two sons, Alex and Ethan, were regulars at the club before moving to America. Ethan, who represented England at junior International level, now lives in Santa Barbara, California, where he is studying law and recently helped his high school win a national award for pupils who are hoping to have a career in the courtroom.
The photograph shows Ethan (fourth from right) with his school's winning team.
Alex has just started university in California, studying computer science and engineering.
Photograph courtesy of The Charger Account, Student News Site, Dos Pueblos High School
MAYORAL RECOGNITION AWARD
3Cs have been honoured by the Mayor of Oldham, Councillor Eddie Moores, for the work it does in promoting and organising chess, especially for youngsters within the Oldham area.
The club were one of three local organisations to receive the "Mayoral Recognition Award" which the Mayor personally selects as gratitude for their voluntary efforts in providing activities for young people within the Borough
To receive such a prestigious honour from the Mayor is especially significant and gratefully welcomed by the club as it shows that the efforts of everyone involved with 3Cs (officials, players, parents, both past and present) have been noted by those outside of the game of chess but who have recognised the many benefits it can provide to youngsters in their formative years.
The photographs show 3Cs' Alan Burke and Steve Rigby with the Mayor and Mayoress of Oldham as well as the certificate presented to 3Cs in recognition of the club's achievements.
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2025 King's New Year's Honours Stephen Rigby British Empire Medal
Photograph courtesy of Brendan O'Gorman
Steve Rigby's presentation of the British Empire Medal which he was awarded in the 2025 King's New Years Honours.
Although still regularly attending 3Cs, Steve now lives in Powys, Wales and the presentation was made by the Lord Lieutenant of Powys, Mrs.Tia Catherine Jones as the King's representative.
Click this link for further information of Steve's award ...
MAYORAL VISIT TO 3Cs - Thursday 26 June 2025
3Cs were very honoured to welcome the Mayor and Mayoress of Oldham to one of their weekly club nights, especially as the Mayor himself had asked to visit after being told of the club's success over many years and after which he then described 3Cs as one of Oldham's hidden gems.
Details of the visit are available via this link ...
Click arrow to listen
Congratulations to Jonathan Miller, our Manchester League third team captain, who has recently passed the course to become a Level One arbiter.
21 August 2025
3Cs Steve Rigby and Alan Burke were guests on Oldham Community Radio's "Oldham Today" programme discussing the history and success of the club.
The photos show Steve and Alan with presenters Dave Jones and Mike Gill.
The full programme can be heard via the following link, with the section involving Steve and Alan beginning at 58.33
Steve and Alan were also featured on a list of relevant people connected with the town which was issued to celebrate Oldham's 175th anniversary in 2024. More details are on our "External Awards" page in the "Honours" section of this website ...
31 July 2025
3Cs Grandmaster Stephen Gordon, currently living in Bali, took the opportunity to attend one of the club's weekly coaching sessions while back home to play in the 2025 British Championships. Having himself joined 3Cs when still at junior school, Stephen gave advice to many of the club's current young players.
In the British Championships, Stephen finished equal 7th (out of 100 entrants) on 6/9 and just one point behind the winner Mickey Adams who lifted the trophy for the ninth time.
2024 ECF "Club of the Year"
2024 saw 3Cs win the English Chess Federation's "Club of the Year" award for the third time - having also received the honour in 2006 and 2014 - while no other club throughout the country has won it more than once since it was first presented in 1984.
Click this link for details of all the 3Cs awards ...
NATIONAL AWARD FOR 3Cs' FOUNDER
In 2023 3Cs' founder Steve Rigby was personally honoured by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who recommended him to receive a "Points of Light" award which is a National Honour bestowed upon individual volunteers whose efforts have made a difference to their community.
The Prime Minister's personal award is in recognition of the 45 years Steve has spent encouraging youngsters to play chess since forming the 3Cs chess club in 1978 and with Steve becoming the first person to receive the award for services to chess.
For more information, click on this link ...
5 chess puzzles - updated every day - plus 3 "Play the Computer" options are available via the drop-down box of our main "Puzzles" page.
