David Collyer took the Island’s ‘triple crown’ of chess titles, at the Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships at the Esplanade Hotel, Ryde, over the weekend.

Both tournaments were English Chess Federation and FIDE (International Chess Federation)-rated, attracting a competitive mix of local and visiting players. The events were overseen by international arbiter, Lance Leslie-Smith, who travelled to the Island to ensure all games met FIDE standards — offering local players a valuable opportunity to compete under international conditions.

Saturday’s Rapid Championship saw a tense finish, with David and Clive Bowley tying for first on 5/6. The title was decided in an Armageddon play-off, where David held his nerve to win after Clive ran out of time.

With the victory, David also secured a Wild Card place to compete against some of the world’s top players in the Masters section of February’s IW International Tournament.

David then produced a dominant display in Sunday’s Blitz Championship, scoring 8½/9 to finish clear of the field.

The Island Speed Chess Champion title is awarded to the player with the highest combined score across both events, with Rapid results counting double. Collyer’s consistency and strength across formats secured him the overall title and taking home all three trophies.

The next major event is the International Tournament, taking place at Ryde School from February 16-22. For more information on local chess events, visit iw.observer/iow-chess.