Despite being half term week we had 19 very keen players along which is a pleasure. It is heartening to see the enthusiasm and enjoyment of the kids learning and playing chess every week. Our overall attendance level is excellent so keep it up and we will continue to provide this service to local players.
We issue a weekly report of the events and games each Saturday and can I request all parents to pass this on to the kids. If anyone is not receiving a weekly copy please let me know and I will add you to the distribution.
Children In Need 2026
It is 2 weeks to the BBC launch of 2026 Children In Need. It is something we have supported over the years with your help and we want to continue this year. The club will match any donation you can make so if we collect say £200 we will match it to donate £400 overall. If you can do this through the usual bank account and reference it CIN I will allocate it to the overall donation. This is a great cause so it is very much appreciated.
1st Session
Tony’s Coaching – Advanced Visualisation
Tony set out a mixture of 1 and 2 ply visualised puzzles with emphasis on knight forks and pins. Ram solved all the 2 ply ones but missed out on a 1 ply puzzle. Harvey, Hektor and Jake did well with the 1 ply puzzles.
Graham’s Coaching – Candidate Moves
Graham took the senior advanced players through candidate moves – the process of identifying the most promising moves in a position before committing to one. This is a key skill for improving players as it helps avoid impulsive moves and encourages deeper calculation. By considering two or three candidate moves each turn, players learn to compare options and find the strongest continuation.
Eric’s Coaching – Intermediate Group
Eric took the intermediate group through a game played on Lichess. This showed central control of the board, bishops working in tandem and breaking through to finish. A great example of how coordinating your pieces can lead to a decisive attack.
Steve’s Coaching – Beginners
Steve had a small group of beginners including Tobias for his 1st visit. They covered the basics of chess, tactics, openings and the benefit of castling either side. Welcome Tobias – hope to see you back next week!
2nd Session
The 2nd session was smaller in numbers and the same lessons were given. In addition Peter joined us to give a lesson on correct moves through their games – reviewing each move and showing the strongest continuation. The group were fully engaged and we are sure they will bring some of the teaching into their own games.
Ladder Board Games
Results
1st Session: Jake 0 Rafan 1, Neil 0 Harvey 1, Ram 0 Nathaniel 1, Markas 1 Kit 0, Lawrence 1 Omer 0, Hektor ½ Coach ½.Hektor given a full point as a result of playing very well.
Strong game by Harvey to beat Neil, well done Harvey. Hektor played well against Eric and has been given a win on the ladder board for his efforts.
Most games are won and lost by mistakes – leaving pieces unprotected, miscalculation etc. All these are under your own control and I urge you to treat every piece as one of your most valuable.
2nd Session: Leo 0 Emmanuel 1, Manvik 0 Milan 1, Adelyn 0 Manvik (2) 1.
Ladder Board – 1st Session (Round 7)
| Name | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nathaniel | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
| Harvey | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| Ram | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| Neil | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| Kit | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Hektor | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| Omer | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| Nirvan | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Sarah | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Markas | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4* |
| Jake | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Rafan | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Lucas | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Lawrence | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Alexander | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Preston | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Arini | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
*k.
Ladder Board – 2nd Session (Round 7)
| Name | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milan | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| Manvik 1 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| Emmanuel | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| William | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| Leo | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Erin | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Atlas | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Koko | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Manvik 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Ritha | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Kiara | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Markas | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Jenson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Adelyn | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Nathaniel is now a clear leader in the 1st session with 12 points and Harvey is coming up fast with 10. In the 2nd session Milan is galloping ahead with 11 points followed by Emmanuel and Manvik on 8.
There is 5 weeks to go for all ladder board games so all to play for.
All games are played with a 15 minute time control and all players are now notating all moves. There is room for progress with the notation but it serves a good purpose in reviewing the games afterwards. Another good way to learn.
Thanks as always to our dedicated and loyal coaching team of Steve, Graham, Tony and Peter for supporting the lessons. I look forward to seeing you all next week.