Double simul at HMP Isis

CSC runs two chess clubs each week at HMP Isis, a Category C Young Offenders Institution in SE London. CSC tutors and volunteers run lessons for beginners and more advanced coaching sessions for experienced players. Both clubs are well-attended and the programme is well supported by the prison governors. Recently, the team from HMP Isis achieved great success in the First Continental Online Prisons Chess Championship, winning the gold medal in the Youth Section.

Yesterday, two of CSC’s Head Office team, London Coordinator Matt Piper and Chief Executive Malcolm Pein made visits to the prison to perform simultaneous displays, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Both were very impressed with the standard of play - as usual, CSC’s Prison Coordinator Peter Sullivan had prepped the prisoners on their visitors’ openings! The games were interesting and hard-fought, though the final score, as ever, remains within the four walls of Isis!

After the games, Malcolm and Matt presented certificates and book awards to those who had taken part in the Prisons Championship, while Malcolm presented the trophy to the prison in the presence of the governor, Emily Thomas.