Roger Lancaster (1945-2025)
Roger Lancaster, a stalwart of the Hertfordshire chess scene, died on 20 September. Roger was born in 1945 and became a founding member of the famous King’s Head Chess Club in central London in the 1970s, taking part in international tournaments and organising events in the 1980s.
After moving to Watford in 2006 he played mainly for their second team in the Herts League but also contributed to Watford’s title winning first team. He played and won in Watford’s victorious 2013 Russell Trophy final. Following the Covid pandemic, Roger took over captaincy of Watford’s first team and led by example, losing just one of his 20 games during this period. In his final season, despite worsening health, he finished unbeaten winning 5 of his 6 games, a major contribution to the team’s promotion.
However his main contribution has been to the development of junior chess in Watford, after becoming the club’s Juniors Secretary. At the time the club had only a few juniors (eight in January 2014). Roger quickly started increasing the opportunities for juniors, setting up popular Sunday afternoon sessions at a local pub as well as weekly coaching on club nights. By January 2016 the club had 25 junior members and this number has since continued to rise.
Roger organised a further set of opportunities for the junior membership including teams in local leagues and the junior 4NCL and main 4NCL, matches against other clubs’ juniors, open tournaments held in Watford and the opportunity to play graded games in the club. Except during the Covid pandemic he attended the club almost every week to coach and encourage the juniors.
During Covid the club’s activities moved online, and Roger organised online junior teams and tournaments on Lichess, and teams in the junior 4NCL online tournament and Eastern Counties online league.
Following the government’s lifting of restrictions Roger restarted a junior club with weekly coaching and playing opportunities. Since then the club has under Roger’s leadership moved to new premises with a wide range of juniors activities. Roger’s contribution will be much missed by all at the club and especially the juniors.
Under his leadership, Watford Chess Club was recognised as a Centre of Excellence on the English Chess Federation’s junior development pathway.
In June 2025, Roger’s immense contribution was formally recognised when he received the ECF President’s Award for Services to Chess. This honour reflected not only his achievements in Watford but also his decades of service to English chess.
Roger’s passing is a huge loss to Hertfordshire chess. He will be remembered as a dedicated player,
an inspiring captain, and above all a tireless champion of junior chess. His legacy lives on in the many young players he nurtured, and in the thriving Watford junior programme he built from the ground up.
Our thoughts are with his family and all who knew him.