A total of 22 passionate chess enthusiasts gathered together to enjoy a bright and sunny Saturday morning, engaging deeply in the game and making the most of the wonderful occasion. Their shared love for chess created an atmosphere filled with excitement and camaraderie, as they played numerous matches and appreciated the unique experience of spending time with friends and fellow players.
A warm welcome to our latest new recruit Isaac (M) I hope he found the session to his liking and we’d love to see him again.
With the outstanding and expert coaching consistently provided by Jon Catchpole, Samuel Gorsuch, and John Heath, every level of play and every critical aspect of chess was thoroughly covered in meticulous detail, ensuring not only a comprehensive understanding but also a deep mastery of the game’s many strategic elements and nuances.
With these dedicated tutors generously giving up their valuable time every single week, the club is steadily growing and developing at an incredibly rapid and impressive rate. Therefore, my sincere thanks and deep appreciation go out to each and every one of them for their unwavering commitment and support.
Become Independent
The game of chess is fundamentally composed of three main sections, which are known as the Opening, the Middle game, and the End game. Each of these stages plays a crucial role in the overall strategy and flow of the game, contributing significantly to how the match unfolds from start to finish.
Master the principles, tactics, and techniques covered in these sections to dramatically enhance your game and become a more confident, independent chess player.
Opening basic rules
20% of games are won in the opening phase
- Control the centre with pawns on e and d files
- Develop pieces quickly, Knights before Bishops generally
- Don’t move the same piece twice
- Castle early to get the king safe and develop a Rook, avoid moving those pawns in front of the King.
- Don’t bring your Queen out too early
- Connect your Rooks
Free leaflets on these and other priciples are readily available at the club.
Middle Game Tactics
40% of games are won in the middle game
Learn and apply as many as you can, here are a few suggestions:-
- Understand the principle of the PIN and the benefits
- FORKS are game changers, especially by that tricky Knight
- DISCOVERED ATTACKS create a sharp intake of breath
- REMOVING the GUARD
- The SKEWER – a reverse of the pin
- BATTERIES & DOUBLED UP ROOKS
- UNPROTECTED PIECES – target these
Free leaflets on these and other tactics are readily available at the club.
End Game Techniques
40% of games are won in the end game
Majority of endgame positions involve King, Rook(s) and pawns trying to Queen.
- Get the King into action, it becomes an important support for both Rook and pawn endings
- Learn and practice Opposition
- Rooks on the 7th rank is heaven, generally there are pawns lurking there ready to be snapped up.
- Avoid Back Rank Mate by advancing the pawns in front of the King
- When ahead in material, trade pieces not pawns
- When behind in material, trade pawns not pieces.
Jon, Samuel, John Heath, and I are here to help you understand these important topics. Feel free to ask for guidance anytime.
Climb the Rigging Knockout Tournament
The winner for this is LEWIS
Final Ladder Positions
Today saw the last day of the ladder competitions, many games played with wins for Oscar, Michal, Henry, Zayd, Jack, Kieran, Rowan, Lewis, Uzzaer, Constance and Wyatt.
Advanced Group
The Winner is Kieran on 34 points, runner up is Wyatt on 30 points and 3rd is Uzzaer on 25 points
Intermediate Group
The Winner is Oscar (T) with 36 points, runner up is Michal on 27 points and 3rd is Eden with 25 points.
Beginners Group
The Winner is Zayd with a grand total of 32 points, runner up is Rowan on 29 points and 3rd is Henry (N) with 25 points
Congratulations to all who took part, Trophies and medals will be presented next week to all those listed above.
Tee Shirts
We are looking at having some Tee shirts printed, possibly to this design, or any other suggestions, if interested please let me know.
Good Luck England – Both Women’s Cricket team and Mens Football team
Have a great week,
