Belper Chess Club has secured the Division 1 title in the Derbyshire Chess Association league for the second year running. Their final match of the season, a 3 ½ to ½ victory over the Burton & Litchfield A Team, was enough to seal the 2025/26 championship.

The Belper A Team lost only one match all season, finishing as fully deserving champions. Considering the club had gone 20 years without lifting the trophy before this recent run, this achievement is something truly special.

The team’s success even caught the attention of local media, earning coverage on the Derbyshire Times website.