Train and Play Chess Day 3rd March

Yesterday was the British Chess Train and Play Day hosted by Brentwood Senior School. 115 juniors between 5 and 17 came along to enjoy two coaching session and a 4-round tournament within groups based on playing strength.

20 players from CJCC took part including some at their very first chess event. Well done to all the newcomers. Vivaan and Solan top-scored from these with 3/4. Congratulations also to Anna for winning the Best Girl prize in her section and Rishi (Year 3) for beating a student from Year 12.

Thanks are due to Brentwood School for all their support of the event (including a free packed lunch for every player!) and the EJCA for the loan of the equipment. Thanks also to all the volunteers who gave up their day to help everything run smoothly.

A report and more photos will appear in the blog at www.britishchess.co.uk

Best Wishes
Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

 GM Matthew Sadler delivering his talk in the smart surroundings of the Wessex Auditorium.

 Rishi in action against his second Year 12 opponent of the day on the top board in his section.

Impressive focus in Group B.

CJCC dates and tournament standings

Hector and Kai are our joint leaders at the moment on 16 points so well done to the pair of them. The current standings are below. A few players are still on 100% so might well catch our frontrunners before Easter.

Hector had that bit of good fortune all winners need last week when Jixuan thought Hector had checkmated him when in fact he could have simply taken Hector's queen! Well done to Jixuan for taking his oversight in good spirits.

Congratulations to Andrew Podgorski for being our Player of the Week for spotting the winning idea in our demo board position and for being selected for the Essex U11 team.

We'll meet back on 26th February and the dates up to Easter are as follows.

Older Group - 26th Feb, 12th March, 26th March.

Younger Group - 5th March, 19th March, 2nd April.

Don't forget to sign up for the Train and Play event on 3rd March. Learn from one Grandmaster, one International Master, one Women's Grandmaster (and me!). Details at www.britishchess.co.uk

Best Wishes
Robin

CJCC Week 4 Photos

It was great to see Wolfie (on his 8th birthday) after his chess break and to welcome Adi, Luv and Kush to the club for the first time.

We carried on with the UK Chess Challenge and the younger players all got a Chess Battle Manual and an invitation to take part in online chess as part of the Challenge.

Alice S kindly took the photos below. Alice is one of the Year 7 players always willing to help the younger ones which is a vital part of the club. Special thanks to James today for all his patient work with Pranshi and Alex.

Kush watching his brother Luv's game with Vivaan carefully. Birthday boy Wolfie in the background.

Josh playing Khrisha closest to the camera. Khrisha's brother Rishi next to her has his "Best Newcomer" trophy with him from his first ever tournament.

 Adi (age 5) on the right nearest the camera about to move against fellow St. Cedds player Tokumbo.

Solan is happy about something. The board looks like a battle zone. No wonder the pieces get mixed up!

Olga about to move against Dinil. James is standing who did a marvellous job helping Pranshi and Alex play their game today.

Good luck to all our players taking part in the Essex qualifier for the National Primary Schools Chess Championship on Saturday at Moulsham School. It will be a busy weekend with the Essex Junior Chess Association coaching day on the Sunday (also at Moulsham).

Moulsham Junior School have 6 teams taking part who will all be managed by old pupils who are current or former CJCC players. Mildmay's team is also managed by an older CJCC player. Passing on your experience like this is an important part of our club ethos.

Best Wishes
Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

CJCC January Chess

We are 3 weeks into the term and the UK Chess Challenge is currently led by James Naylor on 10 points (partly because he has played the most games!).

 It was the (mostly!) older players today. Alongside the tournament we enjoyed a clever queen sacrifice checkmate played by Toby in the London Junior Chess Championships over Christmas.

Khrisha, Cody and Hector are watching Millie's game with Jiyuan.

Jixuan is looking serious against tournament leader James. Evan and Anna would have an exciting draw next to them when they were left with just a king each.

Congratulations to our prize winners and competitors at the recent EJCA tournament in Southend. Rishi won the Best Newcomer trophy in the U9s. Olga (Year 5) and James Zarzecki (Year 7) both played excellently to win money in the U18 Minor.

The new chess grades are out today. Have a look if you dare!

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

Please get in touch if you have any questions about the club or junior chess in Essex.

Best Wishes

Robin

chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

New Term - UK Chess Challenge

Happy New Year!

CJCC will start back on Tuesday 8th January with the older players.

I have a boxful of badges, gold stickers, furry creatures, chess advice booklets and trophies which means it is time to start the UK Chess Challenge. Everyone will have a chance to win gold spots and a furry friend or two then move forward to the Essex Megafinal.

Best Wishes
Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

Christmas Holidays and 2019

CJCC has broken up now until Tuesday 8th January when we will kick off the UK Chess Challenge (badges, gold spots, furry creatures and all) with the older players.

Thank you to everyone who bought food, performed music and especially helped clear up at our Christmas Buffet Musical Extravaganza. It was great so many of our players were keen to get on stage to perform and share their non-chess talents with the club.

Good luck to our players at the London Junior Chess Championships this month.

Entry forms will soon be available for the next EJCA tournament (Sunday 13th January in Southend) at www.ejca.co.uk

Entry has opened at www.britishchess.co.uk for the British Chess Train and Play day at Brentwood School on Sunday 3rd March. Guest coaches Grandmaster Matthew Sadler (the UK's highest ECF-rated player) and Women's International Master Natasha Regan will join International Master Richard Pert and myself. This event is likely to sell out so dn't leave it too late!

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and New Year.

Best Wishes
Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com

Last Sunday, next Sunday and today's club

Last Sunday (18th) I was helping run a tournament on behalf of the Essex Junior Chess Association at Basildon. Quite a few of our players were involved and did very well.

Sid got a special trophy today (see photo below) because he concentrated and played very well to beat the highest-rated player in the U8s despite being the youngest player in the tournament himself. Vivaan also won a trophy today for his play at the club.

Next Sunday (25th) I'm involved with running a secondary school tournament at KEGS. Plenty of CCJC interest in the KEGS and Moulsham teams.

CJCC players Eddie and Theo have organised the Moulsham teams themselves because they wanted to play and their school didn't enter. They've even recruited our snack tsar Leon (Year 10) into a team for his first competitive chess since Year 6.

 Nice to welcome Bertie and Phoebe back to the club.

 Dinil had a great battle with Prady before finally winning.

 Scott plays the Alices watched by Aoife and Roisin. Milana looks excited behind.

Sid with his trophy together with his brother Prady (it was Egyptian Day for Year 3 at St. Cedds!) and his classmate Tokunbo.

Best Wishes
Robin
chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com