Newcastle’s oldest pub welcomes back the royal game

(Newcastle Chronicle, 9 February 2024)

The Old George pub in Newcastle city centre was once the favourite hangout for chess-mad King Charles I during the English Civil War.
Now it is welcoming back the royal game for Newcastle Chess Club’s Open Blitz tournament on February 13.

The histories of King Charles I, chess and The Old George are intertwined.

On one occasion, the king was so engrossed in a chess game that he ignored a messenger telling him he had been betrayed by the Scots to the Parliamentary forces. Sadly for his majesty, he lost more than just the game, and eventually was beheaded in 1649.

While imprisoned (under fairly relaxed conditions) by the Scots in Newcastle during the Civil War, Charles was allowed to go out for a game of golf, and also take his jailers out for dinner and a pint at The Old George, just off the Bigg Market.

To this day, there is a painting of King Charles I inside the pub, which first opened its doors to punters in the 1580s. In an ironic twist, it shows him looking forwards, left and right – a kind of royal mugshot.

While plenty of ‘checks’ and ‘checkmates’ will be heard, hopefully no one will shout ‘Off with his head!’ at Newcastle Chess Club’s Open Blitz.

The event starts at 7:15pm on Tuesday 13 February, in The Old George’s upstairs function room, and runs until 10 pm. Entry is open to all, and costs £5.

To enter The Old George Blitz, contact: timpeterwall@gmail.com or 0750 372 2366.

While blitz offers a fast and furious alternative, classical chess continues in the 2023-24 Northumbria League season.

Newcastle A are leading Division 1 with 12/12, ahead of Leam Lane Aces and South Shields A on 8.
In Division 2, Gosforth Salters are top dogs on 11/14, ahead of Newcastle University A on 10.
Tynemouth B are the leaders of Division 3, with 13/14, ahead of Gosforth Centurions on 12.
The Division 4 race is tight, with Gosforth Hawthorns and Leam Lane Bullets on 12 points.
Newcastle University B are the runaway leaders of Division 5 with 14/14, ahead of Gosforth Jedis on 9.
And in Division 6, Newcastle B have a perfect 12/12 match points, ahead of Alnwick C and Tynedale on 7.

This week’s puzzles above are taken from the recent Chessable Masters won by Magnus Carlsen.

Puzzle A: Joe Martinez (Black) to play.

Puzzle B: Daniil Dubov (White) to play.

Puzzle C: Jeffery Xiong (White) to play.

Puzzle D: Magnus Carlsen (White) to play.

Answers:

A: 1…Qg1+ 2 Kh3 Qh1+ 3 Kg4 Qxg2+ 4 Kf5 (if 4 Kh5 Rh8+) Qf3+ 5 Rf4 Nd4 checkmate.
B: 1 Rh4! Qxa1+ 2 Kg2 Be4+ 3 Rxe4 Qd1 4 Rh4! Qd5+ 5 f3 1-0.
C: 1 Ng3! 1-0. If 1…Nxf3 2 Re4 checkmate, or 1…e2 2 Nxe2 checkmate.
D: 1 Ba4+! Ka7 (if 1…Nxe6 2 dxe6 wins) 2 Re7+ White wins: 2…Kb8 3 d6 Rc8 4 Re4 Nf5 5 Kf2 Rxc5 6 Re8+ Kb7 7 d7 Rd5 8 d8(Q) Rxd8 9 Rxd8 1-0.