History
Chess has always been a popular participation sport in Pembrokeshire, with strong clubs in Haverfordwest, Fishguard and Pembroke, among others. Haverfordwest, in particular, has produced several Welsh Junior Chess Champions.
However, around five years ago, the game went into decline. Almost all of the county’s chess clubs closed, leaving just one club — Pembrokeshire Chess Club, based in Steynton, Milford Haven.
In April 2025, it was decided that an effort should be made to revitalise chess across the county. Just a few weeks later, on 1 May 2025, Fishguard Chess Club opened its doors.
The response was immediate and remarkable. Membership grew so quickly that, within just six weeks, the club had to move to a larger venue in Fishguard. It now has more than 50 members, including 17 junior players, and it is not unusual for more than 30 players to attend a club night.
In little more than a year, Fishguard Chess Club has grown from nothing into one of the largest chess clubs in Wales.
Fishguard Chess Club (FCC) is now competing in the Dyfed Chess League and remains, so far, the only club to have taken points from the current champions, Cardigan Chess Club.
To help players develop their skills, FCC also runs a number of in-house competitions. The club was particularly proud to organise the first Fishguard Rapidplay Chess Tournament, which took place in Fishguard on Saturday, 25 April 2026.
With 60 entrants, this was the largest tournament of its kind in Wales and the first tournament in the UK to feature a chess robot. It was also the first non-school chess tournament to be held in Pembrokeshire for six years — another significant milestone in the revival of chess in the county.
Following its success, the event will return on 24 August 2027.
Expanding Across Pembrokeshire
The next stage was to establish more chess clubs across Pembrokeshire.
In October 2025, Haverfordwest Chess Club was formed. It proved to be another huge success, following a similar pattern to Fishguard. Membership grew rapidly and the club has already had to move to more suitable premises.
Haverfordwest Chess Club now has more than 60 members and continues to attract new players every week. It has already played a number of competitive matches against Fishguard and Narberth, with plans for many more fixtures in the future.
The club is now based at Pembrokeshire College in Haverfordwest. In partnership with the College, it has also established a chess club exclusively for students attending the College, helping to introduce the game to a new generation of players.
The third new club to be established was Narberth Chess Club, which began on 5 February 2026. Despite being in its early stages, it has already attracted around 30 members — a fantastic start.
There are also plans to establish a new club in the Newport/Cilgwyn area, which Pembrokeshire Chess is pleased to support.
Further clubs have since followed, with Saundersfoot & Tenby Chess Club established in May 2026 and Pembroke Chess Club also being re-established, opening on 10th September 2026. St Davids Chess Club is expected to open in early 2027.
Developing Junior Chess
The next major step in the development of chess in Pembrokeshire was the establishment of Pembrokeshire Chess Academy.
Opening in September 2026, the Academy provides structured coaching for some of the most promising junior chess players in the county. It is a three-year programme designed to raise the standard of junior chess in Pembrokeshire and brings together talented young players from clubs across the county.
It is hoped that Academy students will eventually provide the backbone of a regional junior team, competing in a new regional competition involving teams from across Wales.
A Remarkable Revival
The progress made in such a short period has been extraordinary.
In just 18 months, the five newest chess clubs in Pembrokeshire have attracted more than 200 new players, including more than 50 juniors.
This demonstrates that there is still a huge appetite for chess in Pembrokeshire — and that, given the opportunity, people of all ages are keen to get involved.
The next major stage in the development of chess in the county is to bring the game back into schools. Pembrokeshire Chess, in partnership with Chess in Schools and Communities, is already working hard to make this happen.
There are also three more tournaments planned in the near future, alongside new regional competitions at both representative and club level.
Hopefully, this is only the beginning of the re-emergence of chess in Pembrokeshire and the return of the game to the position it deserves to hold within the county.
Chess in Pembrokeshire is back — and it is growing.
For further information about the existing clubs, proposed new clubs, tournaments, junior development or how you can become involved in the revival of chess in Pembrokeshire, please contact:
Kevin Heady
Pembrokeshire Chess
info@pembrokeshirechess.co.uk