This news is for those relative few who like to pit their wits against others in solving chess problems, and there are known to be a few closet part-time problem-solvers out there. At the earlier series of Sheffield Chess Congresses such events were held, and where well supported.

Most years, the British Problem Society (BCPS) runs a problem-solving event at the British Chess Championships (though it is not the official British Problem Solving Championships as such). At Llandudno last year it didn’t happen due to nobody able to run it living near enough. For 2018 there are plans to revive the event. Brian Stephenson of Sheffield is the person expected to be running it on the day, but another BCPS member is expected to select the problems to be used.

Under the old Championships’ fortnight-long format, the event took place on “day zero”, but under the new shorter format that might change.

The annual British Problem Solving Championship is a longish drawn-out affair, starting with qualifying rounds conducted by post, culminating with qualifiers converging for the final held at a suitable venue, rather like a chess congress. The 2017-18 championships are already underway, and the final is to be held at Eton College, on Saturday 17th February 2018. The winner there will be entitled to represent Great Britain at the World Chess Solving Championships in 2018.

For information of the British Championships in Hull (building up in time) see http://www.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/.

For details of the Winton Capital British Chess Solving Championship see http://www.theproblemist.org/wcbcsc.

For general information on the BCPS see http://www.theproblemist.org/home.