This free club has been specifically created and designed for juniors ranging in age from 6 to 16 years old, catering for players at various skill levels from complete beginners to those who are medium to strong club players. It provides an inclusive environment where young players can develop their skills and enjoy the game at their own pace. It is organised and run by Graham Morris and Jon Catchpole with the aim of expanding the number of tutors to cater for the more advanced chess players.
I have been teaching chess to juniors for 8 + years with both Ferndown and Bournemouth Junior Chess Clubs and at the Poole Chess Club. I currently hold a DBS certificate.
Format
Two ONE HOUR sessions, 10am to 11am and 11am until noon.
Time of one hour per child is recommended as concentration wains after that.
The method of teaching is 25-30 minutes teaching and 30 minutes playing against children of a comparable standard so the lessons learnt are practiced. The use of Chess clocks and notation will be encouraged in game play, with various time settings. Juniors will often receive one-to-one coaching sessions tailored specifically to their individual needs and skill levels
Activities
Internal competitions are always popular, we will have various types of competitions and tournaments including:- Ladder, Knockout, Hand & Brain, 960 chess, Puzzles and All-play-All Round Robin. It is hoped to have competitions with other junior chess clubs in the area, such as Bournemouth and Southbourne.
Just playing games without learning is repetitive and cannot improve play, so it’s important to learn, practice and play in equal measures.
Where and When
The club meets every Saturday morning at Ferndown Library from 10am until 12noon and will continue throughout the year, except during designated holiday periods.
We have the use of a dedicated room upstairs just for the Chess club, by kind permission of the Dorset Council, to whom we are extremely grateful.
Appeal
The club continues to experience steady growth, attracting more members every week. To support this positive momentum, if anyone is interested and willing to assist with coaching on a regular weekly basis, please do not hesitate to reach out and let me know. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
