The Glasgow
Polytechnic Chess Club was founded in 1919. The name of the club derives from
its original meeting place, the John Anderson Royal Polytechnic, which was
situated on the site now occupied by Debenhams in Argyle Street. (At that time
the word polytechnic meant what we
now call a department store.)
Polytechnic
has been present in Glasgow ever since, and we believe that it is the oldest
active chess club in the city. (The Glasgow Chess Club is much older but is
currently inactive).
Polytechnic
won the prestigious British National Club Championship in 1988 (the first
Scottish club to do so). Polytechnic thus qualified for the 1989 European Club
Championship, when they were drawn against CSKA Moscow. The all-grandmaster
team proved much too strong, but nevertheless it was a memorable occasion.
Polytechnic
have won the Richardson Cup (the premier team competition in Scotland) 14
times, including a record-breaking run of six consecutive wins between 1999 and
2004, and three further wins since then. Polytechnic have also been the most
successful club in the history of the Glasgow Chess League, having won the
division 1 championship 21 times.
|
British National Club Championship |
1988 |
|
|
1952, 1957, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011 |
|
Spens Cup |
1931, 1935, 1955 |
|
|
1938, 1939, 1948, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2002 |