2017 CJCC And Other Chess Dates

Chelmsford Junior Chess Club will meet back on 10^th January with the older group.

Please note we will be closed on 24^th January (when I am on a chess trip with KEGS) and 14^th February (half-term). Our dates up to Easter are.

Older Group – 10^th Jan, 31^st Jan, 21^st Feb, 7^th Mar, 21^st Mar.

Younger Group  -17^th Jan, 7^th Feb, 28^th Feb, 14^th Mar, 28^th Mar.

Some other 2017 junior chess dates this term.
 

8^th Jan – Coaching Day at Writtle (details via www.ejca.co.uk).

13^th Jan – KEGS hosting a secondary school tournament.
15^th Jan – Train and Play at Brentwood (details via www.britishchess.co.uk).
22^nd Jan – Southend Junior tournament (details via www.ejca.co.uk).
4^th Feb – Moulsham hosting a primary school team tournament (details via www.epsca.org.uk).
5^th Feb - Coaching Day at Writtle.
20^th Feb – “Queen of Katwe” - Disney chess film - showing at the Cramphorn.
26^th Feb – Grandmaster Train and Play at Brentwood.

Happy New Year!

Best Wishes

Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

London Chess Classic

This weekend the London Chess Classic (www.londonchessclassic.com) finished at Olympia. The LCC is a festival of chess that lasts 9 days and includes an all-play-all between 10 of the world’s leading players (the strongest tournament ever to take place in the UK). It is tied to the Chess In Schools charity and the festival does much to encourage junior chess. It is also the only chess tournament I ever go to that feels like a professional sporting event.

During the week 500 children each day take part in coaching and a tournament which is all co-ordinated by former Chelmsford player Jon Bryant. On Monday I went up with some students from KEGS who (led by fearless CJCC player Ollie Horvath) managed to collect the autographs of all 10 Classic players.

On Sunday I accompanied CJCC players Nina and Max Pert. They were joining CJCC parent (and British Rapidplay Champion) Richard Pert in the Super Rapidplay. This 10 round competition over two days featured 475 players including over 40 Grandmasters. Nina and Max both won two games and Richard was the highest non-GM finisher on 7.5/10.

There were quite a few juniors playing in the Rapidplay (partly because they enjoyed free entry). KEGS pupil and British U16 Champion Elliot Cocks – who also designed the CJCC poster – scored an excellent 6/10 including a first win over an International Master.

Nina and Max are pictured next to a picture of their new favourite chess player. Wesley So (an American Grandmaster in the world’s top ten) won the all-play-all and was kind enough to sign their programmes and have a chat with them after the tournament. It was great to see the top players take the time to sign things for the juniors and added greatly to their enjoyment of the event.

 

 

There is a lot of junior chess coming up in Essex in the first part of 2017 which I’ll outline in a later post. CJCC will meet back on the 10^th January.

Happy Christmas!

Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

CJCC Christmas Buffet (Week One)

This week was the Christmas buffet for the older players. Thank you to everyone for bringing something in. There was a ridiculous amount of food but with a focus and determination rarely seen by the juniors in their chess most of it got eaten. Thank you very much to the parents who helped clear up.

In between courses we looked at the chess position from the first Harry Potter film and Stewart received a medal for the player from the older group who I felt had worked hardest on his chess over the year. Judging by the reaction of the other players this was a good decision.

 Francesca helped by Stewart against Jake

 

 Tom with his attention elsewhere

 

 Felix in action against Nikolas

Stewart with his medal for his chess work in 2016

 Alice on top of the younger ladder

 

Best Wishes
Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

Brentwood Events Update

The results from the first three Brentwood Train and Play events are now on the grading database. You can find these by searching under your name. The grades themselves only change every 6 months so these results will be included in the next update in January.

 

http://www.ecfgrading.org.uk/new/menu.php

Also in January (15^th) is the 1^st H+H sponsored Brentwood event with International Master Adam Hunt. You can enter online at www.britishchess.co.uk.

Future H+H Brentwood Train and Play dates include 26^th February (with Grandmaster Matthew Sadler and Grandmaster Nick Pert) and 2^nd April. Brentwood School are then hosting an U12 tournament on 13^th May with a simultaneous display by Grandmaster Jon Speelman. Further events will follow later in the year with all these events hosted by International Master Richard Pert.

 

Essex Juniors have never had an opportunity to work with such a range of top players before and 2017 promises to be a very special year for Essex Junior Chess.

Best Wishes

Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com