ChessBuddies & Mates Community

♟️ About ChessBuddies & Mates

ChessBuddies & Mates Community is a volunteer-led chess organization serving children, teenagers, families and chess enthusiasts across Malta and Gozo. Its mission centers on making chess welcoming, accessible and socially engaging through in-person play, training, community activities and organized competitions. The group works with schools and families as well as individual players, offering a route from the first introduction to chess into more structured events. ChessBuddies is a registered voluntary organization in Malta under registration VO/2658. Its community model combines friendly play with measurable improvement, rather than focusing exclusively on elite tournament results. The organizers also encourage parents and volunteers to take part in events, administration and community outreach.

🏛️ Leadership and Community Development

Paul Schembri is the organization's founder and president. He directs its overall development, partnerships, projects and community initiatives. As the organization describes on its official website, it began with the aim of increasing opportunities for children to play chess and grew into a broader chess community across the Maltese islands. Andrew Borg serves as Chief Chess Officer. His work focuses on player development, coaching structures and progression routes suitable for different playing levels. Meanwhile, Matthias Gatt acts as Malta Chess Federation liaison officer and Chief Arbiter, supporting competition regulations, ratings, pairings, fair play and official tournament organization. Kayleigh Schembri, the Chief Inclusion Officer, addresses accessibility and inclusion, including support for players with disabilities, learning differences and neurodivergent needs. These defined responsibilities give the community a clear structure: leadership manages overall direction, chess specialists support competitive quality, and inclusion work helps families participate confidently. The club also welcomes volunteers who can assist with event preparation, school outreach, photography, coaching and local projects.

🎓 Chess Education and Youth Development

Children's chess is a core part of ChessBuddies & Mates. The club provides learning resources, structured sessions and opportunities to play over the board. Its online platform features puzzles, daily challenges, mini-games, chess lessons and member services. In addition, the organization maintains its own tracked Under-12 rating system for community competitions, which it distinguishes from official FIDE ratings. ChessBuddies also organizes the U12 Rapid Chess Series 2026/27. The published season comprises five events, beginning in November 2026 and continuing through January, March, May and July 2027. Players can enter individual rounds or use a season ticket, while club members and qualifying Gozo families receive discounted rates. These arrangements help families plan regular competitive experience across a school year.

🏆 Tournaments and Competitive Chess

Beyond its Under-12 series, the community hosts events for different age groups and levels, including rated chess. The ChessBuddies & Mates January Classic 2027 at Pergola Hotel & Spa in Mellieħa is a five-round, two-day FIDE Standard-rated competition for players under 17 who are rated below 1750. Its published format uses a classical 45-minute base time with a 15-second increment and offers a limited field of 30 places. The club also reports results from earlier community tournaments and maintains online event information. This allows parents to find a suitable level of competition and follow their children's development over multiple events. Importantly, the club's official notices explain the distinction between community chess activities and formal rated tournaments.

🌍 Membership, Inclusion and Partnerships

Membership provides access to club activities, member services, learning resources and reduced tournament fees where advertised. ChessBuddies encourages connections between Malta and Gozo, including special rates for families travelling from Gozo. Furthermore, its organizers invite support from volunteers and partners so that young players can gain more opportunities to play and learn. The community explicitly promotes safe and supervised playing environments. Its work emphasizes family involvement, respectful participation, accessibility and social connection. The official organization website provides current information about membership, volunteer opportunities, events and the people responsible for its chess program.

📚 Community Learning and Special Projects

The group also develops community initiatives outside formal tournaments. For example, its Niko the Knight children's book introduces chess through bilingual Maltese and English reading. In September 2026, ChessBuddies used a Maltese crowdfunding campaign to support the purchase of boards, clocks and teaching materials for community activities. In addition, the group's five-event U12 Rapid Series 2026/27 offers recurring play through July 2027, while the January Classic provides a separate FIDE Standard opportunity for older juniors. The official events page lists upcoming dates and registration arrangements, and its About page introduces the volunteer team and community activities.