Today's Meeting

The older players today and we had a team competition. 4 captains picked their teams for a semi-final and final. Congratulations to Felix whose team of Olga, Ed, Adam, Cody and Annie were victorious. Felix also won the "Player of the Week" trophy for his fighting draw with Ben Pickwick in the first match.

Please remember there is no club next week (5th December) but back with a bang on the 12th December with the Christmas Buffet for everyone.

 Two easily distracted teams in the first match. Alex's team (on the left) won 3-2.

 Ben playing Felix (right) in the first match. Felix's team would go on to win both matches.

Nikita - who seemed to end up playing for all the teams - focused in the first match.

Best Wishes
Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

CJCC 14th November

Busy afternoon at the club today with the older players. Ben Pickwick was our "Player of the Week" for demonstrating one of his own games on the big board to the rest of the club.

Recording your games so you can look over them afterwards with a stronger player is one of the best ways to improve. It also lets you enjoy your triumphs once again.

Thank you to Min for bringing cake for everyone to celebrate Jixuan's birthday.

Good luck to all our players taking part in the EJCA Grand Prix event at Basildon this weekend.

 Josh is carefully recording his game with Olga. We will look at it together at the adult club in Chelmsford on Thursday evening.

Bertie looks to have gone astray in his match. Francesca and Cody are playing in the background.

Hriday and Lawrence keen to get in the picture. Alex is playing Nikita with behind them Ben watching Stewart playing Jake.

Best Wishes
Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

Train and Play 12th November

As ever it was great to see so many CJCC players taking part in the latest H+H Fire British Chess Train and Play event in Chelmsford on Sunday. Adam was our top club scorer with 3/3 just pipping Ben Chang and Jake who scored 2.5.

I was just as impressed though by the effort put in by some players who didn't end up with any wins and the great spirit everyone showed. One of these players - CJCC's Alice White - won the "Player of the Day" trophy for this reason.

We had a coaching quartet this time with WGM Dagne Ciuksyte and Lateefah Messam-Sparks joining IM Richard Pert and myself. Although the majority of players come from Essex some come from much further afield. This time Rohan Pal had made the longest journey (from Birmingham) so it was good to see him finish on 2/3 and be part of the winning team.

Team Judit Polgar - managed by Dagne and captained by Chris Willoughby - won with 31 points with the other three teams all finishing on 25.5 or 26. The majority of the winning team were girls and it is always nice to see so many girls at our events.

A full report, results and more photos will appear at www.britishchess.co.uk but in the meantime below are a few photos of the day.

 Lateefah testing out Ranulph in a friendly game.

Kyan on top board for Team Garry Kasparov against Team Judit Polgar.

Rohan keeping a close eye on the top board in the Team Bobby Fischer vs Team Magnus Carlsen match.

The players who scored 3/3 receiving their prizes.

The winning Team Judit Polgar. Chris on the left with the trophy and Dagne standing behind.

Best Wishes
Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

CJCC 7th November

A fun and busy afternoon at the club today. Scott Shelley (one of the strongest players at KEGS and a regular helper at the club) played a six board simultaneous match against a rotating team of 10 opponents. Congratulations to Felix (future KEGS student) on his victory and Ben, Jixuan and Sophie on their hard earned draws.

James Naylor from Moulsham was our Player of the Week for a very neat checkmate against Sophie.

Welcome to Charlie and Kaan who came along for the first time.

Lawrence and Felix "helping" Amelie and Theo. In the background on the left Russell White is playing Jixuan while Ben, Leon and Tom are facing Scott on the right.

 Eddie and Olga in the foreground, Lawrence facing Nikita behind them.

James Naylor - our Player of the Week.

Best Wishes
Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

Halloween Checkmate Challenge and Upcoming Chess

Congratulations to Ben Chang who narrowly won our Halloween Checkmate Challenge on tie-break from Anna to win a skull glass. Congratulations also to Olga who won our "Player of the Day" trophy for her fabulous costume.

Olga recently got 5/6 in the South East Girls U10 Rapidplay so fully deserves to be the first winner of our new prize - a trophy awarded each week (to be held for two weeks) to the Player of the Day.

Ben played at the Bury St Edmunds Congress last weekend and scored 2/5 against a mixture of adult and junior players (including his first win over an adult player in a tournament - always a special moment).

Lots of chess coming up...

12th Nov - H+H Fire Train and Play at Moulsham School. Details at www.britishchess.co.uk

19th Nov - Basildon Rapidlay. Entry form at www.ejca.co.uk

3rd Dec - EJCA Coaching Day (by invitation).

3rd Dec - LJCC qualifier and Suffolk Junior Open at Woodbridge. Email me for an entry form.

5th Dec - KEGS trip to Olympia for the London Chess Classic.

8th Dec - Chess Evening in Chelmsford with Fun Master Mike from www.chesskid.com - a rare visit to the UK from one of the world's best known junior coaches. Special part of...

10th Dec - H+H Fire Train and Play Christmas Special.

12th Dec - CJCC Christmas Buffet (limited chess but plenty of food).

Best Wishes
Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

Half-Term

CJCC finished tonight ahead of a week's break for half-term. We'll meet back on the 31st October with the older group (and Halloween snacks).

Tonight the younger half (plus a few older ones) had a Checkmate Competition. We had queen, rook and king against king and had a competition to see who could checkmate in the fewest moves. For the less experienced players it was a good chance to practice their technique and for the stronger ones an equally good chance to do a bit of teaching.

Congratulations to Olga, Eddie, James and Amelie for their prize-winning efforts and thank you to Leon for donating the swiftly consumed prizes from his refreshment table. Congratulations also to Olga for scoring 5/6 in a strong girl's event at the weekend.

Looking ahead...

Older Group 31st Oct, 14th Nov, 28th Nov
Younger Group 7th Nov, 21st Nov

The club will be closed on 5th December because I'll be at the London Chess Classic at Olympia with the KEGS U13 players so the whole club is invited to a Christmas Buffet on 12th December.

This is from last week with Phoebe and Francesca distracted by Alexander's match against Felix and Adam.

Best Wishes
Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

Chelmsford Junior Chess Club

Three weeks into the new season now and it is as if we have never been away. It was nice to welcome Tudor to the club for the first time today. A nice day for Tudor to come along because it was Adam's 9th birthday and he very kindly came along with cakes for everyone.

Adam will be one of a number of CJCC players taking part in the Essex Junior Chess Association tournament in Chelmsford on Saturday. I shall be there impartially cheering them all on.

 Francesca getting diverted from her match with Ewan last week.

 Tom showing he shares his sister's enthusiasm for the camera.

Cody focussed on his game with Kai today. Solan on the left playing George.

Best Wishes
Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com