From the Archive (16)

From the archive...

Tense games at the 16th Yarm Chess Team Championship, 2010.

The 22nd tournament in the series will be early in the new school term.

In Their Own Words (20)

I enjoy chess because it is a great game, it needs concentration and when you play with your friends it is really fun. I enjoy learning chess because I am learning things I never knew before, which can help me later on in my life. Chess is a great one-to-one game which needs concentration and brain power. You can play chess anywhere as there are travel chess sets and apps which allow you to play chess.

My favourite memory of chess is when I was playing with my friend and I realised we had been in check over 10 times without realising. I also have a memory of playing in a class tournament. I got 12 points! My chess teacher tells strange but funny jokes.

Overall I enjoy chess very much and I hope in the future I can play more chess.

Ellanor (10)

I love chess because it is really fun and I like learning how all the pieces move. My favourite piece is the pawn. I like playing against other people. I like a good challenge. I think chess is a good hobby. I also love playing chess at home.

I love working with my chess teacher. He is very funny. I also love it when I win against big challenges but that's only happened once.

Sienna (10)

I have been doing chess since I was in Year 4. I like chess because it calms me and it is a really fair game. And before Easter we had a competition and everyone got amazing scores, including me! Our chess teacher is a lot of fun.

Amy (10)

I like chess because it's fun and it calms me down on a stressful Friday morning.  It helps me learn my coordinates and also makes my brain work. I practice at home in my spare time with my chess set that I got at my birthday party.

Our teacher is very funny because he makes lots of jokes up that make us laugh. Some of the quizzes he gives us are very hard but some are quite easy. I like when we do chess challenges even though I never win - and I've done it for two years now.

Adaeze (10)

In Their Own Words (19)

The best thing about chess is that I can play with my friends. I also like our teacher because he's fun. I enjoy learning about the pieces and I enjoy working out the puzzles on the big board. My favourite piece is the queen because she can move anywhere.

Jake (10)

I like chess because it is fun and it makes me think. Chess is fun because you play people and that makes it fun.

Kane (10)

I like chess because our teacher teaches show me lots of new problems to solve. It is fun to play and you can play people around the country you don't even know. I am proud of myself because last year and this year I was just one point off qualifying for the Megafinal.

Liam (10)

I like chess because it is challenging and it is a quiet type of game. Also our teacher is the best because he pushes you to your limits and that is really nice if him. Thank you! Chess is a really good game and when you get really good at it you get to go to competitions and you get a certificate of taking part. It is my favourite board game.

Imogen (10)

I like chess because it can be challenging and easy and I like challenges because it is fun. I win a lot of my games. Well, most of them. And I like all the pieces and designs.

Ryan (10)

In Their Own Words (18)

When you go to a chess tournament you find your team and try and think of the way you are going to win. Then you find where you sit and find out your opponent. Then it's lunch. After lunch you have another game (games usually last half an hour). Then it's home time.

Lillie (9)

I like chess because it is really fun as I may lose a lot - although practice makes perfect. Although it is really hard I do really like it. In Year 5 I tried and tried to get through to the Megafinal but I was a few points away, but it doesn't really matter. It's not the end of the world.

Abbi (10)

Chess helps me with my coordinates and gets me better at playing. I like playing because it is a very fun game to play. You should play it one day.

Curtis (9)

I like chess because it gives my mind a challenge and it is entertaining. You pay lots of attention to your mind. Out teacher is very funny and he persuades you to play and we all have a good time.

Sophie (10)

Chess is a good game to do. It is an amazing game because you can play each other and it's fun.

Grace (9)

The thing I like about chess is there is no winner or loser and you can play with your family and friends. I also like learning with our teacher because he makes lessons fun. The thing I dislike about chess is the tournament because you can't talk and if they do something wrong you can't tell them.

Ryan (9)

In Their Own Words (17)

In chess your brain starts working. Chess is the greatest thing ever.

Grace (8)

Chess is the best thing in the world and also it is amazing. In chess I played the school champion and I won. When I went home I taught my Mam how to play chess.

Evie (8)

I like chess because it wakes my brain up in the morning and it's really fun whether you win or lose. My favourite piece is the queen because it looks cool and can move in any direction.

Thomas (10)

I like chess because it is very entertaining and fun. Our teacher is very funny and makes me laugh all the time. 

Ellie (10)

I like to castle because your king is the piece that you must protect the most. I also like check because it makes me really excited because it is a chance that you could win. I enjoy chess because I like to challenge myself. My best moment in chess was when I went from really bad to good. My favourite piece is the queen because it is very powerful and it helps you win most of the time.

Holly (10)

I like chess because it's just a fun game that you can play with your friends. And once I got annoyed because my best friend, Thomas, beat me when I could have qualified for the Megafinal. The thing I am most proud about in chess is the last time we played and I needed to get three points to qualify and I did so I was really happy. The other thing I am proud of is beating my sister.

Charlie (10)

I like chess because you can play against your friends and get them in check. 

Joshua (10)