History

 

A forerunner to today’s Kāpiti Chess Club is known to have existed in the 1970’s with records of two novel “2 in 3” open tournaments organised by the Club in 1976 and 1977. 

 

The beginnings of the current Kāpiti Chess Club first met 5 June 1984 at Glenys Mills’ Waikanae home and consisted of Glenys, Leo Eichholtz, Bill Pirie, Alvaro Lacunza and Tom Powell. On 3 July they shifted to the Waikanae Plunket rooms, then briefly to the Raumati South Tennis Club rooms before meeting in Bill Pirie’s garage in Raumati South.

 

The Club was established formally in November 1987, and was listed in the New Zealand Chess Federation Club Directory from 1988. Bill Cox was Club President, Leo Eichholtz was Secretary-Treasurer, and Alvaro Lacunza was Captain. In early 1988, the Club moved to Kāpiti College at Raumati Beach, where it met for the next 7 years.

 

In 1990 the Club became an Incorporated Society, with a formal constitution. It remained an Incorporated Society until 2006. 

 

In 1991 the first open Kāpiti Rapid Tournament was held. A history of the annual Kāpiti Rapid tournament can be found here. 

 

In 1995 the Club moved to the Salvation Army Hall in Bluegum Road Paraparaumu Beach, where it met for the next 15 years. On 03 January 2010 the Club moved to Paraparaumu Library in Ngahina St, Paraparaumu, where it met for the next 9 years, before moving back to the Salvation Army Hall at the beginning of 2019.

 

 

A history of the Club through photos and news clippings