WYRE Forest's number one chess player, Brian Sharp, has retired from the sport for business and personal reasons.

His announcement is a blow to Kidderminster Chess Club's Wolverhampton and District first team, with which he won the top division championship in 2002/03.

Kidderminster's second team made the short trip to Hagley and defeated their hosts 3.5-1.5 in Division Two of the Worcester League.

Individual results (Kidderminster names first): Mark Riley 0.5, P Keats 0.5; John Varilone 1, K Ryder 0; Paul Thomas 1, K Dodd 0; Bill Pugh 0, A Boyle 1; Terr