Welcome to Castlehill Chess Club!

The largest and most active chess club in Dundee. For beginners to Masters, Juniors to adults. We’re always looking for new members – our membership is rapidly expanding!. We have male and female members, the young and the old. Coaching is available.
We also have our own dedicated “World Wide Online Chess Club” so no matter where in the world you are, you can become a member and play in our online competitions!

If you want to improve your chess, play casual chess, league chess, or any kind of chess, our club normally meets every Thursday throughout the year (Except Christmas). Doors open at 7:15pm and play starts from 7:30pm.

If you are local to the Dundee area, a student at Dundee or Abertay Universities or you are interested in playing online, please complete this “FORM” and we will be in touch with you (remember to check your spam emails!). We welcome players of all ages and level of ability.

Alastair Dawson RIP + Funeral details

June 8th, 2025

Casltehill would like to extend our sincere condolences to all of Alastair's family and friends. A legend of chess in Scotland and a dear friend to many who will be sorely missed. Go rest high on that mountain, your work on earth is done! Below is a message from Dundee Chess Club, written by Ray Flood It's with the heaviest of hearts that we share the news of the passing of club linchpin and our dearest friend Alastair Dawson. Alastair died on Saturday morning surrounded by his family, after a brief illness which accelerated with shocking speed. Alastair, like many of us, was a member[...]

Castlehill Online Summer Championship 25

May 18th, 2025

Castlehill Online Summer Championship 25 Apologies, for late post, and thank you for entering the Castlehill Online Summer Championships 2025. The 1st round draw is now up on the website, with the round one deadline for matches, Sun 8th June 25. A quick deadline to get us back on track, but as it`s online, I think it should be okay, but if any problem's, we can sort out! Please contact your opponent to sort out a date and time, and please keep me in the email loop, as it helps. Time-control: 45 minutes + 15 seconds increments from move one. All matches take place on Lichess.org[...]

The 1st of 5 OTB Quick-Play Competitions: Night One report - Thurs 1st May 25

May 6th, 2025

The 1st of 5 OTB Quick-Play Competitions: Night One report - Thurs 1st May 25 Congratulations to Vladyslav Drabych on winning the 1st of the 5 quick-play nights (8 pts), beating his old rival Jan Klingelhoefer, who had to settle for equal 2nd place with James Anderson (6 pts). There were 15 players on the night, which is a good start for the first event. It was an 8 round Swiss, with the time-control of 3 minutes + 2 seconds increments. Thank you to James Anderson for running the competition on the night and to the players who supported us on the night.[...]

50th Anniversary Allegro reminder

May 6th, 2025

Reminder - the club is running a one day/6 round allegro on Saturday 21st June to celebrate it’s Golden Anniversary. We hope that past as well as current members will take part, reconnect with old friends and meet some new. This event is not limited to Castlehill/ex-Castlehill members though – all are welcome to join us in this celebration. For more information see our dedicated Allegro website through which you can enter online. In addition to the allegro Declan Shafi and FM (!) Rishi Vijayakumar will be the star turns of two simultaneous displays. These will be limited to current members, there will be a[...]

THE 16th IAN McNAB MEMORIAL TROPHY 2024-25 - Report

May 1st, 2025

THE 16th IAN McNAB MEMORIAL TROPHY 2024-25 Thurs 24th April 24 – 7:30pm 960 Chess (Fisher-Random) We had 13 players listed at the start of the competition, which was really good! We once again stuck with the 960 (Fisher-Random) chess which takes everybody out of their comfort zone! As normal we ran a 5 round Swiss, 15 minutes each player, with a different position set up for each round. As normal, how-to castle was the main talking point, but this time, most players got it right! In the end, it was congratulations to Jan Klingelhoefer on becoming the 16th Ian McNab Memorial Champion 2024-25, with a perfect 5 out of[...]

4NCL (Nations Chess League) SEASON 2024-25 - Div 1 Final - Champions again!

May 1st, 2025

4NCL (Nations Chess League) SEASON 2024-25 Congratulations to Dundee City A on becoming SNCL Season 11 Division One Champions 2024-25, after comfortably beating their old rivals, and defending champions, Wessex A in the final. Both teams battled hard to reach this stage, but Dundee City A just had the edge in the final, and not for the first time are champions again! Fantastic team performance and well deserved for all their hard work! Richard Polaczek IM, Rish Vijayakumar FM, Declan Shafi & Ian McDonald were excellent in the semi-finals and Final! During the rounds, David Findlay and Andrew Wright both did their bit to make this[...]

SNCL: Dundee City A are double Champions on the final event of the campaign!

April 28th, 2025

SEASON 2024-25 SNCL (Scottish National Chess League) Sunday 27th April 25 Round 9 (last) + the Scottish team lighting tournament Dundee City teams are a joint venture between Castlehill CC & Dundee CC Division 1 The final Round of this season’s SNCL took place on Sunday 27th April. This season has been the 2nd to be run over 9 Rounds instead of 7. It has been a long journey, but what a final round we had, with unbelievable drama and outcome! Leaders and strong favourites for the division one title was Dunfermline who only needed a draw to win the title. Up stepped the ultimate warriors of[...]

June 19, 2025

Two Simultaneous Events - Rishi Vijayakumar & Declan Shafi. Part of our 50th Anniversary

Starts: 7:30 pm

June 21, 2025

Castlehill 50th Anniversary Allegro

Starts: 7:15 pm

June 26, 2025

The 3rd OTB Quick-Play Grand Prix

Starts: 7:30 pm

June 29, 2025

Online Summer Championship Rd 2 deadline

Starts: 10:00 am
Online Last Person Standing - Q/F deadline

Starts: 10:00 am

July 6, 2025

Online Last Person Standing S/F deadline

Starts: 10:00 am

July 8, 2025

Online Quick-Play Grand Prix Rd 3

Starts: 7:30 pm

July 13, 2025

World Chess League Online S/F & Finals

Starts: 10:00 am

Full calendar here.

CASTLEHILL COMPETITION & TROPHY WINNERS 2023-24
Updated: 25/12/24
Congratulations to all winners!

OTB
Club Champion: Vladyslav Drabych
Club U1600 Winner: Ray Noble
Random Knockout Champion: Vladyslav Drabych
Bob Dunn Summer Champion: Vladyslav Drabych & Alisdair McLeod
Quick-Play Champion: Vladyslav Drabych
Ian McNab Memorial Champions: Vladyslav Drabych
Junior Champion: Matthew Hunter (J15)
Bob Clapham Award: Alisdair McLeod

ONLINE
Club Champion: Andre Babin
Summer Champion: Iain Sneddon
Last Person Standing: Rishi Vijayakumar J13)
Quick-Play Champion: Matthew Hunter (J15)
Junior Champion: Matthew Hunter (J15)

Checkout our website for all the details!

On our website we have a searchable database of games by Castlehill Members.
You can go through the games or download them.
To go to our database you click “Club Info” in main menu and then “View Club Games“.
Or alternatively click “HERE” to take you to the database.

Ray Noble v Andy Rowe
Castlehill Arena Lichess Tournament -5 minutes+ 3 seconds

We are always looking for new games, so players please submit your games
and if possible with some analysis or thoughts.
It does not matter your level, the games are part of the clubs history!