Liam's Story

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From the Football Pitch to the Chessboard: Liam’s Story

At 16 years old, Liam has grown up with two very different passions: football and chess. While one is played on the pitch and the other across a checkered board, both have been closely connected throughout his life.

Liam’s chess journey began just before his seventh birthday when he received a chessboard as a Christmas present. His dad suggested leaving the box unopened for a while, explaining that chess was a complicated game and joking that Liam might simply lose the pieces. But Liam’s curiosity kept growing, and he continued asking when he would be able to learn how to play.

One evening, they finally opened the box and sat down for their first game together.

To his dad’s surprise, Liam quickly understood how the pieces moved and how the game worked. From that moment, his interest in chess was sparked.

Soon after, Liam’s mum noticed an advert in the town’s library about a local chess club. She contacted David, the secretary of the chess club, and that decision turned out to be an important step. With regular games and guidance, Liam’s chess skills began to flourish. Interestingly, football and chess quickly became part of the same routine. Liam’s first football team trained on Saturdays, and the junior chess club met immediately afterwards. It wasn’t unusual for him to finish football practice and head straight to the chess club. Even today, the pattern continues. Liam’s football team now trains on Wednesdays, and chess still follows afterwards. Regulars at the club are used to seeing him arrive straight from the pitch, still in his football gear.

For Liam, the fast pace of football and the careful strategy of chess may seem like very different worlds, but together they have shaped much of his growing-up years, teaching him teamwork, patience, focus, and the joy of a good challenge.

What stands out most in Liam’s journey, however, is his determination and persistence. From the moment he first asked to open that chess box, he showed a persuasive curiosity and a willingness to keep learning. Over the years, that curiosity turned into commitment. Week after week, he continued to show up, often straight from football training, ready to focus on the board, analyse positions, and challenge himself against stronger players.

His steady progress in chess obviously reflects his talent but also his dedication: the patience to think several moves ahead, the resilience to learn from defeats, and the discipline to keep improving. As Liam continues to grow as a player, his beautiful story is a reminder that passion, perseverance, and a curious mind can turn a simple Christmas gift into a lasting journey across the chessboard. 

Last year was particularly rewarding for Liam, with several achievements that reflect his dedication to both sports. Individually, he received the Breakthrough Season Award as a striker, an impressive recognition considering it was his first year playing in that position. In chess, he also won the Top Hampshire U18 trophy for the third year in a row, and achieved 3rd place in the Hampshire Megafinals U18.

Alongside these personal successes, Liam also celebrated team achievements. His football team won Division 3 U15, and in chess he was part of Basingstoke Team B, who finished runner-up last year.

We found Liam’s story truly inspiring and worth sharing, especially as he is also part of our club’s chess family community.As the saying goes, it takes a whole village to raise a child, and we are grateful to be part of that journey.

We look forward to seeing many young players grow through chess, developing their skills  and also becoming good people and good friends along the way.

Liam is now preparing for his GCSE, but also considering being part of the Basingstoke Chess Congress( taking place on 25th April). 

Good luck in everything you do, Liam!