CHESS: Kidderminster Chess Club are having mixed fortunes this season.

The first team are third in the Wolverhampton League Division Two of the Wolverhampton league, with the second in fifth-place.

John Wrench won Kidderminster’s annual lightening tournament, beating everyone except for drawing with eventual runner-up Mark Riley in the all-play-all tournament.

Two-time Kidderminster champion Jim Friar was amazingly dumped out of the Shuttle Shield in the first round by his 12-year-old son Joseph, who could play his brother James in next round.

Worcestershire are hoping to win the Midland section of the county championship. Instrumental in this event are a number of Kidderminster players, namely John Gittus, Tim Yates, James and Joseph Friar, all of which are unbeaten in the county side.