Half-Term Coaching and chess round-up

CJCC continue to have regular tournaments at www.chesskid.com and www.lichess.org.

Our Saturday morning ChessKid tournaments are split into sections, with some coaching ahead of the tournament for the least experienced players.

We also have Team Battle Blitz and/or Individual Arena Tournaments on www.lichess.org every week.

The sites have some great learning material. As players get stronger, the puzzles on lichess are the best way to hone skills.

Over half-term, I will run some group coaching sessions over Zoom. These will be split by ability and age, with our theme this holiday the very start of the game.

Looking ahead to the summer holidays, I am looking to run a Zoom coaching day once a week and (fingers crossed) get us together for some actual, over the board chess.

The Essex Junior Battle Blitz Team at www.lichess.org now has over 170 members. As well as taking on other counties, we also have our own tournaments. 

This week we have a Swiss Blitz on Wednesday while on Thursday I have a meeting with Bayern Munich Football Club ahead of some European Battles for Essex Juniors with different football clubs!

Every junior chess player in Essex is welcome to join. Essex Juniors • lichess.org

It has been great to see so many CJCC players representing the Essex U9s, U11s, Essex Girls, U18s or their schools (and us!) in online competition. Congratulations to everyone involved.

The Essex U9s and Essex U11s have done brilliantly to finish 2nd and 5th respectively in the National Finals over the last month. The Essex Girls Team currently lead the National Standings.

If your children would like to join Chelmsford Junior Chess Club or if you would like to know more about any aspect of junior chess, please get in touch.

Best Wishes

Robin Slade (chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com)

Online Chess

 It is great to see how many juniors have embraced playing online. It is not better or worse than playing over the board - just different.

Tonight over 50 juniors represented Essex in the latest monthly Inter-County Battle Blitz. Essex swept to victory in Division Two and return to Division One at the first attempt.

16th Inter-County Division 2 Team Battle #IiqhOtPw • lichess.org

There is also a separate monthly Inter-County Battle Blitz competition just for girls. Essex have won both events so far.

CJCC will be in action in a National Team Battle Blitz on Thursday and an Essex Team Battle Blitz next week. 

Next week we will take on Colchester Juniors, KEGS, Colchester Grammar School, Brentwood School, Wanstead Juniors as well as an Essex Junior and Suffolk Junior Team.

In all these Team Battle Blitz events, teams can be of any size and players can play all or part of an event with no prior commitment. Any player who wants to can join a Zoom session during play to share the ups and downs of the competition.

CJCC also has a programme of individual tournaments at www.lichess.org and www.chesskid.com along with coaching sessions. They all run with Zoom alongside.

All juniors are welcome to join our club. I will also create student accounts within CJCC for anyone who would simply like to explore the online chess world independently in a safe environment. Please get in touch for more details.

Best Wishes

Robin Slade (chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com) 

March Chess

Great for the children to get back to school this week. I've enjoyed seeing the chess players in person again in the schools I visit.

CJCC will be continuing online for now though. We have tournaments and coaching at www.chesskid.com and www.lichess.org. I run Zoom alongside our events for the social and coaching elements.

We also take part in Battle Blitzes on lichess. Last night was the latest fortnightly Battle linked to the Junior 4NCL (the National Junior Chess League). Next week, we take part in a Battle with other Essex teams.

Many of our players represent Essex online. We have monthly inter-county Battles for the Essex Junior and Essex Girls Teams. Everyone is welcome to sign up. Essex have also won through to the National Finals at Under 9 and Under 11 levels.

Overall, more children are involved with online chess than were with physical chess. Whatever happens with the traditional game, online chess will continue.

Please get in touch if you have any questions about junior chess as well as our club.

Robin Slade (chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com)

Half-Term Chess and Camel Success

CJCC will be continuing their online chess through half-term week and up to Easter. 

Last Friday CJCC's Battle Blitz Team (led by SereneCamel George) won promotion to Division Two of the National Battle Blitz League. These Battles take place on www.lichess.org every fortnight and everyone is welcome to join the CJCC Team and take part.

This week our Battle Blitz Team will take on Essex, Suffolk, KEGS, Brentwood School and Colchester Juniors in a Six-Way Shootout on Saturday 20th at 7pm. 

Six-Way Shootout 20th February Team 200221 #wxo9csUS • lichess.org

Also this week we have a Coaching Day on Tuesday involving 32 children split over 4 sessions. These book out quickly and I'll be running more over the Easter holidays.

On Wednesday evening we have our Arena Blitz on www.lichess.org

CJCC Wednesday Evening 170221 Arena #N2V12sQf • lichess.org

On Saturday morning we will have a pair of tournaments split by rating with coaching for the less experienced players on www.chesskid.com  

We'll continue with a mix of individual tournaments, Battle Blitz Team Tournaments and coaching through the next half-term. 

All our chess sessions have Zoom running alongside to add to the social and coaching elements. 

www.chesskid.com and www.lichess.org have great learning material and I would encourage all junior players to have fun exploring both sites.

Best Wishes

Robin Slade (chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com) 

January Chess

 A lack of posts does not mean a lack of chess. It is more the opposite - too much chess to organise to get around to posting.

We have our With Kindness Saturday tournaments on ChessKid (with coaching). The stronger players have to play with kindness against those with less experience. We are all on Zoom together in case any reminding is needed!

Also on ChessKid we had a special tournament (with chess cake!) for Hugo's birthday.

On lichess, we've had our latest blitz tournament tonight with 40+ entries. Results below.

CJCC Saturday Evening 230121 Arena #jb8hZeK8 • lichess.org

Our CJCC Battle Blitz Team will be in action this Thursday in a new fortnightly competition against clubs from around the country. All CJCC members on lichess are welcome to join the Team.

CJCC Coaching • lichess.org

We also have a Girls Battle Blitz Team who will be making their competitive debut in February.

CJCC Girls • lichess.org

Best Wishes

Robin Slade (chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail,com) 

Congratulations!

A successful day for CJCC. 

We won the 4-Way Team Battle Blitz with Brentwood School, KEGS and Colchester Juniors tonight. Over 50 juniors took part.

Christmas Clash Team Battle #qWXASZ5M • lichess.org

Luoke led the CJCC team having just finished competing in the British Online Chess Championships. 

After 7 games over 4 days, Luoke finished 3rd overall in the Under 8s. Shrishti also played in the Under 8s and finished 12th. Congratulations to both of them on their fine performances.

Former CJCC player Nina Pert (Year 9) played in the British Women's Championship and finished 2nd. This was a fantastic achievement, competing against adult players.

Happy New Year!

Robin Slade (chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com) 

Art and Extra Christmas Chess

 Thank you to all CJCC players who have sent Christmas cards and in particular who have added their own artwork. 

Below is a fine drawing by Luoke who will be taking part in the British Online Under 8 Championships over Christmas. Shrishti is also playing from CJCC so the best of luck to both of them.

We have extra Christmas chess with so many of us at home. Boxing Day Kindness 9am on ChessKid and Boxing Day Blitz 7pm on lichess. 

CJCC will also be in a 4-team Essex Battle Blitz on 30th January with Brentwood School, KEGS and Colchester Juniors.

2021 will kick off with the Brentwood School Blitz (open to all Essex and Suffolk Juniors) on 3rd January, broadcast by IM Richard Pert on his TwitchTV channel.

Best Wishes for the New Year

Robin Slade (chelmsfordjuniorchess@gmail.com)