Halloween Gambit

Despite it being both Halloween and half-term, 17 juniors graced us with their presence over the two hourly sessions.

We were also delighted to welcome new member Ralph, who showed great enthusiasm for the game and quickly joined in with the activities.

The main room, with juniors at long tables of green and white boards: in front, one in a blue hoodie reaches to move a piece beside a player resting a chin on one hand and another with both hands pressed to the forehead, while more games run along the tables by the kitchen counter, where a pointed hat sits, and by the window. — Heads down in the main room.

The end of a table by the window, with four juniors: one with curly hair stretches across to move a piece, a player in a dark jumper leans in over the same board, one in a green hoodie with the hood up holds both hands together, and another sits at the next table with their back to the camera. — A busy end of the table.

Two juniors at a board: one in a blue padded coat rests on folded arms and looks up at the camera, while the other, in a black hoodie, studies the position with a fist on the table, and another board is set out behind them. — A look up from the board.

We had expected numbers to be lower, but those who attended were treated to a wonderfully spooky experience, complete with the infamous talking Sorting Hat! Artistically made by Jon Catchpole.

The talking hat: a tall witch’s hat built up from rings of dark, rough-cut wood, with two small blue eyes peering out and a red ribbon tied in a bow round its brim, standing on a drawn chessboard.

Maybe in the near future one of our juniors could challenge it to play a game of chess! But they have to be in the right Wizard’s house – Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Gryffindor? Chosen by the Sorting Hat!

The Halloween Gambit

The words “Halloween Gambit” in dripping orange letters over a cartoon board at night: a white pawn swings a club at a toppling jack-o’-lantern piece, watched by a white king and knight and a black queen and pawn, under a full moon with a haunted house, bare trees, cobwebs and a dangling spider.

What better way to kick off our Halloween gathering than with the Halloween Gambit? While we only followed a few opening lines, every junior got involved and enjoyed contributing their ideas.

The Halloween Gambit · 31 Oct 2026 1–0

1. e4  e5  2. Nf3  Nc6  3. Nc3  Nf6  4. Nxe5
            This is the Halloween Gambit
        4… Nxe5  5. d4
            Now it's all about chasing the Knights
        5… Nc6  6. d5  Ne5  7. f4  Ng6  8. e5  Qe7
            pinning the pawn so it can't take the Knight
        9. Qe2  Ng8
            the knight has to move, nowhere else safe to go
        10. d6  cxd6  11. Nd5
            the knight attacks the queen, threatens c7 forking the King and Rook
        11… Qd8  12. Nc7+
            goes there anyway with check
        12… Qxc7  13. exd6+
            a discovered check winning the Black Queen
        13… Kd8  14. dxc7+  Kxc7
        1–0

White chases the knights, then a discovered check wins Black’s queen.

Give it a try. It’s a sneaky idea that’s sure to catch a few players unawares.

Ladder games and results

After careful consideration it was decided to take Eden, Constance and Lewis out of the Rook division and keep them in the Bishops group. In doing so, all games that they played in the Rook group are deemed null and void and points awarded have been cancelled and the group revised. As we now have only 5 members in this elite group, they can play each other up to 4 times, 2 as White and 2 as Black.

In the other groups of Bishops and Knights, the figures have been revised to reflect only two games against the same opponent count, one as White and one as Black.

So after today’s games and the above revisions, the tables now look like this:

Scoring is 3 points for a win, 2 for a draw and 1 for a loss.

Rooks

Rooks — Ladder games played so far
Player	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
Kieran	8	4	2	2	18
Jonah	5	1	1	3	8
Henry	7	3	0	4	13
Oscar T	9	5	1	3	20
Uzzaer	9	4	0	5	17

Bishops

Bishops — Ladder games played so far
Player	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
Constance	6	5	1	0	17
Rowan	5	1	0	4	7
Michal K	5	1	3	1	10
Tishi	6	1	0	5	8
Gagan	6	5	1	0	17
Arnav	11	5	2	4	23
Eden	3	3	0	0	9
Zayd	6	0	1	5	7
Wyatt	6	1	2	3	10
Lewis	3	2	0	1	7

Knights

Knights — Ladder games played so far
Player	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
Jack	11	4	2	5	21
Lenaya	4	1	2	1	8
Otis	4	3	1	0	11
Seyon	4	4	0	0	12
Mason	2	1	1	0	5
Orson	8	4	2	2	18
Fin	10	7	0	3	24
Adah	5	2	0	3	9
Trisztan	3	1	1	1	6
Oscar F	5	3	0	2	11
Phoebe	6	4	0	2	14
Florence	3	0	0	3	3
Henry M	9	1	1	7	12
Julian	7	1	4	2	13
Samuel	4	1	1	2	7

Also in the Knights, and yet to play a Ladder game: Rupert.

The Knockout tournament

No games were played in the Knockout Competition so the chart is the same as last week.

Next week

The white rook, knight, king and queen and a black pawn, bishop and rook stand in a row on a chessboard, watching red, gold, blue and purple fireworks burst in the night sky over the trees.

With 5th November fast approaching, next Saturday’s session will feature an all-play-all 5-minute tournament, commencing at 10:00am. Players who can make the earlier start are warmly encouraged to join in the fun and test their skills in some exciting speed chess.

The two faces of a cartoon chess clock, both reading 5:00, with a pawn and a knight on the board either side.

Reporting your results

All Ladder results must be reported back to Graham.

We meet at Ferndown Library every Saturday, 10am–12 noon, and the club is open to 6–16 year-olds.