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Images from 3Cs' club nights showing some of our junior members (above) and those with more experience (below).
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3Cs' very own Grandmaster STEPHEN GORDON who joined the club while still at primary school and has since progressed to become one of the World's elite group of players.
The photographs above show Stephen in action (left) during the 2019 British Championships and also in conversation with Victor Korchnoi, one of the greatest players of all time.
Despite his talent often being sought by various teams both home and abroad, including regular appearances in the lucrative German national chess Bundersliga, Stephen continues to play for 3Cs.
He has twice won the English Championship, in 2007 and 2012, as well as the 2019 British Rapidplay title while in 2005 he triumphed over more than 1,500 other competitors to win the UK Chess Challenge title.
Away from the board Stephen has also excelled with his ability in promoting the game of chess and for several years hosted "The Full English Breakfast", a chess podcast often highlighting the lighter side of the game. He is also regularly in demand to provide expert analysis of games played at the very top level.
15 July 2025
3Cs Andy Lewis has won two Bramley-Harker awards as the Manchester League's top player in both of last season's B and C divisions.
Another product of the club's junior coaching scheme, Andy is a former England junior international and becomes the second 3Cs player to win two MCF Player of the Year awards in the same season, following Adam Ashton who did so for A and B divisions in the 1999-2000 season.
3Cs Chess Club featured on the BBC1 primetime television programme "The One Show" on Friday 13 October 2023.
Photographs of the BBC filming at 3Cs HQ can be seen by clicking on this link ...
The BBC have kindly given permission for 3Cs to reproduce the broadcast on this website - the section involving 3Cs is therefore available for viewing by clicking the box below.
3Cs celebrated 2025 International Chess Day (20 July) by creating a new record number of daily hits on the club's website - a total of 169
Photographs of all the chess world champions, both male and female, adorn the walls of our main coaching room at the 3Cs' headquarters. Therefore, while youngsters at 3Cs are coached how to play chess, the photographs assist in also teaching the history of the game..
The room also houses the club library as well as a projection screen, trophy cabinet and the 3Cs' Honours Boards.
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3Cs won the 2023 British Chess Educational Trust award for their outstanding achievement and encouragement of chess at junior level and is the most prestigious national honour specifically for the promotion of junior chess.
The club received an engraved chess board, boxed pieces and clock (shown below) while more details of the award can be seen by clicking this link ...
Just a typical night at a local chess club ???
However, the photograph (left) is from a 3Cs' weekly club night and the "typical kind of members" include Grandmaster Stephen Gordon (seated) as well as International Master Andy Horton (second left) and Women's International Master and six times French women's champion Sophie Milliet (third left).
Also in the picture are Helal Ahmed (extreme left); Michael Tebelev (third right) and head coach Phil Adams (extreme right).
Much of the 3Cs' success for several years is due to many of its juniors continuing to play with the club in their later years ... with this photo providing such an example.
From left to right, Dale James, Andy Lewis and Adam Ashton, all began playing chess for 3Cs while at junior school and are all still involved with the club.
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Founded in 1978 to promote and develop chess in Oldham Primary Schools and the surrounding districts, 3Cs has grown since then into one of the largest and strongest junior chess club in the country. Any child is given a welcome, although most are recruited from the Oldham Primary Schools and join by invitation, while they are then encouraged to continue attending once they reach secondary-school age.
The club also has adult members of course who usually fall into one of three categories: ex-juniors who have since grown up; parents of juniors; player-coaches. However, any adults are also made welcome on condition that they actively support the aims and ethos of the club, whose main focus is the development and welfare of the children.
The overall achievements of the club have resulted in it receiving the English Chess Federation's "Club of the Year" award on three occasions - and being the only club throughout the country to gain the honour more than once - whilst in 2017 the club gained a place among the very best by qualifying to play in the European Club Cup, a feat they repeated twelve months later.
However, despite these successes locally, nationally and Internationally, both as a club and for many of its members individually, 3Cs' greatest satisfaction - and forever the main focus of the club - is still seeing local youngsters coming through the door on their weekly club nights (Thursdays 7pm - 9pm) to just enjoy learning and playing the game.