Dennis Thomas, of the Castell Nedd chess club, has just celebrated his 90th birthday (2nd October). Dennis came to the club when it was first formed in 1978 intending only to introduce his two sons to the game. He stayed and, apart from playing, served for many years as club secretary and as team captain. Today he is the club President and he is also a Vice-President of the West Wales League.

Mobility issues have meant that he is not able to play as much over-the-board chess as previously but he still plays on-line for the club and for Welsh teams and regularly comes to the club nights where he shares his knowledge with new members, some of whom are over eighty years his junior.

His enthusiasm for the game has never faltered over the past 44 years and he is as tenacious now as he was four decades ago. If he had started playing the game when he was younger, then his ferocious will-to-win would have led to a much higher rating. Today he is the club’s father figure and regularly presides at any and all club functions.

02/10/2022