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

December

Now we are in December CJCC will be celebrating Christmas with a buffet and a Harry Potter chess theme on the 6^th (older players) and 13^th (younger players). We’ll meet back after New Year with the older group on 10^th January.

Next term CJCC will take part in the Delancey UK Chess Challenge along with 1400 schools and junior clubs across the UK. All our players will take part in a 7 round tournament and get a chess badge. Depending on results they’ll have a chance to collect gold spots, chess mascots, furry pencils and other prizes. The best boy and girl in each school year will then move forward to the Essex Megafinal.

Last weekend many of our players took part in the Basildon Rapidplay event. This weekend sees the 3^rd Essex Junior Chess Association Coaching Day at Writtle. Results of the tournament and future chess dates are at www.ejca.co.uk.

The younger players were fighting this week to move up the ladder. Pictured below are Cody and Bella who are currently sharing the 8^th rung. Alice and Jake share the top rung because of the help they gave the less experienced players this week.

 

Best Wishes

Robin

chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

 

CJCC Meeting 15th November

Back to the younger half of CJCC today. Tom is the new leader on the ladder because of learning the rook and king versus king checkmate on the demo board then proving his mastery of it against Sophie.

Josh was inspired to try a simultaneous challenge after hearing about Sunday’s event. He took on 6 players and was promptly checkmated in 4 moves by Freddie. Final score – one loss, five unfinished. An entertaining finish to the afternoon though for all involved.

Alex and Cody battled away for almost an hour before their game finished in a draw. Congratulations to both of them for a fine effort and some excellent concentration despite Freddie and Wolffie distracting Cody with their Match Attack pack.

Best Wishes

Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

3rd Brentwood Train and Play 13th November

On Sunday was the 3^rd Brentwood Train and Play event which attracted 50 children to the mix of coaching and team competition. There was a strong CJCC flavour with the coaching provided by two CJCC parents and me – International Master Richard Pert and two-time Essex Champion Russell White.

Richard had recruited British Grandmaster and former world number 4 Jon Speelman to join us for an afternoon simultaneous match. Chelmsford junior (and sometime CJCC helper) Scott Shelley completed our team. The 5 of us took on 43 juniors and 11 parents simultaneously. Few players of any age get the chance to face opponents as illustrious as Jon or Richard. Even fewer get the chance to team up with them and it was a great way to round off our 2016 events.

They’ll be a series of these Train and Play events in 2017 starting on 15^th January when Richard and I will be joined by IM Adam Hunt. In February British GMs Matthew Sadler and Nick Pert will be the guest coaches. Keep an eye on www.britishchess.co.uk for more details.

 Alex on his way to 3/3 for Team Gary Kasparov

 

 Team Judit Polgar finished 1 point behind the winners.

 

 First time player Oliver Whitney on Board 12 for (winning) Team Bobby Fischer.

 

 All those who scored 3/3 with GM Jon Speelman and IM Richard Pert

 

GM Jon Speelman greeting his opponents before the start of the simul.

 

Jon, Scott and (in the background) Russell mid-simul.

 

Best Wishes

Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

Delancey UK Chess Challenge and November Chess Dates

I am delighted to see the Delancey UK Chess Challenge will continue in 2017 and once again Chelmsford Junior Chess Club will take part. Last year 1400 schools and junior chess clubs with a total of 45000 players entered across the UK. The CJCC stage will take place between January and April 2017.

Players will collect gold spots for their chess badge, assorted mascots and furry pencils along the way as they fight for qualification to the Essex Megafinal.

Successful players here will reach the Southern Gigafinal and fight for a place in the National Terafinal. This year Olga and Toby both reached the Terafinal and it would be great if someone can replicate this in 2017.

Tournament details can be seen at the link below. If you would like your school to take part please encourage them to do so.

http://www.delanceyukschoolschesschallenge.com/enter.html

 

Last Sunday (6^th) was the 2^nd EJCA Coaching Day. Last Tuesday at CJCC it was the turn of the older players who all looked at a game from World Champion Magnus Carlsen when he was a junior.

This Sunday (13^th) is the 3^rd Brentwood Train and Play including a simultaneous match with Grandmaster Jon Speelman. Details at www.britishchess.co.uk

Next Sunday (20^th) is the Basildon Rapidplay tournament. Details for this at www.ejca.co.uk

At our club this coming week (15^th) it is the turn of the younger players with the older players the following week (22^nd).

It is great to see so much junior chess in Essex these days and welcome new players to CJCC every week. We have about 20-25 players each week which makes about 40 different players every two weeks spread from Year 1 to Year 8.

Best Wishes

Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com